Morning all,
That was a warm one. Struggled here for a couple of days to keep everyone on their feet. It’s the build up that gets me. It’s nice for a few hours but then everything just gets hotter and hotter. The office portacabin seems to have its own heat generator somewhere and by the end of afternoon is several degrees warmer that outside despite few sun facing window, blinds, and all outlets open. We got to 38C in here on Tuesday, at least there was a breeze outside for the heros picking up and processing the orders. There aren’t many days I wish I was in the micropropagation lab but the air con in there did look very tempting. Still, it’s been a good first week for the harvest team on the farm so they are happy. Yields apparently are not brilliant but ok, probably due to the lack of warmth and sunshine earlier in the season but at least it has come in dry so not much fuel needed to get the grain into good storing condition. Long hours and 7 day weeks for a while for them, might get the odd day off if the weather breaks but hopefully past the peak in 6 weeks or so.
More and more plants arriving here as we hit the peak of incoming plant material. Lots of decisions to make on what to do with it all, how best to keep them growing to produce great plants over a lengthening time scale. One of the pressures at this time is created by the knowledge that the quicker we can move the plants on into a bigger container the easier it is to look after them especially when the heat piles in. On top of this, each year we try out some new ideas with new varieties or differing module sizes and timings, it keeps us on our toes. So far things are looking good for 2017, the new stock is doing well we just need to try and get the tunnels cleared in time for the potters to motor on and refill them. Managed to slip away on Thursday evening to Farnham to see Oli Brown play very loud rock blues. Very talented and a good reminder that life does go on outside nurseries. A few cobwebs blown away for sure.I need to get outside really, so much to do, but it’s looking so hot again, can’t I just stay in and flop about?
Availability highlights
This year’s hardy Fuchsia’s are wonderfully bushy plants showing masses of flower and bud. The first of the summer flowering Crocosmia are producing flower bud as the spikes appear from the amongst the upright foliage. A great colour selection but not huge numbers left. The golden Sunglow was especially popular last year. Veronica bonariensis are coming into bud, they flower quite tall but have good strong stems. We do have a shorter non flowering batch if preferred (let us know). The long flowering pink Geranium Mavis Simpson is romping away now, not a huge number left but full of vigour and promise. Buds are there on most and some colour showing. I have seen the odd flower head opening in the Eucomis. Short stocky pale yellow and exotic flower spikes.First buds and some opening flowers in our crop of white Platycodon Astra. A dwarf Balloon flower, it’s a beauty. The first of the buds are showing on most of our mini garden Chrysanthemum range. There will be masses to follow of these non frost hardy stunners. Tight compact plants with very dinky flowers in a great colour range. Plenty of Erigeron karvinskianus on stream now and in bud and flower. This one blooms for an age. A widening range of Asters are appearing, bud and colour on a few and the rest won’t be long away. We have several new varieties, many mildew free/resistant (ageratoides and frikartii types) and we are working on some techniques for earlier flowering batches for next year. Meanwhile we have a fresh batch of strong Aster frikartii Monch which are just lengthening their stems in readiness for flowering. We have some very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing signs of flower shoots, they must think it’s summer too. Seranade and September Charm looking particularly good.Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice. We have a few fresh Nepeta Six Hills and Walkers Low in bud, but they won’t hang around long.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday, 25 July 2016
Monday, 18 July 2016
Hairy Juggling and Jiggling
Morning all,
Another hectic week around the world, it’s often very difficult to get to grips with it all, it certainly is in my simple head. While the world does its best to cock things up we are still bowling along here. The season moves along and we move from one plant in flower to another. I can’t believe we are already thinking about Asters coming into bud but it won’t be long. Potting is already under way for Autumn and next Spring as we try to keep on top of the flood of plant material coming in, some goes directly into a pot and some into modules of varying sizes depending on the crop and the predicted potting timings. It’s always a bit of a juggle to develop and fine tune the production schedules and introduce new varieties, together with the available time and space on the nursery. At the same time as we are juggling, weeks just slip by, but as each year passes we find new ways to save a bit here and there while improving crop output and hopefully slipping in a
bit of profitability here and there. One day.
We have started the process of ordering a new roof structure to cover the lab this week so with a bit of luck we should get that sorted before too long. Still not sure of the cost yet but I bet it will be cheaper than I expect, just like the van repairs of the last three weeks! Ouch. The other projects I have in mind (new cold-store and media store for the lab, new lights etc ) might have to wait a bit until time frees up a bit, but I can’t wait too long or all the money from the spring sales will have been sucked into more stock before I can fiddle some out. In a few weeks sales will dip and a panic sets in that we might never sell anything again, then the battens are nailed into the descending hatches and that’s it until next year. But then of course next year will be different and we will all make bucket loads of cash. I wonder at what age does that illusion resolve itself?
Availability highlights
This year’s hardy Fuchsia’s are wonderfully bushy plants showing masses of flower and bud.
The first of the summer flowering Crocosmia are producing flower bud as the spikes appear from the amongst the upright foliage. A great colour selection but not huge numbers left. The golden Sunglow was especially popular last year. I have a few Centaurea montana in bud, a new variety to us, Amethyst in Snow. White petals with a contrasting magenta centre. There will be more later now I can see its appeal! Verbascum Primrose Path looks delightful with its strong short stems of pretty pale yellow flowers.
We have some stonking Lobelia Salmon with their buds on show and a splash of pink at the top of their colourful stems. I have seen the odd flower head opening in the Eucomis. Short stocky pale yellow and exotic flower spikes.First buds and some opening flower in our crop of white Platycodon Astra are there. A dwarf Balloon flower, it’s a beauty. The first of the buds are showing on most of our mini garden Chrysanthemum range. There will be masses to follow of these non frost hardy stunners. Tight compact plants with very dinky flowers in a great colour range.
Fresh crops of Phlox are beginning to bud. Flame is a compact series, pretty mildew resistant in a good colour range. We have fresh crops of short and bushy Coreopsis Moonshine and Zagreb and the first buds have now appeared and a hint of colour appearing. Attractive feathery foliage under the small yellow daisy blooms, one of my favourites. Just a few Echinacea Magnus left showing strong upright flower stems.
Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers, a few Iron Cross left too. Two of our most popular lines this season are on stream and in bud. Erigeron karvinskianus are bushy and showing colour and Salvia Hot Lips are there with bud and the odd flash of puckering lips.
Coming shortly will be a widening range of Asters, bud and colour won’t be long away, we have several new varieties many mildew free/resistant and we are working on some earlier flowering batches for next year. Meanwhile we have a fresh batch of strong Aster frikartii Monch which are just lengthening their stem length in readiness for flowering. The Gaillardia varieties are producing masses of bud now, a blaze of colour to come.We have some very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing signs of flower shoots, they must think it’s summer too. Seranade and September Charm looking particularly good. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice. Bushy and flowering the scrambler Campanula posharskyana looks bustin’! The compact Nepeta Junior Walker is proving popular, a much shorter form than other varieties but still loads of flower.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday, 11 July 2016
The futures hairy in more ways than one!
Morning all,
A very pleasant day on the nursery, not too hot, not too cold, dry enough to get things done and breezy enough to get the turbines earning their keep. Still not enough hours in the day but you can’t have it all.
Although sales are slightly less rampant than earlier in the year, the other jobs are starting to mount up, plants and weeds grow so fast, new plants arrive for next year’s output and we try and clear up remaining old stock in the tunnels to clean up and start again. Then there is all the planning for improvements for next year, we need to keep pushing the productivity boundaries to offset the big wage increases we are paying and those still to come.
We have had a couple of fortuitous visitations in the last couple of weeks both offering by-products that they wanted to find a home for and that we might be able to use. One was graded out (too small) dried wood chip and bark from a biomass fuel company and freshly chipped tree surgeon output (of the green and woody variety). We are testing the bark for some specific jobs we have and are looking to use the fresh chippings as a mulch over some of our un-cropped outside areas. We try to minimise the weeds around our site to reduce encroachment into the crops and this helps keep expensive hand weeding to a minimum. We already use old coir pots as a mulch in the more sheltered spots but the chips give us another tool to reduce weed spraying and hopefully save on cost.
The microprop lab has been on a bit of a knife edge recently because of big wages increases (70+% of costs) and foreign competition keeping prices down. But we are feeling a bit more confident now after negotiating enough of a price rise to at least keep pace with the wage rise. Production may slip back over time depending on how well the foreign labs perform and if sales of our customers suffer due to the higher prices. It seems a shame that premium products selling at high prices to the consumer may all be propagated abroad for the want of 10-20p. Unfortunately that’s the world we live in and we do have a choice as to what we do about it. Anyway the choice has been made to do a bit more investment into it, the growth room roof leaks, the cold store has sagged to the ground and won’t stand up to another winter and we still haven’t completed the change from florescent tubes to LED’s on the growth room shelves. We are going to make the investments convertible each having an alternative use so if the lab slips away we can use them for instead for nursery output. Just the LED’s have a specific growth room use and they could pay for themselves very quickly, so the sooner they are in the better. Now then where did I see that credit card application form.
Availability highlights
This year’s hardy Fuchsia’s are wonderfully bushy plants and showing their first of masses of flower buds. The first of the summer flowering Crocosmia are producing flower bud as the spikes appear from the amongst the upright foliage. A great colour selection but not huge numbers left. The golden Sunglow was especially popular last year. It must be summer, the Hemerocallis varieties are now producing their flower shoots. We have some stonking Lobelia Salmon with their buds beginning to form at the top of their colourful stems. I have seen the odd flower head forming in the Eucomis. Short stocky pale yellow and exotic flower spikes. First buds and some opening flower in our crop of white Platycodon Astra are there. A dwarf Balloon flower, it’s a beauty. The first of the buds are showing on most of our mini garden Chrysanthemum range. There will be masses to follow of these non frost hardy stunners. Tight compact plants with very dinky flowers in a great colour range. Fresh crops of Phlox are beginning to bud. Flame is a compact series, pretty mildew resistant in a good colour range. We have a fresh crop of short and bushy Coreopsis Moonshine and Zagreb and the first buds have now appeared. Attractive feathery foliage under the small yellow daisy blooms, one of my favourites. Many of the Echinacea varieties are starting to produce their upright flower stem. Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers.
Two of our most popular lines this season are on stream and in bud. Erigeron karvinskianus are bushy and showing colour and Salvia Hot Lips are there with bud and the odd flash of puckering lips. The Gaillardia varieties are producing masses of bud now, a blaze of colour to come. We have some very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing signs of flower shoots, they must think it’s summer too. Seranade and September Charm looking particularly good. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
A very pleasant day on the nursery, not too hot, not too cold, dry enough to get things done and breezy enough to get the turbines earning their keep. Still not enough hours in the day but you can’t have it all.
Although sales are slightly less rampant than earlier in the year, the other jobs are starting to mount up, plants and weeds grow so fast, new plants arrive for next year’s output and we try and clear up remaining old stock in the tunnels to clean up and start again. Then there is all the planning for improvements for next year, we need to keep pushing the productivity boundaries to offset the big wage increases we are paying and those still to come.
We have had a couple of fortuitous visitations in the last couple of weeks both offering by-products that they wanted to find a home for and that we might be able to use. One was graded out (too small) dried wood chip and bark from a biomass fuel company and freshly chipped tree surgeon output (of the green and woody variety). We are testing the bark for some specific jobs we have and are looking to use the fresh chippings as a mulch over some of our un-cropped outside areas. We try to minimise the weeds around our site to reduce encroachment into the crops and this helps keep expensive hand weeding to a minimum. We already use old coir pots as a mulch in the more sheltered spots but the chips give us another tool to reduce weed spraying and hopefully save on cost.
The microprop lab has been on a bit of a knife edge recently because of big wages increases (70+% of costs) and foreign competition keeping prices down. But we are feeling a bit more confident now after negotiating enough of a price rise to at least keep pace with the wage rise. Production may slip back over time depending on how well the foreign labs perform and if sales of our customers suffer due to the higher prices. It seems a shame that premium products selling at high prices to the consumer may all be propagated abroad for the want of 10-20p. Unfortunately that’s the world we live in and we do have a choice as to what we do about it. Anyway the choice has been made to do a bit more investment into it, the growth room roof leaks, the cold store has sagged to the ground and won’t stand up to another winter and we still haven’t completed the change from florescent tubes to LED’s on the growth room shelves. We are going to make the investments convertible each having an alternative use so if the lab slips away we can use them for instead for nursery output. Just the LED’s have a specific growth room use and they could pay for themselves very quickly, so the sooner they are in the better. Now then where did I see that credit card application form.
Availability highlights
This year’s hardy Fuchsia’s are wonderfully bushy plants and showing their first of masses of flower buds. The first of the summer flowering Crocosmia are producing flower bud as the spikes appear from the amongst the upright foliage. A great colour selection but not huge numbers left. The golden Sunglow was especially popular last year. It must be summer, the Hemerocallis varieties are now producing their flower shoots. We have some stonking Lobelia Salmon with their buds beginning to form at the top of their colourful stems. I have seen the odd flower head forming in the Eucomis. Short stocky pale yellow and exotic flower spikes. First buds and some opening flower in our crop of white Platycodon Astra are there. A dwarf Balloon flower, it’s a beauty. The first of the buds are showing on most of our mini garden Chrysanthemum range. There will be masses to follow of these non frost hardy stunners. Tight compact plants with very dinky flowers in a great colour range. Fresh crops of Phlox are beginning to bud. Flame is a compact series, pretty mildew resistant in a good colour range. We have a fresh crop of short and bushy Coreopsis Moonshine and Zagreb and the first buds have now appeared. Attractive feathery foliage under the small yellow daisy blooms, one of my favourites. Many of the Echinacea varieties are starting to produce their upright flower stem. Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers.
Two of our most popular lines this season are on stream and in bud. Erigeron karvinskianus are bushy and showing colour and Salvia Hot Lips are there with bud and the odd flash of puckering lips. The Gaillardia varieties are producing masses of bud now, a blaze of colour to come. We have some very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing signs of flower shoots, they must think it’s summer too. Seranade and September Charm looking particularly good. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Tuesday, 5 July 2016
Hairy week
Morning all,
I thought a week on the nursery was a long time, but in politics this week they’ve really stirred things up. Hopefully it won’t create too much uncertainty when purses and wallets can get more difficult to prize open. What would be very useful would be a run of nice weather just to lighten the mood and restart the social life outside and especially in the garden. Very moved here by Fridays events, especially the touching and sobering remembrances of the start of the Battle of the Somme. The brilliant idea of the chaps dressed up in WW1 uniforms walking around towns and cities, not speaking but handing out cards of each soldier who had died that they represented, was very effective, How they kept that a secret until the day I’ll never know. Then at the other end of the scale the joy of watching Wales take on and beat Belgium took me rather by surprise. I hadn’t realised how much having a Welsh grandmother had affected me!
Back on the nursery we are busy sending out more orders despite the damp and dealing with all the young plant material arriving on site for next year’s output. It’s scary how quickly it all turns around. AHDB workshop on weed control last Thursday, a few reminders of sensible things to do and some interesting costings on hand weeding regimes all help. I managed to drop off through the post lunch herbicide listings before a good walk around the Hillier container unit revived me. Now I’m full of good intentions just need to find the time to get it all done, good job there is nothing else to do.
Availability highlights
We have some stonking Lobelia Salmon with their buds beginning to form at the top of their colourful stems. I have seen the odd flower head forming in the Eucomis. Short stocky pale yellow and exotic flower spikes.
We have very few Leucanthemum varieties left other than a lovely crop of the pale yellow compact Banana Creme but they won’t hang around long. Our Dianthus are now all in bud with first flowers opening, looking neat, a great range of these garden pinks to pick from. The first buds in our crop of white Platycodon Astra are there. A dwarf Balloon flower, it’s a beauty. Veronica Inspire Blue has produced a lovely flush of flower spikes. There are the first of the flower buds showing on many of the mini garden Chrysanthemum range. There will be masses to follow of these non frost hardy stunner. Tight compact plants in a good colour range. The odd weather has brought out flowers early on our Cyclamen hederifoliums. Fresh batches of Phlox are beginning to bud. Flame is a compact series of varieties, pretty mildew resistant in a good colour range. Crimson red flower spikes on the Persicaria Inverleith are appearing now, Nice short plants full of vim.
The dwarf Eryngium Blue Hobbit now has its short strong thistly flower heads appearing. The variegated varifolium is close behind, the flower stem is a bit spiky but dramatic. This year’s hardy Fuchsia’s are wonderfully bushy plants and showing their first of masses of flower buds. The super compact Monarda Balmy Purple are budding up and about to do their thing. Lovely plants but just a few left. We have a fresh crop of short and bushy Coreopsis Moonshine and Zagreb and the first buds have now appeared. Attractive feathery foliage under the small yellow daisy blooms, one of my favourites. Golden orange flowers just beginning to open in a fresh batch of chunky Bupthalmum now looking very summery Many of the Echinacea varieties are starting to produce their upright flower stem, no colour yet but it won’t be long. Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers which are just beginning to appear. Iron Cross with its dramatic darkly marked green leaves are now showing their first of many deep pink blooms. Strong and striking Delpinium Delfix Blue is now in bud and showing colour.
Two of our most popular lines this season are back on stream and in bud. Erigeron karvinskianus are bushy and showing colour and Salvia Hot Lips are there with bud and the odd flash of puckering lips. The Gaillardia varieties are producing masses of bud now, a blaze of colour to come. It must be summer, the Hemerocallis varieties are now producing their flower shoots. We have some very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing signs of flower shoots, they must think it’s summer too. Seranade and September Charm looking particularly good. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
I thought a week on the nursery was a long time, but in politics this week they’ve really stirred things up. Hopefully it won’t create too much uncertainty when purses and wallets can get more difficult to prize open. What would be very useful would be a run of nice weather just to lighten the mood and restart the social life outside and especially in the garden. Very moved here by Fridays events, especially the touching and sobering remembrances of the start of the Battle of the Somme. The brilliant idea of the chaps dressed up in WW1 uniforms walking around towns and cities, not speaking but handing out cards of each soldier who had died that they represented, was very effective, How they kept that a secret until the day I’ll never know. Then at the other end of the scale the joy of watching Wales take on and beat Belgium took me rather by surprise. I hadn’t realised how much having a Welsh grandmother had affected me!
Back on the nursery we are busy sending out more orders despite the damp and dealing with all the young plant material arriving on site for next year’s output. It’s scary how quickly it all turns around. AHDB workshop on weed control last Thursday, a few reminders of sensible things to do and some interesting costings on hand weeding regimes all help. I managed to drop off through the post lunch herbicide listings before a good walk around the Hillier container unit revived me. Now I’m full of good intentions just need to find the time to get it all done, good job there is nothing else to do.
Availability highlights
We have some stonking Lobelia Salmon with their buds beginning to form at the top of their colourful stems. I have seen the odd flower head forming in the Eucomis. Short stocky pale yellow and exotic flower spikes.
We have very few Leucanthemum varieties left other than a lovely crop of the pale yellow compact Banana Creme but they won’t hang around long. Our Dianthus are now all in bud with first flowers opening, looking neat, a great range of these garden pinks to pick from. The first buds in our crop of white Platycodon Astra are there. A dwarf Balloon flower, it’s a beauty. Veronica Inspire Blue has produced a lovely flush of flower spikes. There are the first of the flower buds showing on many of the mini garden Chrysanthemum range. There will be masses to follow of these non frost hardy stunner. Tight compact plants in a good colour range. The odd weather has brought out flowers early on our Cyclamen hederifoliums. Fresh batches of Phlox are beginning to bud. Flame is a compact series of varieties, pretty mildew resistant in a good colour range. Crimson red flower spikes on the Persicaria Inverleith are appearing now, Nice short plants full of vim.
The dwarf Eryngium Blue Hobbit now has its short strong thistly flower heads appearing. The variegated varifolium is close behind, the flower stem is a bit spiky but dramatic. This year’s hardy Fuchsia’s are wonderfully bushy plants and showing their first of masses of flower buds. The super compact Monarda Balmy Purple are budding up and about to do their thing. Lovely plants but just a few left. We have a fresh crop of short and bushy Coreopsis Moonshine and Zagreb and the first buds have now appeared. Attractive feathery foliage under the small yellow daisy blooms, one of my favourites. Golden orange flowers just beginning to open in a fresh batch of chunky Bupthalmum now looking very summery Many of the Echinacea varieties are starting to produce their upright flower stem, no colour yet but it won’t be long. Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers which are just beginning to appear. Iron Cross with its dramatic darkly marked green leaves are now showing their first of many deep pink blooms. Strong and striking Delpinium Delfix Blue is now in bud and showing colour.
