The cold weather and snow is definitely putting customers off, and who can blame them? The adverse weather is affecting the numbers but not the takings, fewer people are spending more so it's not all bad.
Got down to printing the bed labels, 100's of them, talk about a laborious task!
Supposed to be -7 tonight, just watch that oil for the heaters disappear!
Potted up small colocasia gigantea from 7cm pots to 2Ltr. They are really on the move now, they were splitting pots with the root growth they have put on. Hopefully these should be for sale as large plants in 5Ltrs before long.
Rabbits are starting to get out of hand. Wire fences have been put up behind the shade house to stop them getting into the grasses sales area. Unfortunately the fields either side of the nursery look like they will have sugar beet instead of wheat this year which means we are the only food supply! We'll have to look into rabbit fencing the whole of the nursery which will be a big expense.
Due to snow off and on all day we didn't open the nursery. If anybody wants to buy exotic plants in this weather they need their heads testing.
Unfortunately there is lots of work to do on the website so I'm afraid I didn't get the day completely off.
Our largest Amorphophallus konjac is on the move.
It is far to early for it to be the leaf stalk so hopefully it will be it's first flower.
The corm is over 1kg in weight so i'm confident!
Zingiber 'dancing Crane' breaks dormancy.
This was one small rhizome last year that was split into five plants. All plants have broken dormancy.
If this grows as well as last year they should be for sale in spring 2006.
The first Arisaema of the year has poked it's head up.
One Arisaema nepenthoides, which is always the earliest, is about to open it's spathe. Inspection of the others show them just below the surface.
Masses of potting up done today, mainly grasses.
100x Miscanthus sinensis 'Malepartus' 2Ltr
100x Miscanthus sinensis var. purpurascens 2Ltr
100x Arundo donax versicolor 2Ltr
100x Miscanthus sinensis 'Flamingo' 2Ltr
100x Deschampsia cespitosa 'Goldtau' 2Ltr
100x Molinia caerulea subsp. Arundinacea 'Karl Foerster' 1Ltr
100x Miscanthus sinensis 'Graziella' 2Ltr
100x Miscanthus sinensis 'Adagio' 2Ltr
100x Miscanthus sinensis 'Cosmopolitan' 2Ltr
100x Miscanthus sinensis Zebrinus 'Little Dots' 2Ltr
100x Miscanthus sinensis 'Grosse Fontane' (Big Fountain) 2ltr
100x Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Little Bunny' 1Ltr
100x Pennisetum setaceum 'Burgundy Giant' 1Ltr
100x Dodecatheon pulchellum 'Red Wings' 1Ltr
100x Kniphofia 'Brimsone' 2ltr
The weekend will be generally rather unsettled with fronts working SE but become more settled as a high quickly moves east across the west of the UK. The risk of some wintry showers and strong winds in the N and NE. Generally rather cold in the N and E, nearer average in the S and W.
Saturday 12th February will see Scotland and N Ireland with a mix of sunny periods and some wintry showers, mainly in the north and west. The snow showers will become rather frequent later in the north and east of Scotland and there may be local blizzards here in places at times as winds increase to be strong or gale force (and locally severe gale force in exposed areas) by evening.Elsewhere it will be a cloudy night with rain (heavy at times over western upslopes) moving away east by dawn. Sunny periods to follow by morning for most with a few light showers near western coasts, possibly wintry in the NW though most of the south and east should remain dry. Quite windy in the N and NW later, gales around exposed NW coasts. Cold in the north by late afternoon, accentuated by the winds but starting mild in the south of the UK, though becoming near the seasonal average by the afternoon.
Sunday 13th February will be a mainly dry sunny day for most, with a lot of sunshine in the south and west. In the east there will be a few wintry showersat times and there may be longer spells of snow over the hills of eastern England near the coasts, though more likely of sleet on lower ground, with the risk of a few cm settling on the hills. Frosty inland in central and western parts by midnight. Very windy to start in the NE with local gales but these dying down by the evening. Average temperatures for the south and west but rather cold elsewhere, accentuated by the winds.
After weeks of laying a baited trap we have caught the squirrel. The amount of stock destroyed and carried away was quite phenomenal. Anyway – he was given a quick execution and to prove we hate to see waste, he was fed to the dog. Now if only we could catch those damn rabbits
Lobelia tupa has survived after being left in bottom field in 2ltr pots.
Another plant that should have had some protection, it's also showing some new growth.
Tidied up and top dressed, moved to shade tunnel.
Arisaema rhizomatum
Thought to be a non hardy, late flowering tropical Arisaema survives outside.
6 pots that got forgotten and left outside have sailed through, still with influrescens although looking a bit tatty, would probably have faired better in the ground as they wouldn't have frozen solid.
Planting Date : 22/12/04
Conditions : Heated bench, 20c
Material : Roots, small rooted sticks, unrooted sticks
Success rate : Approx. 75%
Tough new laws now effectively ban garden enthusiasts from installing their own electrics in ponds, sheds, garages and greenhouses, warns consumer electrical safety organisation the NICEIC.
From 1st January 2005 all electrical work in the garden must be carried out by a government-approved electrician, such as one registered with the NICEIC. The new law aims to reduce the rising number of deaths caused by faulty electrics.
External electrical work is particularly hazardous due to the presence of water, damp, humidity, lack of clothing, and the extremes of weather, which can make equipment deteriorate faster outdoors.
"This law will make gardens safer, and is long overdue", say Jim Speirs director general of the NICEIC. "Gardeners with ambitious plans for their outdoor space must be aware of the new laws - and the dangers they could face".
According to the new law, gardeners are allowed to maintain and replace equipment. However, because the risk of electric shock is far greater outside, a government-approved electrician who can provide a certificate, such as one registered by the NICEIC must undertake all other work.
Monday 7th will see a mainly dry clear day for most after early frost in most inland areas. Sunny periods for most with a risk of an isolated wintry shower near eastern coasts. More frequent wintry showers may initially effect the SE at times, these mainly of rain or sleet near coasts but of sleet or snow a little inland with local accumulations just about possible over the N Downs. Rather more cloudy in N and W Scotland and N Ireland by noon with some mainly light rain affecting here later. Increasingly windy in the far NW later with perhaps local gales. Frosty again inland over England, Wales and S Scotland by dusk. Temperatures rather cold in most parts, locally cold in Highland and other inland upland regions, near average in the SW and the far NW.
Tuesday 8th will see another mainly dry clear day for most after further early frost in most inland areas, locally severe in central parts (with grass temps as low as minus 10C). Sunny periods for central and southern England and the SE but probably rather dull and cloudy elsewhere. Frosty again inland in some central parts by dusk. Temperatures near average or slightly below in most parts.
Wednesday 9th will probably see a generally dry but fairly cloudy day in the west with some rain at times by morning into N Ireland and the far southwest of England but less cloudy in the east with more in the way of sunny periods after an early frost in central parts. The rain will slow working east into some other western parts during the day. Perhaps rather breezy in the west later. Temperatures staying generally rather cold in the east though near average elsewhere.
JUNGLE DRUMS
The latest news and views from Urban Jungle nursery.
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