Morning all,
Spring has sprung, madly busy preparing orders and potting, it’s nice to get to the weekend and relax with a bit more potting, packing microprop plants, watering in the potting and releasing our first batch of nematodes to combat any stray vine weevils. With a bit of luck I might get a few labels printed after dark all ready for starting the new week afresh. It’s a lifestyle choice apparently, what a lucky chap. This is the exciting bit really, all that potential sitting out there just waiting for that perfect season which always eventually arrives of course.
There is life off the nursery too, Bankers bonuses, the election build up, fundamentalist tensions and to cap it all off we lost our penultimate hockey game. On the positive side there have been some high points, we got into the semi- finals of a local skittles cup beating the top team, saw a really good country/folk band (The Mountain Firework Company) at the local village hall (not really my scene but hey, they were very talented, put on a great show and Caroline won a signed CD in the raffle) and we spent an evening learning modern jive in the Winchester Guildhall. We did a bit of jive about 15 years ago and have been threatening to go back for ages, it blows the brain apart especially for the chaps who are supposed to be leading their partner if they are allowed, but it is a laugh and great exercise. It’s always a bonus to burn calories without thinking about it.
Birthday week coming up, perhaps a day off. Perhaps not, cake all round will have to suffice for the moment. Must get on with my relaxing weekend, hope to hear from you soon.
Availability
Definite spring flush visible now and it’s not just the change. All stock is kept cold and well ventilated so is pretty tough. The ace-conker new look labelling and a bit of half decent weather creates a great display to kick off 2015.
The Erysimums are budding up well, looking chunky and even showing the odd flash of colour, Bowles Mauve is showing well and is always such a favourite and a great long lasting garden performer. The range has shortened a bit but there are more to come back on line in two or three weeks.
Polemonium Heaven Scent is looking great and the first flower shoots are emerging from the lovely verdant bronzed foliage, be quick they won’t hang around long.
Those spring markers Primula denticulata and Pulsatlla vulgaris are beginning to come to life. I am holding off on the Pulsatilla until they emerge a little further but the prim dents are there now and will very quickly throw up their spring drumstick flowers.
Our overwintered Delphiniums are shooting strongly through now. I am always a bit anxious about how they will come through the winter as they can be a bit sensitive to being cut back at the wrong time or being attacked by a range of foes (botrytis, mice, rabbits etc) but they are looking strong and I’m hopeful for a nice early crop before the spring potted crops become available.
The Lupins are putting on their first flush of fresh, bushy, early growth, they will make monster plants. We always have to sell this batch fairly smartly as they will outgrow the pot too quickly if left until the warmer weather.
The overwintered Phlox varieties are beginning to show their first strong shoots as spring draws close, more varieties will be available as they emerge from winter slumber. The Digitalis range is looking great, strong pot full’s of monster plants.
We seem to have an ever expanding range of Aquilegia as the sales of stock in bud have been very strong over the last couple of seasons. At the moment they are bulking up nicely as they prepare for their early summer show, don’t miss out on this perennial classic.
The first few herbs are now available as spring growth begins. It is still early days for mega growth, we want to keep them tough and not too soft to put up with the last of the winter cold.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday, 9 March 2015
Monday, 2 March 2015
50 Shades of Hairy
Morning all,
A lovely morning down here a real spring feel to the sunshine although the breeze is taking a little of the edge off the temperature. The plants are definitely looking springier with that lovely early spring flush on many, almost enough to make growing plants a pleasure.
Potting really got going big time this week which is quite exciting although the hours seem to run out more quickly as the number of things to get done grow. I still managed to get a few hours off yesterday to take part in a vital hockey league victory (bottom half of the table 6 pointer), I got moved back to centre back from centre forward and we got 5 goals, there might be a message there somewhere. Got home to tea and hot cross buns in front of the wood burner, who needs money? Topped off a jolly Saturday with a couple of hours of watering-in the potting by moonlight listening to some of our record collection on shuffle over my Bluetooth head phones, I hope no-one was listening.
It seems to be everyone’s 50th recently which is a constant reminder of times passing, I slipped round the milestone a little while ago, no I can’t believe it either, but I seem to be seeing quite a few older looking familiar faces in all the photos which makes me wonder if we are getting close to being grownups.
One thing that has changed hugely over the years is the technology, we can get so much info and achieve so much more with so much less effort. We used to hand write all the paperwork in the first few years before we got stiffed by a local farmer who was upgrading his old Amstrad computer and felt the secondhand value should be at least ¾ of the amount he had originally paid! This was before we realised how quickly this stuff becomes obsolete and of sod all value. Green screen font was the norm, printing was black and white with no pictures and the memory was short. Now we do so much on all this clever kit, take any of it away and life becomes really tough, I’m trying not to think too much about last Sunday when I had a day full of expectation to get lots of label printing done and ended up spending the day and evening overcoming the BSOD (blue screen of death) that greeted me when I turned on the old label computer. Setting up the spare computer to take over the role was the usual adventure of one hiccup after another. We had back-ups of the label info but getting all the right drivers for the printers and security dongles etc was fun. Even the physics of the operation had it in for me, the computer box was 2cm taller than the gap so I had to rebuild the office too. So today it’s back to the printing and perhaps a little light potting while listening to the football and rugby, a nice relaxing day before the week kicks off again.
Frogspawn has appeared in the main pond this week, As mass of writhing adults dive for a hiding place every time you walk by. Anyone seen 50 Shades yet?
Availability
Here comes the spring. Still a nip in the air won’t hold it back long. All stock is kept cold and well ventilated so is pretty tough. As the days lengthen the first strong flush of growth comes along quickly, so do keep an eye out to see the range develop and the spring buds appear.. With the ace-conker new look labelling and a bit of half decent weather we are ready to put together a great display to kick off 2015.
The Erysimums are budding up well, looking chunky and even showing the odd flash of colour, Bowles Mauve in particular is always such a favourite and a great long lasting garden performer. Apricot Twist is well budded with the peach flowered variegated plants close behind.
The Amemone blanda blue shades are very close to making their big spring show, the odd flower is already showing as the plants thicken up. The white form has yet to show its face but I’ve had a poke and they are not far away.
The Lupins are putting on their first flush of fresh, bushy, early growth, they will make monster plants. We always have to sell this batch fairly smartly as they will outgrow the pot too quickly if left until the warmer weather.
The overwintered Phlox varieties are beginning to show their first strong shoots as spring draws close, more varieties will be available as they emerge from winter slumber.
The first few herbs are now available as spring growth begins. It is still early days for mega growth, we want to keep them tough and not too soft to put up with the last of the winter cold.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
A lovely morning down here a real spring feel to the sunshine although the breeze is taking a little of the edge off the temperature. The plants are definitely looking springier with that lovely early spring flush on many, almost enough to make growing plants a pleasure.
Potting really got going big time this week which is quite exciting although the hours seem to run out more quickly as the number of things to get done grow. I still managed to get a few hours off yesterday to take part in a vital hockey league victory (bottom half of the table 6 pointer), I got moved back to centre back from centre forward and we got 5 goals, there might be a message there somewhere. Got home to tea and hot cross buns in front of the wood burner, who needs money? Topped off a jolly Saturday with a couple of hours of watering-in the potting by moonlight listening to some of our record collection on shuffle over my Bluetooth head phones, I hope no-one was listening.
It seems to be everyone’s 50th recently which is a constant reminder of times passing, I slipped round the milestone a little while ago, no I can’t believe it either, but I seem to be seeing quite a few older looking familiar faces in all the photos which makes me wonder if we are getting close to being grownups.
One thing that has changed hugely over the years is the technology, we can get so much info and achieve so much more with so much less effort. We used to hand write all the paperwork in the first few years before we got stiffed by a local farmer who was upgrading his old Amstrad computer and felt the secondhand value should be at least ¾ of the amount he had originally paid! This was before we realised how quickly this stuff becomes obsolete and of sod all value. Green screen font was the norm, printing was black and white with no pictures and the memory was short. Now we do so much on all this clever kit, take any of it away and life becomes really tough, I’m trying not to think too much about last Sunday when I had a day full of expectation to get lots of label printing done and ended up spending the day and evening overcoming the BSOD (blue screen of death) that greeted me when I turned on the old label computer. Setting up the spare computer to take over the role was the usual adventure of one hiccup after another. We had back-ups of the label info but getting all the right drivers for the printers and security dongles etc was fun. Even the physics of the operation had it in for me, the computer box was 2cm taller than the gap so I had to rebuild the office too. So today it’s back to the printing and perhaps a little light potting while listening to the football and rugby, a nice relaxing day before the week kicks off again.
Frogspawn has appeared in the main pond this week, As mass of writhing adults dive for a hiding place every time you walk by. Anyone seen 50 Shades yet?
Availability
Here comes the spring. Still a nip in the air won’t hold it back long. All stock is kept cold and well ventilated so is pretty tough. As the days lengthen the first strong flush of growth comes along quickly, so do keep an eye out to see the range develop and the spring buds appear.. With the ace-conker new look labelling and a bit of half decent weather we are ready to put together a great display to kick off 2015.
The Erysimums are budding up well, looking chunky and even showing the odd flash of colour, Bowles Mauve in particular is always such a favourite and a great long lasting garden performer. Apricot Twist is well budded with the peach flowered variegated plants close behind.
The Amemone blanda blue shades are very close to making their big spring show, the odd flower is already showing as the plants thicken up. The white form has yet to show its face but I’ve had a poke and they are not far away.
The Lupins are putting on their first flush of fresh, bushy, early growth, they will make monster plants. We always have to sell this batch fairly smartly as they will outgrow the pot too quickly if left until the warmer weather.
The overwintered Phlox varieties are beginning to show their first strong shoots as spring draws close, more varieties will be available as they emerge from winter slumber.
The first few herbs are now available as spring growth begins. It is still early days for mega growth, we want to keep them tough and not too soft to put up with the last of the winter cold.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday, 23 February 2015
Oh yes it's hairy, Oh no it isn't....
Morning all,
A nice bright start to the day here, bit nippy but it is February. I’m afraid the weather looks a bit mixed for the coming week but at least the turbines look like they are going to earn their keep. Nearly the end of the month and we have seen quite a few frosts and the odd snowflake but, touch wood, this winter has been wintery but not bonkers, just about right for us. Last year was far too warm and a touch on the damp side which didn’t do the plants or pest control any favours, they didn’t know if they were coming or going.
I know spring rushing in because we had our visit from our pest predator expert (Dr Neil Helyer from Fargro) to point us in the right direction and get the introduction programme drawn up for the coming season. Each year we do a few modifications to accommodate market developments of new predator combinations and new lines as well as experiences gained from the previous year. It’s great to have a chat through ideas to make these expensive choices work more effectively, I can put forward our Blue Peter style ideas and Neil can pass on his experience from other sites which can help enormously. Over the years we have planted a lot more natural hedging to encourage the wildlife and to act as an overwintering site for some of the predators so that a few can reintroduce themselves the following spring. This planting has recently included a few little islands of hedging plants sited close to some tunnels that are too far from the ‘normal’ hedges. It’s only a small offering but it all helps. This winters idea was to follow the gardeners trend of placing manmade overwintering sites inside the tunnels, keeping the predators even closer to where we want them. We haven’t quite stretched to the quaint little bird box frames filled with short bits of cane but we are getting quite close. We cut back a marauding bamboo plant from next to one of the ponds and have saved the canes for some larger scale bug homes. One concern I had was that we could be harbouring as many pests as helpers so I did check out first that this was a sensible approach and was assured it was a good idea, so, on we go. We can still have our winter tidy up but there is still a home for those little helpers. Not all predators turn out to be commercially viable on our scale. Last year we tried a nematode application for slugs which actually worked ok on most slugs although it was expensive. Unfortunately it had very little if any effect on the snails so didn’t really slow up the leaf hole making. In response we applied ourselves a little more rigorously to applying Ferramol pellets (organically approved) and started getting really effective control. Applying the right rate, which is visibly surprisingly low when you see the number of pellets on the ground, but applying them regularly enough is key, the pellets don’t hang around long.
Missed out this weekend on the village panto. Unfortunately I was washing my hair on all 5 performances. Caroline did manage to go and it lived up to all her expectations! Possible highlight might have been winning 4th prize in the raffle, a box of Liquorice Allsorts (already 1/3 consumed!). Ooops.
Availability
Here comes the spring. The cold nip in the air won’t hold it back long. All stock is kept cold and well ventilated so is pretty tough. As the days lengthen the first strong flush of growth comes along quickly, so do keep an eye out to see the range develop and the spring buds appear.. With the ace-conker new look labelling and a bit of half decent weather we are ready to put together a great display to kick off 2015.
The Erysimums are budding up well and looking chunky, Bowles Mauve in particular is always such a favourite and a great long lasting garden performer. Apricot Twist is well budded, with Pastel Patchwork close behind.
The Amemone blanda blue shades are very close to making their big spring show, the odd flower is already showing as the plants thicken up. The white form has yet to show its face but I’ve had a poke and they are not far away.
