Hot and Hairy

Morning all,
That was a warm one. Struggled here for a couple of days to keep everyone on their feet. It’s the build up that gets me. It’s nice for a few hours but then everything just gets hotter and hotter. The office portacabin seems to have its own heat generator somewhere and by the end of afternoon is several degrees warmer that outside despite few sun facing window, blinds, and all outlets open. We got to 38C in here on Tuesday, at least there was a breeze outside for the heros picking up and processing the orders. There aren’t many days I wish I was in the micropropagation lab but the air con in there did look very tempting. Still, it’s been a good first week for the harvest team on the farm so they are happy. Yields apparently are not brilliant but ok, probably due to the lack of warmth and sunshine earlier in the season but at least it has come in dry so not much fuel needed to get the grain into good storing condition. Long hours and 7 day weeks for a while for them, might get the odd day off if the weather breaks but hopefully past the peak in 6 weeks or so.
More and more plants arriving here as we hit the peak of incoming plant material. Lots of decisions to make on what to do with it all, how best to keep them growing to produce great plants over a lengthening time scale. One of the pressures at this time is created by the knowledge that the quicker we can move the plants on into a bigger container the easier it is to look after them especially when the heat piles in. On top of this, each year we try out some new ideas with new varieties or differing module sizes and timings, it keeps us on our toes. So far things are looking good for 2017, the new stock is doing well we just need to try and get the tunnels cleared in time for the potters to motor on and refill them. Managed to slip away on Thursday evening to Farnham to see Oli Brown play very loud rock blues. Very talented and a good reminder that life does go on outside nurseries. A few cobwebs blown away for sure.I need to get outside really, so much to do, but it’s looking so hot again, can’t I just stay in and flop about?
Availability highlights
This year’s hardy Fuchsia’s are wonderfully bushy plants showing masses of flower and bud. The first of the summer flowering Crocosmia are producing flower bud as the spikes appear from the amongst the upright foliage. A great colour selection but not huge numbers left. The golden Sunglow was especially popular last year. Veronica bonariensis are coming into bud, they flower quite tall but have good strong stems. We do have a shorter non flowering batch if preferred (let us know). The long flowering pink Geranium Mavis Simpson is romping away now, not a huge number left but full of vigour and promise. Buds are there on most and some colour showing. I have seen the odd flower head opening in the Eucomis. Short stocky pale yellow and exotic flower spikes.First buds and some opening flowers in our crop of white Platycodon Astra. A dwarf Balloon flower, it’s a beauty. The first of the buds are showing on most of our mini garden Chrysanthemum range. There will be masses to follow of these non frost hardy stunners. Tight compact plants with very dinky flowers in a great colour range. Plenty of Erigeron karvinskianus on stream now and in bud and flower. This one blooms for an age. A widening range of Asters are appearing, bud and colour on a few and the rest won’t be long away. We have several new varieties, many mildew free/resistant (ageratoides and frikartii types) and we are working on some techniques for earlier flowering batches for next year. Meanwhile we have a fresh batch of strong Aster frikartii Monch which are just lengthening their stems in readiness for flowering. We have some very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing signs of flower shoots, they must think it’s summer too. Seranade and September Charm looking particularly good.Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice. We have a few fresh Nepeta Six Hills and Walkers Low in bud, but they won’t hang around long.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries