october 2015...

FRUITTHE

October 2015 GROWER

Integrating biologicals

Boosting Class 1 quality

Investing more in R&D

Ensuring yields

Reducing residues

Let’s talk great fruit crops

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For a more fruitful business

FRUIT OCTOBER 2015 VERSION 2.qxp_Layout 1 01/10/2015 14:04

THE FRUIT GROWER • OCTOBER 2015 www.actpub.co.uk

OPINION

THE FRUIT GROWER IS PUBLISHED BY

September ended with a thankfully settled spell of warm dry weather to help withboth the ripening and harvesting of fruit crops. Indian summers are just what therapidly expanding UK wine industry wants, but it is a little early to judge thevendage as, although quietly confident of a good year, vine growers have towatch the weather well into October. This issue includes details of new vineyardsprayers and some good advice on how to look after vines post-harvest.

The traditional launch campaign to publicise the English apple season went sowell that at the launch dinner for customers, held this year at the House ofCommons, EAP’s Adrian Barlow was justly proud to announce a TV and radiocoverage total reach of 55 million viewers and listeners. With national newspaperskeen to cover our industry, including a Telegraph leader on apples and anadvertising equivalent of over £1.3 million for the PR campaign so far, we can bejustly proud of producing food with a high reputation that is taken seriously by themedia. With a preview of the National Fruit Show, where the best of our fruit willbe on show, this issue also includes reports of farm walks held earlier to see thecrops grown by orchard competition winners. A workshop at which ‘bestpractice’ for growing Zari apples was discussed is also reported in-depth.

Hugh Lowe takes the long view as to where coming out of soil and switching togrowing in substrates may take the industry, as the cost of labour and itsavailability become an even greater headache. He muses on ideas from therelocation of farms to be nearer labour sources and markets, to whether or notrobotics can be useful.

London livery companies may have looked rather old fashioned a decade or soago, but the present Master of the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers reports anexciting year of activities that explains why a growing list of younger members ofthe fruit industry are joining. To quote an enthusiastic younger member who wasasked what the attraction was, “I enjoy keeping up traditions, but mainly it’s away of meeting like-minded professionals in my industry.”

SUBSCRIPTION RATESTWELVE ISSUES Inland UK £36 Air Mail:Europe/Eire £45

Middle East/USA/Canada £55 – Far East/Australia/New Zealand £65Printed by Hastings Printing Company

ISSN 0953-2188Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published, the

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contributors, manufacturers or advertisers.

C O N T E N T SNews Page 4

National Fruit Show Page 12

Orchard competitionwinner Page 19

Zari apples Page 21

Orchard of theYear Page 25

Comment Page 26

Worshipful Companyof Fruiterers Page 28

Vineyard sprayers 0

Research Briefing Page 32

Post-harvestvineyard care Page 34

Coir substrates Page 36LION HOUSE, CHURCH STREETMAIDSTONE, KENT ME14 1EN

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FRUIT OCTOBER 2015 VERSION 2.qxp_Layout 1 01/10/2015 14:05 Page 3

4 F N e w s F

www.actpub.co.uk THE FRUIT GROWER • OCTOBER 2015

New Strategy Directors for Horticulture, Dairy and Cereals &Oilseeds have been announced by the Agriculture andHorticulture Development Board (AHDB).

Amanda Ball will be Strategy Director for Dairy, MartinGrantley-Smith will be Strategy Director for Cereals & Oilseedsand Steve Tones is to be the Strategy Director for Horticulture.All three are internal promotions and will start in their new roleson 5 October. These three join the two Strategy Directorsalready in post – Mick Sloyan for Pork and Rob Clayton forPotatoes. The recruitment of the sixth Strategy Director forBeef & Lamb will be completed in early October to replaceNick Allen, who is AHDB’s new Market Development Director.

The six sector Strategy Directors are key members ofAHDB’s senior management team and will report to Tom Hindwho was recently announced as AHDB’s Chief StrategyOfficer. They have a pivotal role as the ‘glue’ between theSector Boards and the operational parts of the organisation,ensuring that what the Sector Boards have agreed within theirbusiness plans is delivered by AHDB’s operational teams.Freed from having to directly manage large numbers of staff,the Strategy Directors’ roles will focus on extensive liaison,both internally and externally, with levy payers and keystakeholders.

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Rebecca Geraghty AHDB Chief HR Officer, said: “I am pleasedto welcome Amanda, Steve and Martin into these importantroles. They will be a primary point of contact for our levy payersand Sector Boards and I expect them to have impact andinfluence on our organisation through their knowledge and skills.”

Steve Tones StrategyDirector – Horticulture.Steve has been Head ofBusiness Development ofAHDB Horticulture (formerlyHDC) for six years, leadingthe strategic planning ofAHDB’s work in the sectorand helping to shape thelong-term direction of levy-funded programmes for thehorticulture industry.Previously he spent morethan 20 years at ADAS as anentomologist and ran his ownspecialised consultancy and investment companies. He is anAgricultural Zoology graduate from Newcastle University andstudied for a PhD at Glasgow University.

Date of 2015 Nuffield Farming Trust Conference announcedNuffield’s annual conference will be held

on 25-27 November 2015 at the EuropaHotel in Belfast. Early booking isrecommended to secure a place at thisprestigious event.