Pulmonaria varieties are nearly all gone already. I have loads more more coming for 2016 as a bit of confidence begins to return into our plant production. Much bigger quantities and a couple more varieties too.
The Lupins are putting on their first flush of fresh, bushy, early growth, they will make monster plants. We always have to sell this batch fairly smartly as they will outgrow the pot too quickly if left until the warmer weather.
The first few herbs are now available as spring growth begins. It is still early days for mega growth, we want to keep them tough and not too soft to put up with the last of the winter cold.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
A nice bright start to the day here, bit nippy but it is February. I’m afraid the weather looks a bit mixed for the coming week but at least the turbines look like they are going to earn their keep. Nearly the end of the month and we have seen quite a few frosts and the odd snowflake but, touch wood, this winter has been wintery but not bonkers, just about right for us. Last year was far too warm and a touch on the damp side which didn’t do the plants or pest control any favours, they didn’t know if they were coming or going.
I know spring rushing in because we had our visit from our pest predator expert (Dr Neil Helyer from Fargro) to point us in the right direction and get the introduction programme drawn up for the coming season. Each year we do a few modifications to accommodate market developments of new predator combinations and new lines as well as experiences gained from the previous year. It’s great to have a chat through ideas to make these expensive choices work more effectively, I can put forward our Blue Peter style ideas and Neil can pass on his experience from other sites which can help enormously. Over the years we have planted a lot more natural hedging to encourage the wildlife and to act as an overwintering site for some of the predators so that a few can reintroduce themselves the following spring. This planting has recently included a few little islands of hedging plants sited close to some tunnels that are too far from the ‘normal’ hedges. It’s only a small offering but it all helps. This winters idea was to follow the gardeners trend of placing manmade overwintering sites inside the tunnels, keeping the predators even closer to where we want them. We haven’t quite stretched to the quaint little bird box frames filled with short bits of cane but we are getting quite close. We cut back a marauding bamboo plant from next to one of the ponds and have saved the canes for some larger scale bug homes. One concern I had was that we could be harbouring as many pests as helpers so I did check out first that this was a sensible approach and was assured it was a good idea, so, on we go. We can still have our winter tidy up but there is still a home for those little helpers. Not all predators turn out to be commercially viable on our scale. Last year we tried a nematode application for slugs which actually worked ok on most slugs although it was expensive. Unfortunately it had very little if any effect on the snails so didn’t really slow up the leaf hole making. In response we applied ourselves a little more rigorously to applying Ferramol pellets (organically approved) and started getting really effective control. Applying the right rate, which is visibly surprisingly low when you see the number of pellets on the ground, but applying them regularly enough is key, the pellets don’t hang around long.
Missed out this weekend on the village panto. Unfortunately I was washing my hair on all 5 performances. Caroline did manage to go and it lived up to all her expectations! Possible highlight might have been winning 4th prize in the raffle, a box of Liquorice Allsorts (already 1/3 consumed!). Ooops.
Availability
Here comes the spring. The cold nip in the air won’t hold it back long. All stock is kept cold and well ventilated so is pretty tough. As the days lengthen the first strong flush of growth comes along quickly, so do keep an eye out to see the range develop and the spring buds appear.. With the ace-conker new look labelling and a bit of half decent weather we are ready to put together a great display to kick off 2015.
The Erysimums are budding up well and looking chunky, Bowles Mauve in particular is always such a favourite and a great long lasting garden performer. Apricot Twist is well budded, with Pastel Patchwork close behind.
The Amemone blanda blue shades are very close to making their big spring show, the odd flower is already showing as the plants thicken up. The white form has yet to show its face but I’ve had a poke and they are not far away.
Pulmonaria varieties are nearly all gone already. I have loads more more coming for 2016 as a bit of confidence begins to return into our plant production. Much bigger quantities and a couple more varieties too.
The Lupins are putting on their first flush of fresh, bushy, early growth, they will make monster plants. We always have to sell this batch fairly smartly as they will outgrow the pot too quickly if left until the warmer weather.
The first few herbs are now available as spring growth begins. It is still early days for mega growth, we want to keep them tough and not too soft to put up with the last of the winter cold.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Tuesday, 17 February 2015
More Hairy Valentines
Morning all,
Sun is about to break through for what promises to be a lovely sunny afternoon. I will enjoy glancing out at it as I continue etching our new herb printing plates. When will it ever end? It doesn’t help that I can’t spell onion either. I have to create the templates with ‘inside out font’ printed film which is tricky to read and the o’s & i’s got a bit mixed up. I didn’t even notice when I test printed a few, but luckily our eagle eyed printing and spelling expert did.