Two of our most popular lines this season are back on stream and in bud. Erigeron karvinskianus are bushy and showing colour and Salvia Hot Lips are there with bud and the odd flash of puckering lips. The Gaillardia varieties are producing masses of bud now, a blaze of colour to come. It must be summer, the Hemerocallis varieties are now producing their flower shoots. We have some very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing signs of flower shoots, they must think it’s summer too. Seranade and September Charm looking particularly good. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday, 27 June 2016
Hairy Beards
Morning all,
Well that was a big week. An interesting weekend of reflection and contemplation to come and a lot of ‘wait and see’ to follow. Friday night highlight for us was Glastonbury getting started, beer out and rain falling and us in the comfort of a cosy kitchen jigging about to ZZ Top just metres from a shower and a clean loo. That’s how to do the festivals. Scary how ancient old rockers get especially when I think how little I’ve changed since the early 80’s. I just love the driving energy you can create from a guitar, bass and drums, we were ready to take on the world after that, well after an Ovaltine and a good kip anyway.
We are starting to collect back a few extra wooden boxes now as things slow up a little bit, so if you have any excess do let us know and we will pop in when next in the area. If you are a bit further afield then please feel free to pallet up a collection and we can get a pallet carrier to pop in and clear them away. We can then get them cleaned, repaired and start storing a few away ready for next spring.
Next spring’s young plant material has already started to arrive which is a bit of an eye opener as to how quickly the months are slipping by. I can’t believe we ever took time off in the summer, there is just so much to do, plan and look after. As well as the hairy pot plant season getting longer, the micropropagation lab is extending its productive season as we battle to increase output to cover big labour cost increases. Let’s hope it all comes together in the end.
Availability highlights
We have some stonking Lobelia Salmon with their buds beginning to form at the top of their colourful stems. I have seen the odd flower head forming in the Eucomis. Short stocky pale yellow and exotic flower spikes.
We have very few Leucanthemum varieties left other than a lovely crop of the pale yellow compact Banana Creme but they won’t hang around long. Just spotted the first buds in our crop of white Platycodon Astra. A dwarf Balloon flower, it’s a beauty. Liatris spicata producing it’s flower spikes now and flying out, just a few left now. Veronica Inspire Blue has suddenly produced a flush of flower spikes with the odd flash of blue peaking through, The dwarf Eryngium Blue Hobbit now has its short strong thistly flower heads appearing. This year’s hardy Fuchsia’s are wonderfully bushy plants and showing their first of many flower buds now. The super compact Monarda Balmy Purple and Balmy Pink are budding up and about to do their thing. Lovely plants but not as someone suggested named after the nursery owner. Just a handful left of the dwarf pretty blue Polemonium Bambino Blue, colouring up now don’t miss out.
We have a fresh crop of very short and bushy Coreopsis Moonshine and Zagreb and the first buds have now appeared. Golden orange flowers just beginning to open in a fresh batch of chunky Bupthalmum now looking very summery. Many of the Echinacea varieties are starting to produce their upright flower stem, no colour yet but it won’t be long. Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers which are just beginning to appear. Iron Cross with its dramatic darkly marked green leaves are now showing their first of many deep pink blooms. Our Dianthus are now all in bud with first flowers opening, looking neat, a great range of these garden pinks to pick from. Strong and compact Delpinium Delfix Blue is now in bud and showing colour. Two of our most popular lines this season are back on stream and in bud. Erigeron karvinskianus are still in tight bud so a week or two from full colour but strong and bushy and Salvia Hot Lips are there with bud and the odd flash of colour. The Gaillardia varieties are producing masses of bud now, a blaze of colour to come.
It must be summer, the Hemerocallis varieties are now producing their first flower shoots. We have some very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing signs of flower shoots, they must think it’s summer. Seranade and September Charm looking particularly good. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice. The pretty little Foam Flower (Tiarella) are producing plenty of bud and flower now. They flower for an age. The Astilbes are showing strong fresh growth and showing good colour. Top tip; Take care to water regularly avoiding full sun and drying winds to prevent the buds drying out. In bud are the three colours of Fanal (deep red), Deutschland (white) and Europa (strong pink).
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Well that was a big week. An interesting weekend of reflection and contemplation to come and a lot of ‘wait and see’ to follow. Friday night highlight for us was Glastonbury getting started, beer out and rain falling and us in the comfort of a cosy kitchen jigging about to ZZ Top just metres from a shower and a clean loo. That’s how to do the festivals. Scary how ancient old rockers get especially when I think how little I’ve changed since the early 80’s. I just love the driving energy you can create from a guitar, bass and drums, we were ready to take on the world after that, well after an Ovaltine and a good kip anyway.
We are starting to collect back a few extra wooden boxes now as things slow up a little bit, so if you have any excess do let us know and we will pop in when next in the area. If you are a bit further afield then please feel free to pallet up a collection and we can get a pallet carrier to pop in and clear them away. We can then get them cleaned, repaired and start storing a few away ready for next spring.
Next spring’s young plant material has already started to arrive which is a bit of an eye opener as to how quickly the months are slipping by. I can’t believe we ever took time off in the summer, there is just so much to do, plan and look after. As well as the hairy pot plant season getting longer, the micropropagation lab is extending its productive season as we battle to increase output to cover big labour cost increases. Let’s hope it all comes together in the end.
Availability highlights
We have some stonking Lobelia Salmon with their buds beginning to form at the top of their colourful stems. I have seen the odd flower head forming in the Eucomis. Short stocky pale yellow and exotic flower spikes.
