HOW WE GROW
Only the best varieties
We buy, test and plant only the very best seeds from a range of different seed suppliers. Combined with innovative production methods, this ensures that we only have high quality plants that have been cross-bred for resistance to pests and diseases so we can always be sure of top quality produce, fully traceable with known provenance.
Our plants love where they live
Temperature, humidity, nutrients & CO2 – every aspect of our plants’ environment is fully controlled in our state-of-the-art greenhouses. Large glass panes attract more light. Windows open to let in air. Thermal screens conserve energy.
An individual drip for every plant
Irrigation lines carry a carefully controlled supply of water and feed nutrients (including calcium, potassium and magnesium) to each individual plant. We sample irrigation water and adapt the nutrients and minerals regularly to keep them at optimum levels.
We don’t believe in pesticides
We don’t think they’re good for crops, humans or the environment. So we use natural and biological methods where ever possible to protect our plants from pests and diseases – like parasitic wasps, mini spiders and sticky traps. They work. Just like nature intended.
Pollinated by bees
Our tomato and pepper plants love bees. And bees love pollinating our plants. So our greenhouses are full of hives and their resident bees. We calculate and control very carefully the number of bees needed for each variety.
Keeping things sustainable
We don’t like to waste water, or dump it (along with fertiliser residues) into watercourses. So we collect our run-off, sanitise it and recycle it back into the feed. In the same way, we enrich the air in our greenhouses with the useful leftover gases (like CO2) produced by our central heating burners.
Conventional or organic – your choice
We grow most of our plants using conventional hydroponics with rock wool slabs. Their mineral fibres are good for stability and holding the water and air that help roots to grow and nutrients to be taken in. We also have dedicated organic areas where plants are grown in soil and natural fertiliser.
Green fingers
The growers who run our nurseries control everything from temperature and humidity to irrigation and nutrition. Our skilled crop workers – each responsible for their own areas – know everything there is to know about de-leafing and twisting. Our harvesters make sure that produce is picked, packed and kept fresh.