The usual busy week, putting together some lovely orders, getting the spring potting started, top speed output in the micropropagation lab and a couple of nice therapy sessions. First session was our relaxing evening out to see Macy Gray play in concert, which was something a bit different to our usual live music fare. Slightly disappointing turn out, but very entertaining none the less. The next session was my quarterly meeting with our NBIS group (Nursery Business Improvement Scheme) where 10 or so nurseries get together to compare figures, costs, slow payers etc and talk over developments of the previous 3 months and our thoughts on the coming few. The usual tips and pointers to saving a bit here and there, an inspiring nursery tour (Lowaters this time), a nice pub lunch and the great comfort of knowing that we are not alone in our quest for survival. The trust level is really high which is what makes it work so well, we can all be brutally honest without causing offense and best of all we are not afraid of being laughed at, which tends to happen quite a lot in my case (in a positive and groovy way of course). Being pre-season for most members everyone was full of hope and a little anxiety about what was to follow, the potential is what we live for and keeps us going. The last few years of disappointment at the end of the season dampens the spirit a bit but the sight of buds bursting still fills us with hope of better times ahead.
It can’t have passed you by that Saturday saw the usual annual rush for roses and pink slushy stuff. Luckily Caroline and I are both a bit anti-establishment/commercialism on this sort of thing and so I think I’m right in saying she wasn’t disappointed in the lack of pink offerings on that day. I am a firm believer that every day is special and personal gestures and flower presentations need to be kept as a surprise rather than produced on demand because of the date and consumer manipulation. In fact don’t you find the surprise is bigger the less often it happens? Flower purchases in our household may be disappointingly rare for some, but my occasional creative washing hanging up can always create a surprise or two.
Must get back to that etching.
Availability
There are signs of early growth on quite a few perennial lines and the odd bud or two showing so spring isn’t too far away. All the stock is kept cold and well ventilated so should be pretty tough. As the days lengthen the first strong flush of growth comes along pretty quickly, so do keep an eye out to see the range develop and the spring buds appear, it won’t be long. With the new look labelling and a bit of half decent weather we are ready to put together a great display to kick off 2015. The Erysimums are budding up well and looking chunky, Bowles Mauve in particular is always such a favourite and a great long lasting garden performer. Apricot Twist has a few buds showing colour with loads of promise, with Red Jep and Pastel Patchwork close behind.
The Amemone blanda blue shades are very close to making their big spring show, the odd flower is already showing as the plants thicken up. The white form has yet to show its face but I’ve had a poke and they are not far away. Pulmonaria varieties are gradually coming into bud too, we extended the range this year and I wish I had been bolder and ordered more, they are looking great, lots of promise of chunky strong plants. I have more coming for 2016 as a bit of confidence begins to return into our plant production.
The Lupins are putting on their first flush of fresh, bushy, early growth, they will make monster plants sold from this overwintered stock. We always have to sell this batch fairly smartly as they will outgrow the pot too quickly if left until the warmer weather.
The first few herbs are now available as spring growth begins. It is still early days for mega growth, we want to keep them tough and not too soft to put up with the last of the winter cold, but they are looking smart with their new bar-coded wooden labels. I’ve been etching printing plates all week and will be doing more into the night to try and get ahead.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Sun is about to break through for what promises to be a lovely sunny afternoon. I will enjoy glancing out at it as I continue etching our new herb printing plates. When will it ever end? It doesn’t help that I can’t spell onion either. I have to create the templates with ‘inside out font’ printed film which is tricky to read and the o’s & i’s got a bit mixed up. I didn’t even notice when I test printed a few, but luckily our eagle eyed printing and spelling expert did.
The usual busy week, putting together some lovely orders, getting the spring potting started, top speed output in the micropropagation lab and a couple of nice therapy sessions. First session was our relaxing evening out to see Macy Gray play in concert, which was something a bit different to our usual live music fare. Slightly disappointing turn out, but very entertaining none the less. The next session was my quarterly meeting with our NBIS group (Nursery Business Improvement Scheme) where 10 or so nurseries get together to compare figures, costs, slow payers etc and talk over developments of the previous 3 months and our thoughts on the coming few. The usual tips and pointers to saving a bit here and there, an inspiring nursery tour (Lowaters this time), a nice pub lunch and the great comfort of knowing that we are not alone in our quest for survival. The trust level is really high which is what makes it work so well, we can all be brutally honest without causing offense and best of all we are not afraid of being laughed at, which tends to happen quite a lot in my case (in a positive and groovy way of course). Being pre-season for most members everyone was full of hope and a little anxiety about what was to follow, the potential is what we live for and keeps us going. The last few years of disappointment at the end of the season dampens the spirit a bit but the sight of buds bursting still fills us with hope of better times ahead.
