Hairy and rampant

Hi. 

That was a much better week, a lot cooler and a nice drop of rain spread over several days. Just what the gardens needed. Sales recovered nicely and productivity took a big step in the right direction. 

Realisation has crept in that we are getting into that mad period when sales are still bowling along, while at the same time we need to start clearing tunnels for next seasons crops. We had a good number of our Rosemarys for next spring arrive this week and the first of our big Dutch module deliveries for next year arrives next week. This usually sparks mild panic, with not enough time or space to cope with all the stock and nursery activity, but I’m hoping this year will be a bit more controlled. Mind you, I always think we are going to be better organised than last year and it’s never actually come true before. 

As I expected this probably wasn’t the best year to expand the workforce with sales not quite exciting enough and production knocked out of kilter last summer by the new demands for peat-free propagation material from some sectors of our market. We also shut our micro-prop lab last summer which created some disruption, although it freed up more of our propagation area for doing more of our own traditionally propagated stock. A new mist unit in there has helped keep the cutting propagation viable with very good success rates and the seed sowing has been better this year after several disasters with peat-free seed composts last season. The peat-free glue plug modules are still proving to produce better young plants than our loose-fill modules, especially with the slower growing varieties, but we can’t get those in our reusable trays which means more use of single use plastic, all very frustrating.  

Talking of frustration, the electric van should have been here a couple of weeks ago but the backdoor loading ramp, which is made by a separate company, has been delayed. Shouldn’t be long.  Don’t forget to get your stocks in of our ’take-me-home’ plants, good for physical and mental health of your staff and customers, great for wildlife and the environment and helps keeps our heads above water! 

Social media on trend I believe there might be a little video clip of the current batches of strawberry on Instagram. To find our Instagram content try our username @thehairypotplantcompany  or use the link below; https://www.instagram.com/thehairypotplantcompany?igsh=MXhhMGxhcjgzNGYydA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr 

Availability list. 

Plant growth is rampant, the plants are loving the cooler temperatures and wetter conditions. Lots of bud and plenty of colour. Small and compact the Lewisia Elise have plenty of bud already and will flower all summer long. All three Erigeron’s are nicely in bud and looking summery. The ever-popular Erigeron karv. Stallone has loads of bud, ready for a full summer of scrambling pretty little daisy flowers. Compact varieties of Achillea Milly Rock are looking great, chunky stock with plenty of flower shoots appearing. The pretty Foam Flower Tiarella wherrii are now in flower and bud We already have several Asters in bud this week, which are usually something we associate with late summer!The early summer flowering Allium Millenium is now producing bud. It’s a cracker, much tidier foliage and habit than the spring flowering Alliums, and it flowers for longer too. Not such spectacular flowerheads perhaps but a great garden plant. There are some cracking Verbena’s ready to go. Don’t miss out on these very popular lines. I am sorry we ran out earlier, there popularity caught me out again. Nice chunky Lupins have the first of multiple buds appearing, They should flower for ages. Coreopsis are now in bud in a great range of colours. Summer must be here with bud on a couple of the Agapanthus varieties. Quite a few Leucanthemum in bud now, the first of many flowers to come. We have a few Scabiosa in bud, more to follow, another long flowering summer star. Garden Pinks (Dianthus) are back in bud again after recovering from our ever-hungry rampaging hares. The super popular Nemesia Wisley Vanilla is back on the list and there are follow-on batches coming too.  More summer stars are coming out now with bud appearing on the Gaura, Bidens and the Salvia’s too are now showing plenty of bud and now a bit of colour too. Oxalis triangularis is back on the list and in bud, after we took it off due to some frost damage on the leaf edges, just short time ago. We cut them back to compost and there now back on show again, looking grand. Phlox paniculata varieties are showing bud on super strong stems, get them quick before they go. 

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 and even the more tender herbs like Basil are now making their springtime appearance. Strawberries are looking great, especially the those showing colour. Tarragon is back and the Mints have recovered too. 

Best wishes from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.