The three-day event includes a farmvisit, a presentation from each of the 2014

Scholars reporting on their project and recommendations, anawards ceremony for the selected 2016 Scholars, the AGMand an evening event with dinner.

The Conference is held every year and is a fantasticopportunity for all agricultural and related industry individualsto hear from the current cohort, with enthusiasm for their areaof interest, providing solutions and areas of progression withinthe agricultural industry. “The Conference is an opportunity forthe Scholars at every stage, trustees, sponsors and guests to

AHDB confirms appointment of three sector Strategy Directors

gather, share experiences and ideas, reflect, and think forwardabout the future of farming,” says Mike Vacher, NuffieldDirector.

Don’t forget to book your place at the Conference early.This can be done online via the Nuffield Farming Conferencewebsite - http://nuffieldscholar.org/


5F N e w s F


Damian Hinds MP, the Exchequer Secretary to theTreasury, visited Thatchers Cider in September. During hisvisit Mr Hinds saw this year’s cider apple harvest which is inprogress. Thatchers Cider, situated at Myrtle Farm inSandford, Somerset, expects to press around 20,000tonnes of apples this season, harvested from its own 160haof orchards in Somerset, and also from other apple growersin the South West and other parts of the UK.

The Exchequer Secretary met Martin Thatcher, managingdirector and fourth generation cider-maker of ThatchersCider, who is currently chair of the National Association ofCider Makers (NACM). Keen to see the apple harvest at firsthand, and talk to cider-makers about the issues andopportunities facing the industry, Mr Hinds also met FenellaTyler of Heineken UK, and Barney Butterfield of SandfordOrchards.

During the visit, the NACM took the opportunity to talk toMr Hinds about Government support for the cider industry,including the current duty exemption for cider-makersproducing less than 70 hectolitres of cider for sale eachyear.

Mr Hinds also saw how Thatchers Cider continues toinvest in its cider-making facilities at Myrtle Farm, including anew tank building which will have capacity for thirty-six125,000 litre storage vessels, required to meet theincreasing demand for Thatchers ciders.

During the tour of Myrtle Farm, Damian Hinds visited TheRailway Inn, Sandford, which has recently been re-openedby Thatchers Cider following a major investment. Havingspent 18 years working in the pub, brewing and hotelindustry, this was of particular interest to Mr Hinds.

Martin Thatcher said, “Cider is a British favourite but weare an industry in need of support. This year’s 2% duty cutfrom Government was a welcome first step and as a resultour industry has continued to make long-term investmentswhich will ultimately lead to further opportunities for growth.We look forward to working with HM Treasury to ensurethat, with their support, cider-makers across the UK cancontinue to take advantage of opportunities to grow theirbusinesses. Despite the difficult market conditions that weare all currently experiencing, we are continuing to invest inour local economies through the planting of new orchards,the construction of new facilities and the creation of jobs.”

Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury Damian Hinds said:“Cider-makers play a crucial role in our rural economy,particularly in places like the South West. That’s why I’mpleased that our action to support cider-makers is seeingresults. As we work with cider-makers across the country

over the coming months, we will seek to find ways tosupport them in the future and help maintain the wonderfulchoice and diversity that we have in cider.”

Treasury Minister visits Somersetcider-maker


6 F N e w s F


Early in September Northern Ireland Bramley growers met atthe orchards of Edmund Allen, Grange Farm, Annagora Road,Portadown to see and hear about some of the latest innovationsin spray application, crop hygiene and fruit storage regimes fortop fruit production.

The workshop was organised by CAFRE in collaboration withthe Northern Ireland Fruit Growers Association (NIFGA) and washosted by Edmund Allen, a NIFGA committee member, in hisorchards. New orchard sprayer technology was demonstratedusing a Tifone Vector 1000 air-assisted sprayer with electrostaticinduction, that charges the emerging spray droplets so that theywill be attracted to the target trees. In this way, the use of finernozzles is possible, to give enhanced leaf cover while reducingthe risk of increased drift.

This field demonstration generated a lot of interest and Edmundcombined it with a walk through his orchards, which was a veryinformative tour. On display were some of the latest bird-scarersavailable, including kites, electronic call kits and laser torches.

Edmund has recently renovated two of his apple stores,recladding the ceilings and ensuring that seals and joints aresound before the new storage season begins. He explained hisstore management regime to the audience, including thenecessity of rapid filling prior to treatment with SmartFresh (1-

MCP) and the advantage of incorporating the Fresh Extendethylene removal system in the latter stages of the storage period.In fact, he had only unloaded the last of his stored fruit from 2014in August and the visiting growers were able to view some of thisfruit as it had just emerged from store.

These technological themes were complemented bypresentations from a number of guest speakers. Simon Townsendof BASF reviewed the fungicide choices which can help tominimise fruit storage rots and provided some useful data on theperformance of growth regulator Regalis Plus on fruit set inborderline years, as occurred in 2015.

Mark Staplehurst and Geoff Mills Bower of ActivSure outlinedthe production principles and hygiene applications for theirelectrolysed water product, which has been successfully used fornon-chemical microbe control in hospitals and other public areas,and which may now be used to treat fruit, to reduce rot fungi andbacterial contamination.

Kieran Lavelle, of CAFRE’s Crops, Horticulture andSustainability Branch, drew the formal meeting to a close with asummary of scab disease periods over 2015. Kieran also gave anupdate on the Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme(RDP) for 2014 to 2020, highlighting measures within theprogramme that may be of potential benefit to top fruit producers.