We have very few Leucanthemum varieties left other than a lovely crop of the pale yellow compact Banana Creme but they won’t hang around long. Just spotted the first buds in our crop of white Platycodon Astra. A dwarf Balloon flower, it’s a beauty. Liatris spicata producing it’s flower spikes now and flying out, just a few left now. Veronica Inspire Blue has suddenly produced a flush of flower spikes with the odd flash of blue peaking through, The dwarf Eryngium Blue Hobbit now has its short strong thistly flower heads appearing. This year’s hardy Fuchsia’s are wonderfully bushy plants and showing their first of many flower buds now. The super compact Monarda Balmy Purple and Balmy Pink are budding up and about to do their thing. Lovely plants but not as someone suggested named after the nursery owner. Just a handful left of the dwarf pretty blue Polemonium Bambino Blue, colouring up now don’t miss out.
We have a fresh crop of very short and bushy Coreopsis Moonshine and Zagreb and the first buds have now appeared. Golden orange flowers just beginning to open in a fresh batch of chunky Bupthalmum now looking very summery. Many of the Echinacea varieties are starting to produce their upright flower stem, no colour yet but it won’t be long. Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers which are just beginning to appear. Iron Cross with its dramatic darkly marked green leaves are now showing their first of many deep pink blooms. Our Dianthus are now all in bud with first flowers opening, looking neat, a great range of these garden pinks to pick from. Strong and compact Delpinium Delfix Blue is now in bud and showing colour. Two of our most popular lines this season are back on stream and in bud. Erigeron karvinskianus are still in tight bud so a week or two from full colour but strong and bushy and Salvia Hot Lips are there with bud and the odd flash of colour. The Gaillardia varieties are producing masses of bud now, a blaze of colour to come.
It must be summer, the Hemerocallis varieties are now producing their first flower shoots. We have some very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing signs of flower shoots, they must think it’s summer. Seranade and September Charm looking particularly good. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice. The pretty little Foam Flower (Tiarella) are producing plenty of bud and flower now. They flower for an age. The Astilbes are showing strong fresh growth and showing good colour. Top tip; Take care to water regularly avoiding full sun and drying winds to prevent the buds drying out. In bud are the three colours of Fanal (deep red), Deutschland (white) and Europa (strong pink).
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday, 20 June 2016
Hairy Breakdowns
Morning all,
Still all go but not much space for waffle this week, too much stock to talk about.
Tricky week with a few things falling apart. The clutch went on the small van, but luckily caught it here rather than out on the road and the garage did a great job getting it sorted in 24 hours. The clutch went in my back too. Just a muscle spasm but none the less it does me in for a bit. Managed to keep on my feet with a cocktail of chemical aids so in fact the week passed in a bit of a laid back, dopey haze, a bit like normal I suppose.
Very sad loss of the MP, just hope it is shocking enough to bring some people to their senses, How quickly lives can change, make the most of what you have and spread some love, understanding and respect. Have a safe week.
Availability highlights
Liatris spicata producing it’s flower spikes now and flying out. Veronica Inspire Blue has suddenly produced a flush of flower bud with the odd flash of blue peaking through, The dwarf Eryngium Blue Hobbit now has it’s short strong thistly flower heads appearing. This year’s hardy Fuchsia’s are wonderfully bushy plants and showing their first of many flower buds now. The super compact Monarda Balmy Purple and Balmy Pink are budding up and about to do their thing. Lovely plants but not as someone suggested named after the nursery owner. Just a handful left of the dwarf pretty blue Polemonium Bambino Blue, colouring up now don’t miss out.
We have a fresh crop of very short and bushy Coreopsis Moonshine and Zagreb this week, no bud just yet but a lovely thick show of their feathery foliage to get you started. Golden orange flowers just beginning to open in a fresh batch of Bupthalmum now looking very summery. Many of the Echinacea varieties are starting to produce their upright flower stem, no colour yet but it won’t be long. Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers which are just beginning to appear. Iron Cross with its dramatic darkly marked green leaves are now showing their first of many deep pink blooms. Our range of Dianthus are now all in bud, the first flowers are opening and looking neat, a great range to pick from. The very short Delpinium Delfix Blue is now in bud and about to show colour. The other taller varieties are strong and budding up too.Two of our most popular lines this season are back on stream and in bud. Erigeron karvinskianus are still in tight bud so a week or two from colour but strong and bushy and Salvia Hot Lips are there with bud and the odd flash of colour. The Salvia do have this habit of sometimes producing all red or all white flowers at each end of the season but we are luckily seeing plenty of hot lip action now. Lucky me.
The Gaillardia varieties are producing masses of bud now, a blaze of colour to come. It must be summer, the Hemerocallis varieties are now producing their first flower shoots, no colour yet but with each flower so short lived best get them early. Both colours of the Armeria maritima (Sea Thrift) have masses of bud over neat green mounds of foliage. Numerous buds on the short Campanula carpatica alba. It always surprises me how big the flowers get on such a neat little plant. Only the white form is left now and selling fast.
We have some very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing signs of flower shoots, they must think it’s summer. Seranade and September Charm looking particularly good. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice. Plenty of bud and flower on the Achillea both the short Dessert Eve series and the taller ones too. We have a lovely crop of Coreopsis Sunfire ready with masses of buds on show with the odd opening flower. The bright two tone flowers makes a great show. The pretty little Foam Flower (Tiarella) are producing plenty of bud and flower now. They flower for an age. The Astilbes are showing strong fresh growth and their flower buds are already there. Top tip; Take care to water regularly avoiding full sun and drying winds to prevent the buds drying out. In bud are the three colours of Fanal (deep red), Deutschland (white) and Europa (strong pink).
