Hairy proof raeding!

Hi,

Looks like a cold snap coming up after a balmy autumn so far down here in the south. Not quite sure what the plants will make of it, it's likely to be a bit of a shock for some, although I suspect most of the shock will be to the crew outside who have been swanning around in shorts making the most of the warmth.

We are still slogging away potting the spring bulbs which seem to be taking forever, partly down to a flurry of orders this week and the 40% extra bulbs I bought in. I was feeling confident that sales next year will be buoyant! Not sure how long that will last, probably until the income dries up in a month or two and winter belt tightening takes a grip. Spring for us can start as early as mid January given some decent weather, so hopefully the winter blues won't last long.

Next seasons preparations continue with more tinkering of our young plant orders and pulling together our annual pot label order. I may have got slightly carried away with ordering a few more new varieties in 2024, with over 40 additions. This makes label ordering a tad more complicated, as all the new ones need labels designing and proof reading before the whole order can be cleared. With an attention span of a goldfish, proof reading is a challenge and I must admit the odd mistake can slip through, which I end up kicking myself for, every time I see that plant going through despatch.

I am certainly guilty of one huge labelling error, in that we still don't have the fact that we grow peat-free mentioned on the labels or on the wooden POS boards. This is a fairly major omission considering the coverage that growing peat-free has been getting over the last couple of years, and the amount of attention being grabbed by those now going down that route. It has been pointed out to me on multiple occasions that this is something we should be shouting about, along the lines of other nurseries sending out stock on trolleys plastered with plastic banners proclaiming their peat-free status. We have been using peat-free composts for over 10 years so we are probably reasonably justified in mentioning it, but we will be avoiding any shouty plastic use, to promote it (whatever happened to 'joined up thinking'?).

We are going to put the situation right this winter with a slightly revamped label design which will simply say 'peat free' on the front and a little message on the back. We will also be reprinting the wooden POS boards with the peat free message and will also mention our 100% plastic free marketing package (pot, boxes, labels & POS), which apparently is worth a quiet toot as well. All quite subtle, we wouldn't want to blow our trumpet too loudly.

Prices for 2024

The last couple of years have seen some explosive cost increases in the after affects of the pandemic and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. We were forced to increase our prices by more than ever before, but still below the inflation level and definitely well below the rate at which our own costs have risen. Luckily we have improved efficiencies yet again, reduced waste and increased output which hopefully has made up the difference and kept margins workable. We are currently working through the financial results of this season to see how we have coped, so we can then make a judgement call on the prices for 2024. Labour remains by far our biggest cost and that is rising again significantly in the coming year, but we are hoping other costs are beginning to settle down again and not rising quite as quickly. There will be have to be a price rise at the end of the year, but hopefully not as big as last year, we will let you all know in couple of weeks, when our figures are ready. I know the HTA report on plant prices says price increases will result in fewer sales but absorbing costs is not a grower option here, there would be no point in growing anything as there is virtually no safety margin should something go slightly wrong and no reward for anyone for the hard work and commitment it takes to get our plants grown and distributed. 

Availability list.

Cyclamen coum pink and white forms are already on the list and showing the occasional bud. These will usually flower from October through until well into Spring, with a tasteful sprinkling of flowers rather than being drowned in them. There are already a few flowers on the Helleborus niger varieties so Santa can't be far away!

New varieties of H. orientalis for us are Halcyon Early Dark Red and Halcyon White Spotted which have both surprised us by showing a few buds already. Both are intended to be quicker flowering varieties, whereas some of the others can be a bit shy until their second season.

The ever-giving Erigeron karv. Stallone is available in bud again this week and should be around for ages as this is our big overwintering batch we are into now. If the weather is with us we often still have colour up to Christmas. Tiarella are looking healthy with plenty of flower.

Wooden box collections

If you have any of our wooden boxes ready to return and aren't expecting to order anytime soon, then please do drop us an email and let us know. Thanks.

Take care out there,  from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.

Hairy ordering

Hi,

Summer blast in the south for the next few days which should make outdoor pastimes very popular for a little while longer. It's going to be a shock when the cold weather eventually pitches up after another warm Autumn so far. Only a few weeks until our little annual break in Cornwall, can't wait, but I can't really believe we will be togged up in our winter kit striding out along the cliff-tops and into warm dark smoky pubs for vital sustenance. This will be the first really long trip testing out the range of the electric car, so slightly anxious about that as St Ives last year had very few, if any, public chargers. Tesco in Carbis Bay had a couple of little ones but it's not a holiday venue we frequent very often. I'm sure it will be just fine, we already know we can get there without a recharge and that's the main thing. If we can't get home we will just have to stay longer.

The bulk of our spring bulbs arrived for potting this week, so busy getting those into pots now. It's a slow old process counting out the right number into each pot, at the right depth, topping up, traying up then mulching, putting down and watering. We have had 11 people in the team over the last couple of days and still potted less than 4 people would if potting standard sized modules. There is no shortcut, it just has to be done right to get a good enough grade-out at despatch in the spring, thankfully it is a relatively quiet time of year,

The big admin job completed this week was getting the main plant orders for potting next year out to our numerous suppliers. I haven't added it all up yet but I know I have ordered more from every one of them, so we are going to have our work cut out getting it all potted and finding room for it all. Hopefully the weather and consumer demand will be on our side from reasonably early in the year, so we can clear crops quickly and make sufficient space for it all. I have dropped a few lines that were either giving us problems or not selling well enough and replaced them with a lot more. Having had a little more time to research my ordering this year I did get a bit carried away with ordering new varieties, it was just all too tempting. Hopefully they will be super popular and fly off the shelves. I will try and get sorted with an updated full plant list for next year before we go away, so you can update your systems or fantasise about the spring sales boom to come.

The next couple of weeks may be a bit tense as the chickens come home to roost in the end of year accounts, which ended last week. Initial figures will be my own and always treated with a hint of scepticism, although it is one area at college where I did pick up some useful skills. To date we have been feeling fairly positive about the year, seeing increased sales, improving efficiency and reduced wastage, which hopefully will balance out some of those increasing costs. We have always managed to keep our annual prices rise at below the prevailing inflation rate and I often worry that one day this practice will bite me on the bum, but touch wood we have got away with it so far, I can still see room for more efficiencies to work on over the coming season, so I'm sure we will manage it again, but it's those annual accounts giving our bank confidence, and the cash-flow, that will determine our future, as it does every year.

A surprise extra tunnel to cover next week. We had just cleverly replaced the wood side rails without completely removing the cover, when someone noticed two new splits had appeared over the end hoops. We might have patched it if it had just been one, but two means it's ready to pop all over. We have a spare cover in stock, some perfect re-covering weather due on Monday and a crack team to get it stretched and fixed tightly in no time at all, so no worries there.

Availability list.

Cyclamen coum pink and white forms are already on the list and showing the occasional bud. These will usually flower from October through until well into Spring, with a tasteful sprinkling of flowers rather than being drowned in them.

There are already a few flowers on the Helleborus niger varieties so Santa can't be far away! A new variety of H. orientalis for us is Halcyon Early Dark Red and it has surprised us by showing a few buds already. We have plenty of Sedum Autumn Joy in bud this year for that classic autumn show and pollinator jamboree. We cut it back early to make it flower on a more manageable short stem, so beware it will be taller in the garden next year.

The ever-giving Erigeron karv. Stallone is available in bud again this week and should be around for ages as this is our big overwintering batch we are into now. If the weather is with us we often still have colour up to Christmas. Tiarella are looking healthy with plenty of flower. Masses of colour on the new batch of Erodium Bishops Form which should flower for quite a while yet. Foliage colour looking smart on Ajuga and Heuchera always popular autumn lines.

Wooden box collections

If you have any of our wooden boxes ready to return and aren't expecting to order anytime soon, then please do drop us an email and let us know. A rough idea of numbers might be handy but not essential. We will get to you as soon as we have a vehicle with space in your area. Thanks

Take care out there,  from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries

Hairy tours

Hi,

Luckily we missed the storm on Wednesday, having prepared for a good blow we actually had quite a nice day. I'm not complaining, I'm sure there will be more squally autumnal weather to come over the next few weeks.

We had a slight panic on Monday as we started checking all hatches where battened down for later in the week, when it became evident that one of the tunnel sides was unzipping itself along its entire length. Usually it would be plastic fatigue causing so much daylight to be evident, but this time it was a completely rotted wooden side rail which just split apart. Back on the phone for another wood delivery, we were on the case pretty quickly. By the end of Tuesday Jack had detached the side netting and removed the old battening and replaced the rails one at a time. This meant he could reattached the aluminium grip strip, which was still holding the main plastic cover, as he went along, retaining the sheet tension and avoiding a complete recover. it worked a treat and all is now secure again. We double checked the rest of the nursery and found a few other suspect rails which we also replaced, but luckily none quite as bad as that first one.

Forklift is back on its feet again after a new water pump bearing was replaced. It's only when you are without a bit of kit that you realise how much you need it. It must be way over 20 years old now, but we don't put many hours on it and look after it carefully, so it is still going strong. Famous last words.

Thursday evening saw a big group from one of the local villages come round on a nursery tour. It was a bit late in the year for an evening visit as it gets dark so early, and to throw an extra spanner in the works it started raining almost the instant they arrived. My usual approach is to walk the nursery which prompts me into remembering most of the key points I like to waffle on about. The rain however forced a change in presentation plans, resulting in a brief tunnel visit for some 'show and tell' and a huddle round the potting machine for a full on working demo. Luckily it was all set up for the next morning's work so we were able to demonstrate the finer workings and get a few trays potted at the same time. The final shift was in despatch where I went through the complete despatch process, workstation set up, box construction, label making as well as our general sustainable approach to commercial nursery life. I did warn them all at the start that there wouldn't be much they would learn about plants, which I suspect was what they were expecting, but they all seemed quite excited by the end if a little anxious to get away for their supper as time had quickly passed! Hardly anyone yawned which is usually my guide to a successful tour. Glad I don't do too much of that sort of thing though, the adrenalin rush and comedown afterwards I find is really tiring. Still a good thing to do I know.

Availability list.

Plenty of fast growing stock at the moment with some lines only available for just a few weeks before they get too big and have to wait for the main spring sales period after we have completed their overwinter manicure (cut back and mulched). Cylamen coum pink and white forms are already on the list and showing the occasional bud. These will usually flower from October through until well into Spring, with a tasteful sprinkling of flowers rather than being drowned in them.

The Asters are beginning to show some colour now as buds swell and open. Tiarella are looking healthy with plenty of flower. We have plenty of Sedum Autumn Joy in bud this year for that classic autumn show and pollinator jamboree. We cut it back early to make it flower on a more manageable short stem, so beware it will be taller in the garden next year. There are some buds on a few of the Anemones.

Masses of colour on the new batch of Erodium Bishops Form which should flower for quite a while yet. Foliage colour looking smart on Ajuga and Heuchera always popular autumn lines. The ever-giving Erigeron karv. Stallone is available again this week and should be around for ages as this is our big overwintering batch we are into now. If the weather is with us we often still have colour up to Christmas.

A slightly odd collection to see in bud and flower are the Phlox paniculata and subulata ranges but there they are. The paniculata range is shorter than 'normal' as they are this summers potting so haven't yet reached full size but they are strong growing and giving a hint of next year's potential show. There are already a few flowers on the Helleborus niger varieties so Santa can't be far away! A new variety of H. orientalis for us is Halcyon Early Dark Red and it has surprised us by showing a few buds already. 

Wooden box collections

If you have any of our wooden boxes ready to return and aren't expecting to order anytime soon, then please do drop us an email and let us know. A rough idea of numbers might be handy but not essential. We will get to you as soon as we have a vehicle with space in your area. Thanks

Take care out there,  from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.

Hairy Dad Dancing!

Hi,

Autumn struck this week with torrential rain here on a couple of days and high winds on Wednesday. I was hoping for some big wind turbine output to make up for the shortfall of the previous couple of weeks, but a series of short power cuts and blustery conditions popped out the blade tips and all three turbines stopped. This hasn't happened for 5 years so was a bit of a surprise and we had to wait for calmer conditions to reset. Caroline is a dab hand at this and luckily has a great head for heights, so I manage to do the easy bit and drive the blade into the right position from ground level, while she don's the hard hat and climbing harness and climbs the mast. We have a special light-weight padded 'pokey stick' to 'encourage' the tip back into position and it works a treat. Thursday morning provided the perfect conditions for it, once the ladder had dried out we were back up and running by coffee break.

I managed to find some young Erysimums to pot this week, after one of our suppliers had a major crop failure. I don't have quite the numbers I was after, but it's a start. Next will be the spring flowering bulbs, which is a big job. Many of them have multiple bulbs in each pot and with the speed the potting machine runs at we have to populate the line with 3 or 4 extra crew to get them accurately inserted and topped up with compost. Even the filling of the machine with our peat-free bulb mix is more challenging, as it comes in bulk bags rather than loose. This isn't helped either, by the forklifts water pump bearing giving up today. What a racket that made! Hoping for a repair on Tuesday.

Last weekend's family wedding went brilliantly. Perfect weather and a jolly day was had by all, especially Emily and Myles, the 'very happy' couple. There were a loads of smiles and laughter, plenty to eat and drink, lots of dad dancing and I suspect a few sore heads in the morning. As an old fart I did manage to restrain myself from too much over indulgence, especially as I was on duty as a jive partner for several guests who were looking for a lead. The dance floor was so packed at times, dad dancing was the only option but as some of the youngsters retired for refills, we managed to throw a few moves just to prove we still had it in us, then had a sit down to recover! How come the dance floor at weddings is never big enough?

I am not going to get into discussions on the Government change of tactics on our journey towards Net Zero, it's just too depressing to get worked up about it. We are still going to do as much as we can at our end no matter what they say and hope that the rest of the world will cotton on before it's too late, although I suspect self-interest and money will do most of the talking and decision making to bugger it up for the future generations, if not for this one. Hey- Ho.

Availability list.

Plenty of fast growing stock at the moment with some lines only available for just a few weeks before they get too big and have to wait for the main spring sales period after we have completed their overwinter manicure (cut back and mulched). Cylamen coum pink and white forms are already on the list and showing the occasional bud. These will usually flower from October through until well into Spring, with a tasteful sprinkling of flowers rather than being drowned in them.

The Asters are beginning to show some colour now as buds swell and open. Jenny, Starlight, Rosenwitchel are the most showy at the moment. Flora's Delight are showing well but I only have limited numbers available. Tiarella are looking healthy with plenty of flower.

We have plenty of Sedum Autumn Joy in bud this year for that classic autumn show and pollinator jamboree. We cut it back early to make it flower on a more manageable short stem, so beware it will be taller in the garden next year. There are some buds on a few of the Anemones.

Masses of colour on the new batch of Erodium Bishops Form which should flower for quite a while yet. Foliage colour looking smart on Ajuga and Heuchera always popular autumn lines. The ever-giving Erigeron karv. Stallone is available again this week and should be around for ages as this is our big overwintering batch we are into now. If the weather is with us we often still have colour up to Christmas..

A slightly odd collection to see in bud and flower are the Phlox paniculata and subulata ranges but there they are. The paniculata range is shorter than 'normal' as they are this summers potting so haven't yet reached full size but they are strong growing and giving a hint of next year's potential show. There are already a few flowers on the Helleborus niger varieties so Santa can't be far away! A new variety of H. orientalis for us is Halcyon Early Dark Red and it has surprised us by showing a few buds already. 

Wooden box collections

If you have any of our wooden boxes ready to return and aren't expecting to order anytime soon, then please do drop us an email and let us know. A rough idea of numbers might be handy but not essential. We will get to you as soon as we have a vehicle with space in your area. Thanks

Take care out there,  from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.

Hairy shoes

Hi

Last blast of summer was perfectly timed this week and fingers crossed it will hold for Saturday and the big family wedding. Marquee in the paddock is up and everyone is very excited. Luckily we have been outside the main organisational maelstrom, which is probably just as well. I must admit I haven't actually made it into my suit yet as it has all been a bit hectic. Just hoping it hasn't shrunk since I last wore it at Tom's wedding which was probably 5 or 6 years ago. I have re-glued the soles back onto my favourite shoes so with luck I won't burst out of those either. I know it might sound a bit mean to be re- gluing soles, but these shoes are really special, it's funny what turns out to be valuable in life sometimes. These are red suede Jan Jansen's I bought a very long time ago and they are just not quite like any other shoe I have owned. He is a Dutch designer who started back in the sixties and has designed some astonishingly wacky and very artistic footwear, usually for women. Google him if you get a minute there are some wild designs. Caroline has a couple of pairs with floating heels (no apparent support under the elevated heel) which seem to defy gravity. This definitely a weekend to break them out.

Lots of boxes coming back in thanks, and not so many going out, but that's ok we have plenty to keep us occupied back on the nursery. Delivering vans into garages seemed to be the main event this week but we did make progress. The warrantee work on a gearbox seal of the newest one was completed in double quick time, and the cam belt was successfully replaced on the next one. That just leaves the oldest which is having a whole engine transplant to squeeze out a few more miles. That one has yet to return but fingers crossed we will get another year out of it.

Watching the weather forecast for the wedding I had noticed that Thursday and Friday looked like being the last warm, sunny and still working days for a while, as the wet and wind move in next week. I had a sudden revelation that we might have time to replace the covers on the 4 split tunnels that have been awaiting repair since late winter. We had two perfect days with, in theory, plenty of time to get all four done. Two each day to strip, prepare and re-clad is definitely doable if all goes smoothly. The wooden sides all looked ok initially but the second one we stripped off was way too rotten to reuse. We abandoned it and moved on to make sure we got two completed on day one. I organised a new batch of wood and set a team of 5 on stripping the old side rails and replacing with new while the morning mists dried off. It was touch and go but we got all four covered with about 10 minutes to spare. A good day and some lovely tight new covers.

Availability list.

Plenty of fast growing stock at the moment with some lines only available for a few weeks before they get too big and have to wait for the main spring sales period after we have completed their overwinter manicure (cut back and mulched).

The autumn flowering Cyclamen (hederifolium) are now showing colour and should do so through the next few weeks before the C. coum varieties take over, although actually we have the pink and white forms already on the list as well and showing the occasional bud. These will usually flower from October through until well into Spring, with a tasteful sprinkling of flowers rather than being drowned in them.

The Asters are beginning to show some colour now as buds swell and open. Jenny, Starlight, Rosenwitchel are the most showy at the moment. Flora's Delight are showing well but I only have limited numbers available. Tiarella are looking healthy with plenty of flower.

We have plenty of Sedum Autumn Joy in bud this year for that classic autumn show and pollinator jamboree. We cut it back early to make it flower on a more manageable short stem, so beware it will be taller in the garden next year. There are some buds on a few of the Anemones.

Masses of colour on the new batch of Erodium Bishops Form which should flower for quite a while yet. Foliage colour looking smart on Ajuga and Heuchera always popular autumn lines.The ever-giving Erigeron karv. Stallone is available again this week and should be around for ages as this is our big overwintering batch we are into now. If the weather is with us we often still have colour up to Christmas..

A slightly odd collection to see in bud and flower are the Phlox paniculata and subulata ranges but there they are. The paniculata range is shorter than 'normal' as they are this summers potting so haven't yet reached full size but they are strong growing and giving a hint of next year's potential show. There are already a few flowers on the Helleborus niger varieties so Santa can't be far away! A new variety of H.orientalis for us is Halcyon Early Dark Red and it has surprised us by showing a few buds already.