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Northern Ireland growers benefit from workshop and farm walk


7F A d v e r t i s e m e n t F


If you are interested in enjoying the claimed benefits of Dynamic ControlledAtmosphere (DCA) why not get UK CA Ltd to install Isolcell control systems toyour stores and Isolcell will supply their Harvest Watch sensors and controlson a 12-month ‘sale or return’ basis for a limited number of new UKinstallations. Such is their faith in the proven technology that is now installed inover 2000 stores worldwide, that they are confident that customers will wantto hang on and even increase the number of DCA sensors once they havechecked them out for themselves. Tito Spaldi, Isolcell’s International SalesManager, says that a major part of their business comes from repeatcustomers who have installed a small number of DCA rooms to try, and thenrolled out the system across their other stores.

New to UK CA Ltd is a high quality range of store-sealing materials,including paint and sealing tape, again from Isolcell. These products are well-proven and suitable for making your CA and DCA stores clean and gas-tight. Ifyou already buy sealing materials for your CA stores you may like to try theseproducts.

UK CA Ltd, now in its eleventh year of trading, can look after yourrequirements from a simple hand-held thermometer to the latest Dynamic CAsystem installed on a block of new stores. We offer first-rate, personal supportto our customers across the full spectrum of storage control systems, plusregular calibration to UKAS standards.

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8 F N e w s F


Preliminary results from the second yearof HDC-funded trial TF 221 (Orchard andstorage management practices tooptimise Gala flavour during long-termstorage) has confirmed the previousyear’s results that early-picked Gala (85-90% starch), stored in 5/1, provided fruitwith better eating quality in April.Orchards with high dry matter content(15-16% DM) were considered superior intaste. UK Gala at this time was of similareating quality to imported fruit. There wasno difference in taste panel scoresbetween fruit stored at 1.5C and 0.5C.However, disease incidence is oftensuppressed at lower temperatures. In the2014-15 season the orchard providingthe best eating quality was picked at 87%starch, 11.6% Brix, 9.9kg firmness and15.6% DM. A Dynamic ControlledAtmosphere (DCA) storage regime of 3%CO2 /0.4% O2 also provided fruit of good eating quality inlate April.

Full details of the results will be made available in the finalreport of the project later in the year.

J&K Polyculture �I.O.W� Ltd

Stand K4a

Improving the eating quality of Gala


9F N e w s F

Following the decision by CertisEurope to divest itself of its commercial‘beneficial’ business in certainEuropean countries, Koppert BiologicalSystems has acquired the business inthe UK, France and Italy. Certis saysthat it will continue to sell its beneficialorganism products elsewhere anddevelop integrated crop protectionprogrammes for its customers in itsother markets.

“The acquisition of Certis Europe’s‘beneficials’ business in the UK, Franceand Italy fits in well with our long-termstrategy to further develop biologicalsolutions for these importantagricultural and horticultural countries,”says Henri Oosthoek, ManagingDirector of Koppert Biological Systems.“The negotiations with Certis werefruitful and coincide with Koppert’smission to make agriculture healthier,safer and more productive for thebetter health of people and the planet.The transfer of the business isunderway and customers in these

countries have been notified,” headded.

Certis Europe is a leader in integratedpest management for the horticulturaland speciality crop sectors. CEO MarkWaltham, said: “We are excited to findin Koppert a potential partner that isthe market leader in beneficialproduction and development, and istherefore best placed to build on theexcellent customer relationships thatCertis and BCP have developed withbeneficial products over the last 20years.”

Headquartered in the Netherlands,Koppert Biological Systems producesenvironmentally sustainable naturalsolutions for agriculture and horticulture.It breeds natural enemies to combatpest infestations, bumblebees fornatural pollination, and produces naturalproducts that support and strengthencrops. The biological crop solutionscompany has 26 subsidiaries worldwideand its products are available in morethan 100 countries.

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Koppert acquires Certis Europe beneficialorganisms business in UK, France and Italy

When every fruit tree counts“Fruit trees are expensive and transplanting is

always a risk. So anything that can be done tominimise the shock and improve the chances ofestablishment must be worthwhile,” says JackHolden of horticultural fertiliser specialistsSolufeed.

One simple and inexpensive measure is to rootdip with beneficial mycorrhizal fungi andrhizosphere bacteria prior to field planting. Onesuch product - PHC Mycordip Universal -marketed in the UK by Solufeed, has been provento improve establishment and increase survivalrates. Mycordip is an inoculant suitable for mosttypes of fruit trees and is available as dry powderthat is mixed with water in which the roots are dipped before planting. Mycordipcontains seaweed and humic acids to enhance root development and droughttolerance. We all know the disappointment of a failed planting and the expense andtrouble of providing a replacement. Now, for a matter of a few pence, Mycordip isvery cheap insurance that significantly reduces the risk of non-establishment.

For more information contact: Jack Holden 01243 554090 [email protected] or visit www.solufeed.com


10 F N e w s F


The NFU has begun its search for a new Director General to playa leading role in supporting English and Welsh farmers andgrowers.