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Still all go but not much space for waffle this week, too much stock to talk about.
Tricky week with a few things falling apart. The clutch went on the small van, but luckily caught it here rather than out on the road and the garage did a great job getting it sorted in 24 hours. The clutch went in my back too. Just a muscle spasm but none the less it does me in for a bit. Managed to keep on my feet with a cocktail of chemical aids so in fact the week passed in a bit of a laid back, dopey haze, a bit like normal I suppose.
Very sad loss of the MP, just hope it is shocking enough to bring some people to their senses, How quickly lives can change, make the most of what you have and spread some love, understanding and respect. Have a safe week.
Availability highlights
Liatris spicata producing it’s flower spikes now and flying out. Veronica Inspire Blue has suddenly produced a flush of flower bud with the odd flash of blue peaking through, The dwarf Eryngium Blue Hobbit now has it’s short strong thistly flower heads appearing. This year’s hardy Fuchsia’s are wonderfully bushy plants and showing their first of many flower buds now. The super compact Monarda Balmy Purple and Balmy Pink are budding up and about to do their thing. Lovely plants but not as someone suggested named after the nursery owner. Just a handful left of the dwarf pretty blue Polemonium Bambino Blue, colouring up now don’t miss out.
We have a fresh crop of very short and bushy Coreopsis Moonshine and Zagreb this week, no bud just yet but a lovely thick show of their feathery foliage to get you started. Golden orange flowers just beginning to open in a fresh batch of Bupthalmum now looking very summery. Many of the Echinacea varieties are starting to produce their upright flower stem, no colour yet but it won’t be long. Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers which are just beginning to appear. Iron Cross with its dramatic darkly marked green leaves are now showing their first of many deep pink blooms. Our range of Dianthus are now all in bud, the first flowers are opening and looking neat, a great range to pick from. The very short Delpinium Delfix Blue is now in bud and about to show colour. The other taller varieties are strong and budding up too.Two of our most popular lines this season are back on stream and in bud. Erigeron karvinskianus are still in tight bud so a week or two from colour but strong and bushy and Salvia Hot Lips are there with bud and the odd flash of colour. The Salvia do have this habit of sometimes producing all red or all white flowers at each end of the season but we are luckily seeing plenty of hot lip action now. Lucky me.
The Gaillardia varieties are producing masses of bud now, a blaze of colour to come. It must be summer, the Hemerocallis varieties are now producing their first flower shoots, no colour yet but with each flower so short lived best get them early. Both colours of the Armeria maritima (Sea Thrift) have masses of bud over neat green mounds of foliage. Numerous buds on the short Campanula carpatica alba. It always surprises me how big the flowers get on such a neat little plant. Only the white form is left now and selling fast.
We have some very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing signs of flower shoots, they must think it’s summer. Seranade and September Charm looking particularly good. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice. Plenty of bud and flower on the Achillea both the short Dessert Eve series and the taller ones too. We have a lovely crop of Coreopsis Sunfire ready with masses of buds on show with the odd opening flower. The bright two tone flowers makes a great show. The pretty little Foam Flower (Tiarella) are producing plenty of bud and flower now. They flower for an age. The Astilbes are showing strong fresh growth and their flower buds are already there. Top tip; Take care to water regularly avoiding full sun and drying winds to prevent the buds drying out. In bud are the three colours of Fanal (deep red), Deutschland (white) and Europa (strong pink).
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday, 13 June 2016
Damp and Hairy
Morning all,
Temperatures have slipped back this weekend which is nice for us. I hope you’re not getting too wet out there, I know there have been some monster showers in the last few days although so far we have missed them all.
I did get caught in a small deluge of my own making earlier in the week but luckily it was warm enough to dry off without a complete change of clothing. It was the classic situation of lots of water demand so a good time for the irrigation to throw a wobbly. One of the solenoids was refusing to shut off the water supply, usually a sign of a bit of muck in the system. I had just distributed millions of nematodes through the lines so it can happen that an undissolved lump of them gets stuck in a critical spot. Sure enough having dismantled the valve there it was, a tiny bit of debris, which I hoped would sort out the issue. Just to check I thought I’ll just turn the water on a smidge to clean it through. The valve wouldn’t budge and then it did. A 2 inch wide column of water shot vertically out of the pipe above my head as I was trying to turn the valve off again. Just as the valve went off, gravity finished its job depositing the column of water right on the top of my head. Surprised and suddenly very wet I suspect I may have vocalised my distress, but luckily it was the weekend and Caroline was working well out of earshot.
Therapy session last week with our NBIS meeting. After scaring ourselves a bit looking at the first quarters figures, seeing the effect of the long cold spring (seems so long ago now), we moved on to the main topic of the day ‘Managing Change’. We had pre-prepared notes on our main business changes of the last two years, the current and anticipated challenges and how we were going to manage our way through them all. Believe me there were a lot of them. At the end of the session we all felt a lot better, there is nothing like getting into the open all your worries and woes although it was a bit of a downer when it was suggested that the topic for the next meeting should be the formulation of exit strategies! Good job we all have a healthy sense of humour if not a healthy bank balance.