It can’t have passed you by that Saturday saw the usual annual rush for roses and pink slushy stuff. Luckily Caroline and I are both a bit anti-establishment/commercialism on this sort of thing and so I think I’m right in saying she wasn’t disappointed in the lack of pink offerings on that day. I am a firm believer that every day is special and personal gestures and flower presentations need to be kept as a surprise rather than produced on demand because of the date and consumer manipulation. In fact don’t you find the surprise is bigger the less often it happens? Flower purchases in our household may be disappointingly rare for some, but my occasional creative washing hanging up can always create a surprise or two.
Must get back to that etching.
Availability
There are signs of early growth on quite a few perennial lines and the odd bud or two showing so spring isn’t too far away. All the stock is kept cold and well ventilated so should be pretty tough. As the days lengthen the first strong flush of growth comes along pretty quickly, so do keep an eye out to see the range develop and the spring buds appear, it won’t be long. With the new look labelling and a bit of half decent weather we are ready to put together a great display to kick off 2015. The Erysimums are budding up well and looking chunky, Bowles Mauve in particular is always such a favourite and a great long lasting garden performer. Apricot Twist has a few buds showing colour with loads of promise, with Red Jep and Pastel Patchwork close behind.
The Amemone blanda blue shades are very close to making their big spring show, the odd flower is already showing as the plants thicken up. The white form has yet to show its face but I’ve had a poke and they are not far away. Pulmonaria varieties are gradually coming into bud too, we extended the range this year and I wish I had been bolder and ordered more, they are looking great, lots of promise of chunky strong plants. I have more coming for 2016 as a bit of confidence begins to return into our plant production.
The Lupins are putting on their first flush of fresh, bushy, early growth, they will make monster plants sold from this overwintered stock. We always have to sell this batch fairly smartly as they will outgrow the pot too quickly if left until the warmer weather.
The first few herbs are now available as spring growth begins. It is still early days for mega growth, we want to keep them tough and not too soft to put up with the last of the winter cold, but they are looking smart with their new bar-coded wooden labels. I’ve been etching printing plates all week and will be doing more into the night to try and get ahead.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Thursday, 12 February 2015
Hairy Valentines
Hairy Valentine Greetings!
Our friends at Robert Gordon University Students' Union have been having lots of fun in the office with our naked hairy pots before the put them to good use growing chillies.
Thanks for sharing the fun!
Monday, 9 February 2015
Hairy Blues.
Morning all,
Fabulous day with clear skies and light winds, a great day to be out and about. Great views this morning from the top of the hill when I walked up to check the turbines. They were still there. Hopefully you will be seeing a build up of interest in the gardens on a day like this, the plants are certainly looking like they are beginning to wake up and look springy. Having had my fresh air I’m now locked away to get ahead on my etching and label printing, nearly there. I’m having to make up a bit of time having taken the afternoon and evening off yesterday. Thrashed 8-1 on the hockey pitch but compensated for that with a brilliant concert in the village hall by Marcus Bonfanti. We were a little tense in the build up as we had talked the organisers into booking him and were a bit anxious that no-one would turn up. We had no need to panic it was a virtual sell out, and he seemed to go down really well. Nothing like quality live music. Make the effort, you never know what you’ll discover. Having done the local scene we are going big time next week with a visit to see Macy Gray which will be exciting.
The cold weather has finished off a couple of old tunnel sheets where they got so tight in the low temperatures they finally split as their elasticity disappears with age (know the feeling). Not a disaster really just a bit inconvenient. We were more lucky with another, which rather than splitting started to pull out the screws that hold the fixing strip to the frame. Luckily there were a couple of people working in there and they noticed it starting to unzip. A quick readjustment to the height of the tunnel side with a couple of spanners and the addition of some longer and extra screws and it all went back together without too much hassle. Had a quick check round and added a few more screws here and there just to be safe.