The recruitment process started in August after NFU DirectorGeneral Andy Robertson made the decision to retire. Mr Robertsonsaid: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as Director General at theNFU, working with so many great people including the Presidentialteam, staff and members. The NFU really is a fantastic organisation

to be a part of and it’s been a privilege working here. Over the pastthree years I’ve been proud to lead an organisation which hasmade a real difference to its members. I had originally expected todo the job for four years. However, due to some niggling healthproblems, in the past 12 months I haven’t been able to operate at100 per cent. It is for this reason that I have made the decision toretire. There’s never a good time to go, but this time-frame allowsfor minimum disruption to the organisation.”

Concordia (UK) Ltd. Registered office: 19 North St, Portslade, BN411DH. Registered charity no: 305991. GLA licence no: CONC0002.

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NFU begins search for new Director General

Solufeed appoints David Howe to cover ScotlandSpecialist

horticulturalfertiliser supplierSolufeed isstrengthening itssales presence inScotland with theappointment ofDavid Howe assales agent. Hecomes from afamily of growers

and has a background in professional horticulture. Aftergraduating from Strathclyde University, where he gained aBSc in biology, he has worked in horticulture throughouthis career. He will be responsible for the sales of the fullrange of products marketed by Solufeed including naturalPlant Health Care (PHC) products and the Aston garlicrange.

David, who is well-known by growers, is passionateabout horticulture and will be based at his office inAuchterarder. Since his appointment he has already visitedgrowers and has engaged with many of the company’s keyaccounts.


11F O b i t u a r y F


When I was asked to write a few words about the late JohnMay, I really did not know where to start as we had workedtogether as friends for many years and became like family.Problems were shared and resolved in the same way thatbrothers would manage the ups and downs of daily life andthis created a bond that only time can fabricate.

John joined Haynes Brothers in 1961 when the agriculturaldepartment operated from our Ashford Road site inMaidstone, Kent before moving to Park Wood, Maidstone in1966. He served a five-year apprenticeship, attendingOakwood Park College, also in Maidstone, qualifying as a verycompetent agricultural mechanic. Never one to let the grassgrow under his feet, John soon began to look towardsbuilding his career and, when an opportunity arose in 1975 tojoin his two uncles in the demonstration team, he knew whathe wanted to do. Alan and Frank Winch welcomed John into

their ranks and theyrepresented animportant team,specialising in theinstallation anddemonstration of newequipment, andpromoting Haynes.

The following yearssaw John develop aField Advisory Service,a very importantaddition to theagricultural team,especially in the rapidly-changing farming worldwhere technology wasin constant flux. This

role exposed John to many new products and a dailychallenge to keep pace, and this is where John’s personalityshone through, his unique ability to turn a disaster into asuccess, a loss to a gain. Trust is not given but is earned, andour customers soon realised what an asset John was, with his

calm approach to a dilemma and sound advice. Manychanges in farming practices brought very real issues andJohn was expected to keep up with the latest techniqueswhilst not letting go of past values - a tough remit indeed.

Demonstrating and installing machinery soon showed thatJohn had other skills not yet exploited and one of his favouritetasks was ploughing. As Show Coordinator, John attended allof the local ploughing matches and was soon competing,specialising in the four-furrow reversible class with histreasured Dowdswell plough, and he went on to win severaltrophies before moving on to judging, which he enjoyedimmensely. It is in this role that many farmers will rememberJohn, always laughing, always ready to advise, part of thefarming community. Even in retirement after 52 years withHaynes, John was always there when needed.

2015 saw the passing of a very dear friend and colleagueand there cannot be a farmer in Kent who will not miss hiswitty comments, solid and sound advice, and ‘straight fromthe shoulder’ delivery when required. John had a passion forfarming and will be sadly missed by so many of us.

Plough on, John.

John May - 1946 to 2015An epitaph to a dear friend

Meet the team fromThe Fruit Grower on Stand S58 at


12 F N a t i o n a l F r u i t S h o w F


This year the National Fruit Show offers as packed aprogramme as ever and the organising team isreporting a potential record number of entries in the

fruit competition. As I write there are 92 trade stands bookedand it is certain that we have a great Show for all, whether

you are a fruitgrower or one ofthe many excellentcompanies thatsupport theindustry.

To open theShow this year wewelcome NeilParish, MP forTiverton andHoniton, Devon.Most importantlyfor us, he is theChair of theEnvironment, Foodand Rural AffairsSelect Committee;and he is alsoPPS to theMinister of Statefor Transport. As afriend of ourPresident Michael

Wednesday 21 October - 10.00 am to 5.30 pmOrchardWorld Reception: 6.15 pm Show Dinner: 7.30 pm

Thursday 22 October - 10.00 am to 3.30 pmVenue: The Kent Event Centre, Kent Showground,Detling, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 3JF. Located betweenthe M2 and M20 on the A249 at Detling.

NNaa tt ii oonnaa ll FF rruu ii tt SShhooww 22001155

Opening Times

A warm welcome to the 82nd NationalFruit Show!

●


13F N a t i o n a l F r u i t S h o w F


Jack, Neil Parish is a strong campaigner for British farmers anda great advocate for our industry.

I would like to remind everyone preparing to pack their Showfruit to read the competition guidelines very carefully. There is aright and a wrong way to present the fruit and the judges haveasked that we remind you as to which is the correct way.Please read your Show schedule in which you will find clearguidance; there will be a degree of leniency this time, but not

much. I hopeyou get achance toadmire the newboxes intowhich you willbe packing yourfruit; and thanksare due to theteam atProducePackaging Ltdfor theirsponsorshipand diligence inproducing suchexcellent boxes.

