Hairy and hectic

Hi. 

Just a quick one as I’m struggling to keep up this week. The orders have been rolling in after a better bank holiday weekend than predicted, and everything else seems to be kicking off, some exciting, but most of it very expensive. Preparations for the electric van continue with a couple of 3 phase 22kw chargers on order and the electrician running up a quote to install a new distribution board, cabling and sockets for those chargers. As part of the electric re-jig we are having to replace our ancient and unreliable generator with something a bit quieter, cleaner and cleverer. It is going to be installed on an existing concrete pad next to the meter shed, which seemed like a cheap and easy option, but by the time new wiring, auto transfer switches and new distribution boards are installed the cost of the generator is likely to double. It’s like a roller coaster I can’t seem to get off, one positive advance turns into a waterfall of extra costs.  To add to the positive financial mood of the day, our new IT people who successfully helped us update onto the cloud, have today upgraded our Wi-Fi hubs, firewall and network switch gear so that we are ‘more secure’, plug and play, it’s all so simple. Now the telephone system won’t work correctly (so if you can’t get through please try emailing us at nurseries@kirtonfarm.co.uk) and they say this nothing to do with them, but if we changed from our reasonably new box on the wall to an on-line system, it would all be better. Also, the CCTV system which they said would work better once everything was upgraded, has also been written off because it doesn’t fit with the new levels of firewall security and we would need to replace it if we wanted to be secure on the whole network. So it looks like we have to replace a perfectly good phone system and cctv (it is Chinese!) to fit in with the new level of cyber security. Yet another rollercoaster I got stuck on. 

I had a very interesting visit from one of our Dutch compost makers this week. After some poor results using loose fill peatfree propagation composts last summer, when compared to the peat-free glue plugs we have used for many years, I developed a little theory that the problem was the fine particles in the loose mixes moving into the air spaces when watered over a period. This doesn’t tend to happen in peat-based mixes due to the different physical properties of peat. In conversation today he confirmed that the glue plugs hold the finer particles in a solid structure so the blocking of the air spaces doesn’t happen, but my idea to ask the manufacturers to try and remove some of these finer particles would fall on deaf ears because it is just too much trouble to go to, for the relatively small UK peat-free propagation market. The coir propagation mix we are using now is much better than others we have tried but still has too much dust to make a perfect mix, but they won’t take it out. I suspect we will have to adjust our sowing strategy and move the slower germinating, more difficult lines, into glue plugs which would mean new seeding bars, dibbers and delivery tubes to fit onto the sowing machine. Looks like another rollercoaster to ride. On the positive side the weather is lovely and the birds are singing.

The solar is generating nicely again now the cable has been repaired, and tomorrow is the day to tilt our panels to their full summer setting of 17 degrees. They will stay there until August when they start to stand up again. Hopefully in a few weeks we can really start to make good use of all that solar generation when the electric van arrives, and we can soak up a big dollop of energy each day. Something must go in the right direction soon. We had a fab holiday weekend here when I managed to talk Caroline into potting Saturday, Sunday and Monday, so we got lots done. I think she is hoping for a rest this time, and she might be lucky as we look like running out of compost by the end of Friday and the next load isn’t due until Tuesday. I’m sure I can still think of a few things we can do together, that repaired solar cable still needs re-burying! 

Social media on trend To find our Instagram content, I am told you can try our user name @thehairypotplantcompany  or use the link below; https://www.instagram.com/thehairypotplantcompany?igsh=MXhhMGxhcjgzNGYydA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr 

Availability list. 

Our Garden Pinks (Dianthus) are coming ready with bud appearing fast.  The ever popular Nemesia Wisley Vanilla is back on the list and there are follow-on batches coming too, but possibly not quite enough to maintain a constant supply, but it will keep reappearing! Erysimum Bowles Mauve are still flowering and follow-on batches of a couple of other varieties are also ready to go, but with bud only just beginning to appear. The Phlox subulata varieties are nice and compact with colour showing. And finally, many Hosta’s have put in an appearance. Always a precursor to Spring proper, they are up and away. 

Herb sales seem to be booming this spring; it must be all that healthy home cooking we are being encouraged to do. Lots of stock is coming through nicely now, although it will still be week or two before the more tender herbs like Basil make their springtime appearance. We only have a tiny amount of heated production space, so we are limited on production timings of these more tender subjects. 

Best wishes from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.