Cat flap in the office door sadly lost its operator this week. What was initially diagnosed as a possible throat infection turned out to be an inoperable growth which was all a bit sudden and sad. However he did slip away warm, happy and overfed and you can’t ask for much more really. With no second thought Spare cat has moved in, using the flap and bed by the desk as if they were there just for him. Ok I have to admit defeat, the cold wind finally forced on the central heating for a couple of days last week, off again now so feeling green again. Mind you it was cosy with it on, nearly got sucked into those soft irresponsible ways!
Availability
There are signs of early growth on quite a few perennial lines and the odd bud or two showing so spring isn’t too far away. All the stock is kept cold and well ventilated so should be pretty tough. As the days lengthen the first strong flush of growth comes along pretty quickly, so do keep an eye on our emails to see things develop and the spring buds appear, it won’t be long. With the new look labelling and a bit of half decent weather we are ready to put together an attractive display to kick off 2015 sales.
The Erysimums are budding up well and looking chunky, Bowles Mauve in particular is always such a favourite and a great long lasting garden performer. Apricot Twist has a few buds showing colour with loads of promise, with Red Jep close behind. The Amemone blanda blue shades are very close to making their big spring show, the odd flower is already showing as the plants thicken up. The white form is yet to show its face but I’ve had a poke and they are not far away. Winter interest is still there with the last of the Helleborus lividus Green/White which is in bud now although not too many left. Pulmonaria varieties are gradually coming into bud too, we extended the range this year and I wish I had been bolder and ordered more, they are looking great, lots of promise of chunky strong plants. I have more coming for 2016 as a bit of confidence begins to return into our plant production.
The Lupins are putting on their first flush of fresh, bushy, early growth, they will make monster plants sold from this overwintered stock. We always have to sell this batch fairly smartly as they will outgrow the pot too quickly if left until the warmer weather.
The first few herbs are available this week as spring growth begins. It is still early days for mega growth, we want to keep them tough and not too soft to put up with the last of the winter cold, but they are looking smart with their new bar-coded wooden labels. I’ve been etching printing plates all week and will be doing more into the night to try and get ahead.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Fabulous day with clear skies and light winds, a great day to be out and about. Great views this morning from the top of the hill when I walked up to check the turbines. They were still there. Hopefully you will be seeing a build up of interest in the gardens on a day like this, the plants are certainly looking like they are beginning to wake up and look springy. Having had my fresh air I’m now locked away to get ahead on my etching and label printing, nearly there. I’m having to make up a bit of time having taken the afternoon and evening off yesterday. Thrashed 8-1 on the hockey pitch but compensated for that with a brilliant concert in the village hall by Marcus Bonfanti. We were a little tense in the build up as we had talked the organisers into booking him and were a bit anxious that no-one would turn up. We had no need to panic it was a virtual sell out, and he seemed to go down really well. Nothing like quality live music. Make the effort, you never know what you’ll discover. Having done the local scene we are going big time next week with a visit to see Macy Gray which will be exciting.
The cold weather has finished off a couple of old tunnel sheets where they got so tight in the low temperatures they finally split as their elasticity disappears with age (know the feeling). Not a disaster really just a bit inconvenient. We were more lucky with another, which rather than splitting started to pull out the screws that hold the fixing strip to the frame. Luckily there were a couple of people working in there and they noticed it starting to unzip. A quick readjustment to the height of the tunnel side with a couple of spanners and the addition of some longer and extra screws and it all went back together without too much hassle. Had a quick check round and added a few more screws here and there just to be safe.
Cat flap in the office door sadly lost its operator this week. What was initially diagnosed as a possible throat infection turned out to be an inoperable growth which was all a bit sudden and sad. However he did slip away warm, happy and overfed and you can’t ask for much more really. With no second thought Spare cat has moved in, using the flap and bed by the desk as if they were there just for him. Ok I have to admit defeat, the cold wind finally forced on the central heating for a couple of days last week, off again now so feeling green again. Mind you it was cosy with it on, nearly got sucked into those soft irresponsible ways!
Availability
There are signs of early growth on quite a few perennial lines and the odd bud or two showing so spring isn’t too far away. All the stock is kept cold and well ventilated so should be pretty tough. As the days lengthen the first strong flush of growth comes along pretty quickly, so do keep an eye on our emails to see things develop and the spring buds appear, it won’t be long. With the new look labelling and a bit of half decent weather we are ready to put together an attractive display to kick off 2015 sales.