Please look out for new innovations throughout the Show; allof our agronomy partners are showing advances in predictivetools for weather conditions and pests and diseases, crop-estimating systems, and biological control; in fact there will besomething new in every area of the exhibition halls.

I hope to see you at our wonderful Fruit Show; it is packedwith innovation, new varieties, new technology and, above all,the people who matter. Sarah Calcutt, Chair, Marden Fruit Show Society.




2015 National Fruit S

Show Entrance from Car Park

Reception Areaand

Registration

Fruit Display

Show Dinner

Entrance and exitto/from Hendry Pavilion

No Entry/Exit

MAIDSTONE EXH

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S72

K26

SS65

K27

K12

K11

K13

K13a

K29

K14

K30

S32S33

S38S34 S39 S40 S40a S41

S43 S44 S44a S45

S54 S55 S56 S57 S58 S59 S6

K16 K1K15

THE FRUITGROWER

Avalon Produce

Hutchinsons

Agrovista The ICA Group

Kirkland UK Kirkland UK




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Exit/Entranceto and fromMaidstone Exhibition Hall

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XHIBITION HALL

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S50S49 S51 S52/53

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K5

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NP Seymour Ltd

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Kent Fruit Services Ltd




Two of the most popular tractors used by fruit growers willfeature on the Horsepower UK stand.

A ‘new look’ version of the Landini Rex fruit tractor will makeits British debut, with styling that matches the rest of a tractorrange that has been thoroughly modernised and improvedover the past 18 months. The latest Rex has a redesignedbonnet made from stronger and more weather-resistantmaterials, and a refreshed cab with upgraded features.However, the new Rex continues to provide the sametechnical solutions that fruit growers appreciate and continuesin F (narrow orchard), GE (low orchard) and GT (large orchardand open field) versions. All are powered by fuel-efficientPerkins three- and four-cylinder engines with outputs from 68-110hp. A choice of 12x12, 15x15 and 30x30 speedtransmissions with mechanical or power-shuttle makes themost of the power available for different applications.

Also on display will be the evergreen Mistral compact,commonly used for pulling bin trains through orchards beforebeing put to lighter duties such as mowing and spraying, andother tasks that need a small but capable, durable and reliabletractor. Liked for its easy-to-drive character, comfort in bothopen and cab formats and highly manoeuvrable four-wheeldrive, the Mistral is available in four models with 35-54hp.

Details will also be available on all other models in theLandini range, from the all-new 60-107hp 4 Series to the high-tech 165-212hp 7 Series including the newly-launched Landini5-D High Clear. This new high-clearance tractor has two- orfour-wheel drive with large diameter row crop wheels all roundand improved fuel economy from a new engine with 85hp,95hp and 102hp outputs. Further improved fuel economycomes from choosing the new 540/540E PTO option, whichgives the required shaft speed at either maximum power or atalmost 30% lower engine revs.

Information on Valpadana specialist tractors – another brandof manufacturer Argo Tractors – will also be available.

N P Seymour Ltd will have another great selection oforchard and vineyard machinery on display this year, includingthe simple and economically priced Carraro narrow tractor, thefantastically fuel-efficient and long-term good-value Fendttractors, Berthoud sprayers, the cost-cutting Darwinmechanical blossom thinner that also offers yield benefits andfruit uniformity, and a Perfect variable-width mower, along withother equipment. They are also pleased to have Norman vander Gaag from Aweta on Stand K19 to discuss gradingrequirements.

N P Seymour will also be launching Driverless Fendt X-Pertorchard tractors, for the first time in the UK. The Fendt Variotractor with Probotiq X-Pert navigates itself through an orchardwithout having an operator in the cab. The Fendt Xpert systemis an add-on to Fendt 200 Vario series orchard tractors. Itintegrates with existing Fendt electronics to allow the tractor todrive and operate automatically. It uses patented ‘Teach andPlayback’ technology which is very easy to use. To programthe system simply press the teach button to start recording aroute and then start driving, mowing and spraying. The systemrecords every action - including steering, accelerating,mowing, spraying - multiple times per second. When you havefinished, press ‘Stop’ and you have programmed a route. Thesystem is able to store hundreds of routes, and to repeat arecorded route, simply select the appropriate route and drivethe tractor to the starting point and then press ‘Go’ and thetractor will repeat the recorded route precisely and without anoperator.

Information will be available at the N P Seymour stand. Overthe next few weeks and during the Show, Nick and ClaireSeymour will assess the interest in driverless Fendt tractorswith fruit growers in the UK. Subject to the interest, N PSeymour Ltd will hold a live demonstration day.