Availability highlights
Liatris spicata producing it’s flower spikes now, it will be a week or two before any colour shows but raring to go. Veronica Inspire Blue has suddenly produced a flush of flower bud, Red Fox is just getting started.
We have a fresh crop of very short and bushy Coreopsis Moonshine and Zagreb this week, no bud just yet but a lovely thick show of their feathery foliage to get you started.
Many of the Echinacea varieties are starting to produce their upright flower stem, no colour yet but it won’t be long. Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers which are just beginning to appear. Iron Cross with its dramatic darkly marked green leaves are now showing their first of many deep pink blooms. Our range of Dianthus are now all in bud and looking neat, with a great range to pick from. The very short Delpinium Delfix Blue is now in bud and about to show colour. The other taller varieties are strong and budding up too. The Gaillardia varieties are producing masses of bud now, a blaze of colour to come. It must be summer, the Hemerocallis varieties are now producing their first flower shoots, no colour yet but with each flower so short lived best get them early.
Both colours of the Armeria maritima (Sea Thrift) have masses of bud over neat green mounds of foliage.
The first tiny buds of the short Campanula carpatica are there. It always surprises me how big the flowers get on such a neat little plant. Only the white form is left now and selling fast. We have a couple of very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing flower shoots, they must think it’s summer. Seranade and Hadspen Abundance, both pink in colour. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice. Plenty of bud and flower on the Achillea both the short Dessert Eve series and the taller ones too. We have a lovely crop of Coreopsis Sunfire ready with buds just appearing. A bright two tone flower makes a good show. The pretty little Foam Flower (Tiarella) are producing plenty of bud and flower now. They flower for an age. The Astilbes are showing strong fresh growth and their flower buds are already there. Top tip; Take care to water regularly avoiding full sun and drying winds to prevent the buds drying out. In bud are the three colours of Fanal (deep red), Deutschland (white) and Europa (strong pink).
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Temperatures have slipped back this weekend which is nice for us. I hope you’re not getting too wet out there, I know there have been some monster showers in the last few days although so far we have missed them all.
I did get caught in a small deluge of my own making earlier in the week but luckily it was warm enough to dry off without a complete change of clothing. It was the classic situation of lots of water demand so a good time for the irrigation to throw a wobbly. One of the solenoids was refusing to shut off the water supply, usually a sign of a bit of muck in the system. I had just distributed millions of nematodes through the lines so it can happen that an undissolved lump of them gets stuck in a critical spot. Sure enough having dismantled the valve there it was, a tiny bit of debris, which I hoped would sort out the issue. Just to check I thought I’ll just turn the water on a smidge to clean it through. The valve wouldn’t budge and then it did. A 2 inch wide column of water shot vertically out of the pipe above my head as I was trying to turn the valve off again. Just as the valve went off, gravity finished its job depositing the column of water right on the top of my head. Surprised and suddenly very wet I suspect I may have vocalised my distress, but luckily it was the weekend and Caroline was working well out of earshot.
Therapy session last week with our NBIS meeting. After scaring ourselves a bit looking at the first quarters figures, seeing the effect of the long cold spring (seems so long ago now), we moved on to the main topic of the day ‘Managing Change’. We had pre-prepared notes on our main business changes of the last two years, the current and anticipated challenges and how we were going to manage our way through them all. Believe me there were a lot of them. At the end of the session we all felt a lot better, there is nothing like getting into the open all your worries and woes although it was a bit of a downer when it was suggested that the topic for the next meeting should be the formulation of exit strategies! Good job we all have a healthy sense of humour if not a healthy bank balance.
Availability highlights
Liatris spicata producing it’s flower spikes now, it will be a week or two before any colour shows but raring to go. Veronica Inspire Blue has suddenly produced a flush of flower bud, Red Fox is just getting started.
We have a fresh crop of very short and bushy Coreopsis Moonshine and Zagreb this week, no bud just yet but a lovely thick show of their feathery foliage to get you started.
Many of the Echinacea varieties are starting to produce their upright flower stem, no colour yet but it won’t be long. Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers which are just beginning to appear. Iron Cross with its dramatic darkly marked green leaves are now showing their first of many deep pink blooms. Our range of Dianthus are now all in bud and looking neat, with a great range to pick from. The very short Delpinium Delfix Blue is now in bud and about to show colour. The other taller varieties are strong and budding up too. The Gaillardia varieties are producing masses of bud now, a blaze of colour to come. It must be summer, the Hemerocallis varieties are now producing their first flower shoots, no colour yet but with each flower so short lived best get them early.
Both colours of the Armeria maritima (Sea Thrift) have masses of bud over neat green mounds of foliage.
The first tiny buds of the short Campanula carpatica are there. It always surprises me how big the flowers get on such a neat little plant. Only the white form is left now and selling fast. We have a couple of very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing flower shoots, they must think it’s summer. Seranade and Hadspen Abundance, both pink in colour. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice. Plenty of bud and flower on the Achillea both the short Dessert Eve series and the taller ones too. We have a lovely crop of Coreopsis Sunfire ready with buds just appearing. A bright two tone flower makes a good show. The pretty little Foam Flower (Tiarella) are producing plenty of bud and flower now. They flower for an age. The Astilbes are showing strong fresh growth and their flower buds are already there. Top tip; Take care to water regularly avoiding full sun and drying winds to prevent the buds drying out. In bud are the three colours of Fanal (deep red), Deutschland (white) and Europa (strong pink).
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
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