The Erysimums are budding up well and looking chunky, Bowles Mauve in particular is always such a favourite and a great long lasting garden performer. Apricot Twist has a few buds showing colour with loads of promise, with Red Jep close behind. The Amemone blanda blue shades are very close to making their big spring show, the odd flower is already showing as the plants thicken up. The white form is yet to show its face but I’ve had a poke and they are not far away. Winter interest is still there with the last of the Helleborus lividus Green/White which is in bud now although not too many left. Pulmonaria varieties are gradually coming into bud too, we extended the range this year and I wish I had been bolder and ordered more, they are looking great, lots of promise of chunky strong plants. I have more coming for 2016 as a bit of confidence begins to return into our plant production.
The Lupins are putting on their first flush of fresh, bushy, early growth, they will make monster plants sold from this overwintered stock. We always have to sell this batch fairly smartly as they will outgrow the pot too quickly if left until the warmer weather.
The first few herbs are available this week as spring growth begins. It is still early days for mega growth, we want to keep them tough and not too soft to put up with the last of the winter cold, but they are looking smart with their new bar-coded wooden labels. I’ve been etching printing plates all week and will be doing more into the night to try and get ahead.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday, 2 February 2015
Hairy Etchings
Morning all,
Where did January go? Spring is nearly upon us, despite the rather over dramatised weather reports of the last few days. Still on the bright side at least that means there can’t be as much bad news knocking about if a few cms of snow in the hills makes headlines. Today’s breeze is a bit uncomfortable if you are standing about in it for too long, good for the turbines but it’s definitely not arctic conditions down here. We haven’t yet resorted to turning on the central heating although if real freezing winds actually do make it this far we will do it, we are not completely mad. Cosied up the house a bit further last week by eliminating the biggest draft into the living room. Fitting an internal cat-flap between the room and the conservatory has upset the cats but blocked a 7 inch square hole that has been bugging me for years. Can’t believe the difference it has made. It might also reduce the larger carnage brought into the house, rabbit remains in the house isn’t the best discovery as you walk barefoot on a night-time excursion.
Just a quick one this week as I have to spend the rest of the day and evening doing my etching (see below). Might sound vaguely romantic but the days of tempting Caroline to come up and see my etchings are long gone, in fact she will be long gone too as she goes off to see Southampton play Swansea this afternoon. Talking of romance, did the earth move for you? It did for us this week with my first experience of an earthquake. I was in the office and Caroline had gone up to feed the animals and we had a 2.9 tremor centred just a couple of miles away, we both heard and felt it and weren’t even sure what it was, but it was later confirmed on the local news. Just a quick grumble and a short judder, not a lot to it, but Caroline said it was enough, we don’t want to stray too far out of our comfort zone. Still can’t believe how good all the new labels are looking can’t wait to see them start disappearing off the nursery stuck very smartly in all those plants.
Availability
There are signs of early growth on a few lines and the odd bud or two showing so spring isn’t too far away. All the stock is kept cold and well ventilated so should be pretty tough. As the days lengthen the first strong flush of growth comes along pretty quickly, so do keep an eye on our emails to see things develop and the spring buds appear, it won’t be long. With the new look labelling and a bit of half decent weather we can put together an attractive display to kick off 2015 sales.The Erysimums are budding up well and looking chunky, Bowles Mauve in particular is always such a favourite and a great long lasting garden performer. The Amemone blanda are very close to making their spring show, the odd straggly flower at the moment, not quite ready but not far away.We don’t have any herbs available this week but should have a limited range next week. This is partly down to the cooler weather, plants looking a bit too ‘tidy’ after their winter trim and getting all the new printing plates etched with the new individual barcodes. The herb growth tends not to be rampant early on as so many originate from more southern areas but once the days lengthen a bit and temperatures pick up we should have a great show.Ok now for the main reason for the herb delay. Sorry. Over the last couple of years we have seen cut backs in the tongue depressor market, I’m quite surprised it hasn’t made the news. As cutting equipment has been upgraded the width of the sticks has reduced fractionally which I am sure has helped them get quite a few more sticks out of a log but it means our printing has got very difficult to fit on the reduced label area. I don’t suppose you would notice the change if it was your tongue being depressed but we have found it tricky. To overcome the issue we have been tempted to reduce the font size fractionally but they then becomes increasingly difficult to read so we have taken the opportunity while introducing the individual barcodes, to redesign the whole herb label. Naturally this would only take me a few days, bu t the usual array of challenges put a spanner in the works and I’m not quite ready this week so apologies for that. Believe me it will be worth the wait, the text is perhaps less artistic but far more practical, it fits in the label easily, is miles easier to read and incorporates the barcode all on the one label.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)