Horsepower UK –Stand K8

N P Seymour –Stand K19

New look Landini Rex tractor




Exhibitors and stand numbersMAIDSTONE EXHIBITION HALL

STAND EXHIBITORK1 Haynes Agricultural LtdK2 Burden Bros Agri LtdK3 COTESI UKK4 CLAK4a Hol Spraying SystemsK5 Van Nifterik Holland b.v./Verbeek

NurseriesK6 Burg Machinefabriek bvK7 Kent Fruit Services LtdK8 Horsepower UK LtdK8a Tree Nursery RoelofsK9 Ernest Doe PowerK9a Carolus TreesK10 AdamaK11 BIFGAK12 JR BreachK13 UNIVEG UK Ltd (EWT)K13a London Produce Show 2016K14 H L Hutchinson Ltd K15 Hadlow CollegeK16 Avalon Produce LtdK17 Bayer CropScience LtdK18 Worldwide FruitK19 NP Seymour LtdK20 AgriiK21 ChavereysK22 Core Equipment LtdK23 Wealden AMK24 South East FarmerK25 Yara UK LtdK26 Vigo LtdK27 The ICA GroupK28 Agrovista UK LtdK29 BASFK30 AgricareS32 AG RecruitmentS33 Royal British Legion IndustriesS34 Botden & van WillegenS38 English Apples and Pears LtdS39 The Worshipful Company of FruiterersS40 Weatherbys Hamilton LLPS40a Plumpton College/SE Vineyards Assoc.S41 Laurence Gould Partnership LtdS42 Frank P Matthews LtdS43 Techno FreshS44 AHDB HorticultureS44a NSF Agriculture

STAND EXHIBITORS45 Concordia UK LtdS46/S47 Ripple Aquaplast LtdS48/S49 Plant ImpactS50 Kreston ReevesS51 Bee Farmers AssociationS52/S53 Stas Belgium nvS54/S55 Landseer LtdS56 Hortech Solutions LtdS57 East Malling ResearchS58 The Fruit GrowerS59 Oro Agri International LtdS60 Janny MTS61 FAST LtdS62 Pro-Tech Marketing LtdS63 MAF AgroboticS64 Channel Weighing LtdS65 Harzfloor Contracts LtdS66 ICL FertilizersS67 Maxicrop (UK) LtdS68 Fargro LtdS69 Vitifruit EquipmentS70 FGS OrganicsS70a Affinitus Group LtdS71 New Leaf Irrigation LtdS72 NFUS75/S76 QCR Recycling EquipmentS77 John Bourne and Co LtdS78 New Spitalfields MarketS79 Biddenden VineyardsS80 Nufarm UK LtdS81 Valente UKS82 Burton McCall Ltd

HENDRY PAVILION

H1/H2 Kirkland UKH3 Britannia ForkliftH4 Bourne EngineeringH5 Tech LtdH12 HortifeedsH13/H14 Scorpion Engineering ConstructionH15 M.J. Timber LtdH16 ULMA Packaging LtdH17 Kentish Cobnuts AssociationH18 Goplasticpallets.comH19 Gleaning Network UKH20 Fresh Produce JournalH21 UKCA LtdH22 Cross Machinery




Vigo Ltd, one of the leading suppliers of equipment to UKdrink producers and a sponsor of the National Fruit Show,now supplies, installs and commissions micro-canning lines,manufactured by American company, ABE.

Vigo’s decision to offer canning lines was due to demandfrom the UK craft beer market; however there are parallelsbetween this market and the premium cider market. JonClatworthy, Vigo’s Commercial Sales Director says, “We’re inthe middle of a canning revolution in the craft beer market. Asa result, an increasing number of cider-makers are consideringcans as an additional form of packaging. The craft beer sectorhas demonstrated that consumers are embracing the union ofpremium drinks and cans. We have supplied canning lines toThe Harbour Brewing Co and The Wild Beer Co and bothcompanies have reported that demand for their cannedproduct is continuing to rise. It’s not just about giving theirbrand a ‘point of difference’ or flexible packaging, moderncans preserve flavours and keep craft beer full of life.”

An increasing number of heritage cider brands are nowavailable in cans. While the majority are national brands whichproduce large volumes, it is no longer the case that a veryhigh product volume is required to make canning economical.ABE canning lines are available in capacities from 15 to 60cans/minute. Jon reports that The Harbour Brewing Co isalready benefiting from the cost savings that cans can bring,which enables them to provide better value to theircustomers.

“Our priority is to enable small and medium scale producersto offer their product in a wide range of packaging formats tosuit the needs of today’s consumer,” Jon says. “In addition tooffering filling solutions for bottles, kegs and bag-in-boxes, weare delighted to be supplying ABE canning lines. Flexibility isone of the key benefits of cans. They are highly portable,lightweight, and are welcome in places where bottles are not -festivals and beaches, for example. They can be crushedwhen empty, don’t smash, and are easily recyclable.”

Vigo Ltd –Stand K26Canning lines for cider

The Greenbot tractor navigates itself through an orchardwith a Hol Spraying Systems (HSS) precision sprayer installedon top that automatically sprays where necessary. With nomanpower needed, the savings on labour costs areconsiderable. The autonomous Greenbot tractor withautomatic precision spraying offers fruit growers an idealopportunity to make a significant step forward in theiroperations.

The cost of labour is the main component of fruit growingproduction costs, and every saving brings quick results for fruitgrowers. Previous research has shown that if fruit growing isto continue to produce large volumes of a high qualityproduct, labour will be a major focal point. Mechanisation,including robotisation and automation, opens up manyopportunities for businesses.

Collaboration between HSS, Greenbot and Probotiq led tothe development of this new type of sprayer, an autonomoustractor/fruit sprayer combination. The unit independentlyfollows a pre-programmed route through an orchard.

The Greenbot autonomous tractor/HSS fruit sprayercombination will be shown at this year’s National Fruit Show.The machine’s developers, from HSS, Greenbot and Probotiq,look forward to welcoming everyone to their stand. Over thenext few months the combination will be tested in practice.Several Greenbot tractor/HSS precision sprayer combinationswill be built for delivery in spring 2016.