Wooden box collections

If you have any of our wooden boxes ready to return and aren't expecting to order anytime soon, then please do drop us an email and let us know. A rough idea of numbers might be handy but not essential. We will get to you as soon as we have a vehicle with space in your area. Thanks

Take care out there,  from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.

Hot, isn't it!

Hi

Phew, what a scorcher. Sorry for the delay in sending this week's list out but it was just too hot in the tunnels to get through them all yesterday afternoon, and the morning was taken up with getting the potting finished with a very depleted crew. A combination of holidays, appointments and days out on Friday just meant it was all available hands to the grindstone to get the last of the summer modules potted and make the most of the sunshine and 'warmth' to grab that extra few days growth before winter sets in! We still have plenty of potting to get done over the next few weeks with more arrivals due in, but we have never caught up like this at this time of year before, so cause for another celebration and new packet of Rich Tea for coffee next week. Just that little improvement in efficiency throughout the season has such a cumulative effect and this year we seem to be benefitting nicely and best of all the plants are too. I'm sure there will be something round the corner to bugger it up again, but just for the moment we are feeling suitably smug and will relish that feeling for a day or two.

Keeping everyone cool enough to function on the nursery has been a challenge this week, but at least we know it won't last too long. It has been just about bearable in the production tunnels during most of the morning and after that we adjourn to the despatch area where there is plenty of shade and lots of overhead fans, to clean and stack the returned boxes ready for winter storage. The potting tunnel has the same facilities so that has been going non-stop too, with just the 'putting down' team having to go into the tunnels and they have the watering hoses to help with cooling. Touch wood, the irrigation system has yet to throw a wobbly in the heat, so the plants are romping away despite the shortening day-length.

Good job the orders have slowed up a bit as the van situation is not improving. This week all three are due back again into various garages. all for different ailments, one of which could now be terminal and another which may mean it is off the road for a while until the necessary warrantee work is completed, at least that should be FOC. We should be able to juggle deliveries ok over the week, but extra box collecting may have to go on hold for a week or so. Hey ho, at least it has happened in a relatively quiet period and not in peak season.

Having retreated to the relative cool of the office last night, I started work on one of our big 2024 young plant orders, covering next spring and summers potting, the later producing crops for 2025. Where does all that time go. Watched a bit of Now 80's TV this morning in bed, they played George Michael performing 'Faith' which I think of as relatively recent. It was 1987, 36 years ago, I thought I was quite grown up then, the nursery was well underway and we had moved into our current house, it was just like yesterday, We are still planning on changing the downstairs carpet, but I guess after 36 years another year or two won't hurt!

Availability list.

Plenty of fast growing stock at the moment with some lines only available for a few weeks before they get too big and have to wait for the main spring sales period after we have completed their overwinter manicure (cut back and mulched). We have a few bits and pieces in bud and flower and a few of the autumn/winter lines come along (check out the lists attached).

The autumn flowering Cyclamen (hederifolium) is now showing colour and should do so through the next few weeks before the C. coum varieties take over, although actually we have the pink and white forms already on the list as well and showing the occasional bud. These will usually flower from October through until well into Spring, with a tasteful sprinkling of flowers rather than being drowned in them.

There are buds on a few of the Anemones and the Asters are beginning to show some colour now as buds swell and open. Jenny, Starlight, Rosenwitchel are the most showy at the moment. Masses of colour on the new batch of Erodium Bishops Form which should flower for quite a while yet. Foliage colour looking smart on Ajuga and Heuchera always popular autumn lines.

The ever-giving Erigeron karv. Stallone has run out for this week but should be back again in bud next week. A slightly odd collection to see in bud and flower are the Phlox paniculata and subulata ranges but there they are. The paniculata range is shorter than 'normal' as they are this summers potting so haven't yet reached full size but they are strong growing and giving a hint of next year's potential show.

Lots of Helleborous now coming on line showing lots of potential for later in the winter and early Spring. There are already a few odd flowers on the H. niger Christmas Carol so Santa can't be far away! A new variety of H. orientalis for us is Halcyon Early Dark Red and it has surprised us by showing a few buds already. 

