Hairy Spring

Hi

Wow, so that's what Spring looks like! The coming weekend and following week look pretty promising so looking forward to a busy time. We were so organised this week getting all our orders sorted pretty early and hardly a van breakdown in sight. A couple of days of full on potting beckoned only to be scuppered by a flurry of late orders. Luckily we had the van space, stock and time to sort it all out, so everyone can make the best of having full shelves over a sunny weekend. We hope to benefit with repeat orders so missing a potting session or two will be worth it. It's such a relief to see some nice weather we love trying our best to get things out of the door and in front of Joe Gardener.

Just to make sure I was properly in the Spring mood Phil came back this afternoon carrying a chunky broken spring he found under the pedals of the newest van. Straight down to the garage to identify it, it turned out to be one of two clutch return springs. Booked in for repair in a couple of weeks under warranty, but luckily still ok to drive.

Pete the electrician has one more day to go!. Not his fault, the suppliers couldn't get a couple of parts. He promises that will be it for a while, fingers crossed. Meanwhile it sounds like the solar panel electrician is going to take his place with parts on order and threats of making it onto site. That would be a weight off my mind, I get terrible pangs of guilt every-time I walk past the panels all lined up smiling at the sun and not generating anything, especially when it has been so bright and there has been no wind to push the turbines round.

My first couple of seed sowing sessions on the new machinery is bearing fruit with some nicely germinating trays of herbs and perennials. The herbs I was hoping would be reliable enough as they are usually multiple seeded in each module, but some of the perennials are so expensive they only get one or two seeds in each and I was a bit apprehensive they might be a bit sporadic, but most are looking ok. I'm still waiting for delivery of a further selection of multi-holed seeding nozzles that will greatly increase the sowing speeds of the herbs and a delivery of module trays which are thankfully now on the road. We ordered these back in September but there were some issues in production which meant they didn't get made until a couple of weeks ago (in France). Good job we weren't in a rush. They are the heavyweight solid plastic type with legs, to allow for root air pruning, and should last us for years, as long as I have ordered enough. I tried to work out what was needed but the sums were way to complex for my weary brain and I also wasn't altogether sure how quickly or slowly we would empty them for reuse. Time will tell.

I snuck away from the nursery yet again this week to attend another peat-free growers day run by the RHS and HTA. Held close by and followed by a tour of Hillier's container nursery, it was too good an opportunity to miss. Yet again I picked up some really useful tips and heard about some of the issues other nurseries were having while moving away from peat use. I have a few of my own theories as to how best to get young modules established in the pot straight after potting, as we have had a few issues in the past and it was reassuring to hear that this was one of the main problems in getting successful crops for others too. Interestingly their theories and solutions were different to mine. I was too shy to suggest my solution, suffice to say it was different, but does work with our compost mix.

I need to thank Pollyann, my jive dance partner this week, for providing a very helpful and enlightening suggestion for holding together my flapping shoe sole after a major malfunction. I politely decline her offer to tie it together with her thong, before she turned a little pink as she realised quite what she had suggested!

Availability list.

Fritillaria (Snakes Head Lilly) are now on the list and flower buds are appearing quickly so get them while they are hot. Anemone blanda Blue Shades have emerged despite the cold and buds are colouring up already.

Pulmonaria varieties are now in bud, the pale blue Opal looks lovely at the moment and Majeste is coming into its best. Pulsatilla vulgaris Pinwheel in all colour forms have shot up, they come straight into flower, so bud is already on show. Doronicum Little Leo are in holding yellow buds with the odd opening flower. Not many left so don't dally.

Brunnera mac. Variegata are looking smart, still quite tight in growth but blue flower buds will appear very soon. Allium Purple Rain is the earliest of our larger Alliums to make an appearance and is looking really smart. They are grown without heat so exposed to frost and nicely toughened. Purple Sensation and Ostara are now up too, but not quite as much. Several of the compact Narcissus are now showing bud too. Tete a Tete looks particularly good at the moment. Do bear in mind that Leike is very late flowering, so buds aren't yet visible, but they will come.

Pretty deep blue flowers of Scilla sibirica are now just showing, get them while you can. There are now plenty of Wild Primrose (P. vulgaris) looking great, in bud and flower with lots more to follow. They are from our own saved seed I collect from the new wood at the top of our field, so properly wild! Primula denticulata are swelling and now protruding. All three should be there next week, but just Rubra this time.

Take care, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.