H. Hol & Zoon –Stand K4aAutonomous spraying inorchards


19F O r c h a r d C o m p e t i t i o n W i n n e r F


In winning the BASF Trophy as overall winner of theGoudhurst & Paddock Wood NFU Orchard Competition2015, Nigel Bardsley’s Rectory Farm has pioneered the

use of improved Cox clones and the use of inter-stemmedtrees in the production of Cox apples.

Nigel Bardsley started planting these combinations in themid 1990s, initially using self-fertile Cox clone 18, and thenClone 4, propagated on MM106 with an M9 inter-stem in

multi-row systems.This wascontinued untilabout a decadeago, when thebusiness switchedto using M9 as thepreferred rootstockand adoptedsingle-row systemsfor Cox growing,right up to morerecent plantings in2014.

The 17ha unit atRectory Farm hasGreensand soils onthe top part of thefarm, on theMaidstone Ridge,with good airdrainage on the

slopes, to a heavier clay-loam at the lower end of the farm.The key to Nigel Bardsley’s optimisation of the farm has beenhis ability to match the sites and soils with the varieties andfruit species that he wished to grow. Since 1984, 92% of thefarm has been replanted to optimise production. “At this farmwe are currently producing 62% Cox, 12% Bramley and 14%Conference pear production, with 9% Braeburn, which weanticipate will increase in the foreseeable future,” he said. “Wehave always believed, as others nearby have in the recentpast, that this ridge could grow excellent Cox with long-termstorage potential. We have proven this to be 100% correct”.This conclusion goes against conventional wisdom that saidCox could not be grown well in this area of Kent.

Bardsley Farms is located on a number of sites south ofMaidstone, with River Farm, Staplehurst being the centre of

Orchard Competition winner continues to succeed with Cox applesreports Malcolm Withnall


20 F O r c h a r d C o m p e t i t i o n W i n n e r F


operations, with others at Sutton Valence, Marden and ChartSutton. The common factor in the successful fruit growing ofBardsley Farms’ has been the close matching of sites andsoils with the best of the modern varieties and growingsystems to meet the needs of customers.

This is borne out by Nigel’s perseverance with Cox, nowlargely abandoned in the UK in favour of higher-yielding,better-looking and sweeter-tasting introductions from thesouthern hemisphere. “I have found that producing Cox to ahigh Class 1 specification, and being able to achieve yields of40 tonnes/acre and achieve firm fruit out of long-term storagein March, we can attract values of around £15/carton, a veryacceptable return,” said Nigel.

Rectory Farm looks to be cropping at almost full potential in2015, having shown a good initial set across most orchardsand now bearing a well-thinned and irrigated crop. “We have

invested in a 3 million gallon reservoir and can irrigate usingself-reeling cannon applicators, being guided by technologistsas to how much water to apply,” he added.

In some lower areas of Rectory Farm there are installationsof solid-set irrigation sprinklers employed to provide frostprotection in the spring and water deficit management in thesummer. Bardsley Farms has gained considerable experienceat River Farm with this technology, where they pioneered fruitproduction on frost-susceptible sites. “We like to follow fruit-bud initiation in July with a ‘super-soak’ application of water inAugust to secure good quality flower bud quality, and to gainfruit size in periods of high moisture deficit,” explained Nigel.

Nigel explained the combination of the Greensand soils, theselection of good self-fertile clones, the incorporation ofgrowth regulator Regalis into his vigour managementprogramme and the use of Smartfresh™ when storing Cox.“We have tried to maintain a balanced tree within multi-rowsystems that allows light to fall right through the tree canopy,even with four-row beds, along with a nutrient balance thatenables us to store Cox to February or March whilstmaintaining fruit firmness out of store,” he said.

The combination of these factors has enabled Nigel toproduce Cox to a very high specification with minimaldowngrades. “Our fruit finish is very acceptable in mostseasons, and we appear to be able to produce smooth-skinned, crack-free, Cox that is much sought after by ourcustomers”, he added.

Bardsley Farms’ orchards are managed by Paul Hamlyn. Heis employed to exercise maximum autonomy under theowner’s direction, with a personal ideal of responding to theshortcomings of any one season by correcting them in thenext. “I am my own best critic,” said Paul. “Issues are heldover to be put right the following year, with a close attention tothe detail of growing fruit”.

Nigel Bardsley has a strong track record of success in theGoudhurst & Paddock Wood Orchard Competition stretchingback over many years. He regards fruit growing competitionsto be both valuable morale-boosters for his staff and goodpublic relations for his business. ◆


21F Z a r i A p p l e s F


In August a group of apple growers who are committed togrowing Zari in England met for an update with FASTadvisers Chris Levett and John Clark. The group first visited

Park Farm, Frittenden, Kent to discuss Zari tree managementstrategy, before moving on to A.C. Goatham & Son’s GriffinsFarm, Sutton Valence, for a further discussion on the finerpoints of regular cropping.

When Clive Goatham visited Belgium back in 2005 heimmediately recognised the potential of Zari. He saw a varietythat might replace Discovery as an early English-grown apple.The first planting in England was in 2008 at Stallance Farm,Sutton Valence, Kent. Zari, developed by Better3 Fruit in

Belgium was selected from thousands of crossings betweenhigh quality parents and after years of research and intensivetesting Zari, a descendent of Elstar and Delbard Estivale, waslaunched. Zari fully meets Better3 Fruit’s mission statement –“Re-inventing fruit for you”.