Wooden box collections

If you have any of our wooden boxes ready to return and aren't expecting to order anytime soon, then please do drop us an email and let us know. A rough idea of numbers might be handy but not essential. We will get to you as soon as we have a vehicle with space in your area. Thanks

Take care out there,  from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.

Hairy Autumn

 Hi,

Autumn already and here comes the sun, just as all the kids go back to school (if they are not falling down). Hopefully it won't get too hot, but a little bit more sunshine will help us and the later potted stock hugely, especially as the days are already quite a bit shorter.

It looks like the farm have got virtually all the crops in off the fields now, despite the on and off damp weather. Just a few odds and ends of later poppy crops to still gather in, so relief all round, they can now concentrate and fret on getting the next crops sown and then finalising the preparations for a big family wedding due to take place in a couple of weeks. Looking forward to the big bash, marquee in the farm front paddock, live band, cask ale, lots of dancing, oh yes and the bride and groom doing their bit too. Hoping I can still get into the suit I wore at the previous wedding which must have been 5 years ago, I can't face having to go clothes shopping again. Last week's huge trouser success was fortified by Caroline ordering another 3 pairs online, so now I am set for years of comfort to come and looking a bit less generally dishevelled. A blessing for all.

Orders are still rolling along nicely but with the four day week, vehicle challenges, and various staffing challenges it has been unduly hectic and slightly chaotic at times. Potting didn't get started until late Thursday so for a change I'm a bit disappointed we didn't get more plants into pots by the end of the week, but at least we do keep the cash flow ticking over a bit longer which we will be very grateful for in a month or two. Must not grumble too loudly.

Our vehicle saga's continue with all three smaller vans booked into the garage again for various ailments over the next 2 weeks. A couple of extras added this week were a replacement cam-belt and then a new pair of wing-mirrors after a couple of 'wide van/narrow gap' incidents!

We had our annual 'whole nursery inspection' by our Plant Health Inspector today. Always a bit of an anxious time in case something unexpected pops up and always slightly embarrassing that the nursery is not as perfectly clean, tidy and as organised as I always imagine it will be one day! Anyway all went well, just a couple of sample plants taken for routine testing, and he seemed reasonably impressed by what he saw so no worries there for a little while. They actually come in pretty regularly at the moment checking up on imported young plants etc as they arrive, although that should change a bit once they get their import centres set up so the inspections get done earlier in the import process.

Availability list.

Plenty of fast growing stock at the moment with some lines only available for a few weeks before they get too big and have to wait for the main spring sales period after we have completed their overwinter manicure (cut back and mulched). We have a few bits and pieces in bud and flower and a few of the autumn/winter lines come along (check out the lists attached).

The autumn flowering Cyclamen (hederifolium) is now showing colour and should do so through the next couple of months before the C. coum varieties take over, although actually we have the pink form now on the list as well (not yet in bud). There are a few buds on a few of the Anemones and the Asters are getting close to colour too.

Masses of colour on the new batch of Erodium Bishops Form which should flower for quite a while yet. Foliage colour looking smart on Ajuga and Heuchera always popular autumn lines. The ever-giving Erigeron karv. Stallone has moved into another fresh batch with still more bud on show. We have had this in flower in December in the garden in previous years (assuming the weather is not too abusive).

A slightly odd collection to see in bud and flower are the Phlox paniculata and subulata ranges but there they are. The paniculata range is shorter than 'normal' as they are this summers potting so haven't yet reached full size but they are strong growing and giving a hint of next year's potential show. Lots of Helleborous now coming on line showing lots of potential for later in the winter and early Spring. There are already a few odd flowers on the H. niger Christmas Carol so Santa can't be far away!

Wooden box collections

If you have any of our wooden boxes ready to return and aren't expecting to order anytime soon, then please do drop us an email and let us know. A rough idea of numbers might be handy but not essential. We will get to you as soon as we have a vehicle with space in your area. Thanks

Take care out there,  from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.