Clive has staked a lot on the success of Zari since the firstplanting in 2008 and he encouraged six more growers to join his‘Zari bandwagon’ resulting in 30ha being planted between 2008and 2011, with plans for a further 5ha each year over the nextfive years resulting in 55ha or more by 2016.

Early yields appeared to support the promised potential. In2011 some spectacular crops of Zari endorsed the plans forexpanding the acreage. The question then was: ‘Will Zaribecome an early-season niche variety, or can it become a majorplayer replacing current mainstream varieties?’ possiblychallenging the current favourite - Gala - that accounts for 25%of all the apples sold in the UK.

In 2011 Nigel Stewart, Technical Director at A.C. Goatham &

Son, anticipated the yield profile for Zari: 12 tonnes/ha in yeartwo, 25 tonnes/ha in year three and 45 tonnes/ha in year four.Nigel listed a number of advantages of growing Zari including: alack of competition from other mainstream varieties, nosophisticated controlled atmosphere storage costs, and binsbeing turned around for subsequent use with other varietiessuch as Gala and Braeburn.

In 2012 questions arose about the ability of Zari to cropregularly, year after year, as yields fell well below expectations.Since then a lot of work has been carried out by Chris Levettand John Clark helping to understand the characteristics of Zariand to ensure regular cropping. At Park Farm, Frittenden, ChrisLevett and John Clark told us that the first step was to study theefficacy of pollination. One of the first conclusions was to add

Zari apple growers discuss treemanagement strategy by John Guest


22 F Z a r i A p p l e s F


Golden Delicious pollinators to both existing and new Zariorchards with the objective of ensuring a pollinator whoseblossom matched the timing of Zari flowering. Park Farm is faraway from any other apple orchards, the pollinators were Malusvarieties, and it was clear that the trees near to the pollinatorscarried more fruit than those further away, and in 2012 therewas a poor set on all trees. Planting Golden Delicious trees aspollinators was the first step forward. The same strategy hasbeen used at other farms growing Zari.

Developing a well-balanced tree is essential to the success ofany variety; ensuring good light levels for fruit-bud quality andfruit development is important, as is getting the crucial balancebetween vigour and cropping. Understanding the characteristicsof Zari took a little time.

Chris and John identified the key factors required for balanced

cropping: the removal of any strong branches, particularly on theupper section of the tree, while encouraging weaker fruitingwood, keeps the tree in balance. Chris said that once the treesize is established, we don’t need more wood, other than asreplacement. The perfect tree has enough structure to carry theoptimum crop without growing excess timber - the tree needsjust enough vigour to grow new and replacement fruiting woodand to feed the crop. The ideal time to prune Zari is after harvestas this will reduce the vigour of new wood. By pruning in thewinter, vegetative growth is encouraged.

Chris Levett pointed out that varieties labelled as beingbiennial croppers have often been mismanaged rather thanbeing truly biennial. Understanding a variety and managing itscharacteristics is critical to delivering balanced cropping. Zarican display biennial tendencies if it is not managed carefully, butthis is true of many other varieties and, in fact, most varieties willcrop irregularly if the tree is mismanaged. Of the newer globalvarieties, Braeburn will carry a much lighter crop following aheavy crop if the ‘on’ year is not thinned or the trees are notprovided with nutrition. Chris said that the one variety whichseems to crop year in, year out is Gala, but even this will beinfluenced by over-cropping, albeit less dramatically. Reflectingon the past, he remembered his father telling him aboutmanaging Beauty of Bath 50 or 60 years ago; this would cropheavily one year with small apples and then produce a smallcrop of large apples the following year, but by pruning hard inthe ‘on’ year and lightly in the ‘off’ year he delivered a morebalanced crop.

At Griffins Farm Chris and John said that we are really ‘farmingblossom’. By supporting the tree at flowering time through thereduction of competition from the tree’s own vegetativeinfluences, the tree will set more fruit and the battle for a regularcrop is made easier. The key to successful fruit-set is the qualityof the flower. Several factors increase flower quality, thinning thecrop to optimum fruit numbers being an obvious one. Chris and


23F Z a r i A p p l e s F


John agreed that getting yields much above 40 tonnes/ha withZari is not feasible without influencing the yield in the followingyear. The strength of the return flower in the following year willalso be influenced positively by removing the current season’scrop as early as possible.

Work carried out by researchers in Germany, and adopted forUK conditions by FAST, has shown that the use of Regalis at

early flower and at petal fall will subdue the vegetativehormones at the critical stage when the tree is trying to gatherthe energy for fruit-set. The timing of the first application atpink-bud is critical to calming the vegetative hormones. But asRegalis is a powerful ‘crop-setter’ it is very important that earlythinning is carried out in conjunction with an early application ofRegalis.

The meeting took place on 11 August and there was muchspeculation as to the level of fruit colour required and the dateof the first pick. Nigel Stewart illustrated the level of redcoloration that pickers would be seeking and said that theywould use Cerone to speed up the ripening process in someorchards to initiate marketing, which he anticipated would bearound 21 August. Most of the untreated Zari was first pickedduring the first 10 days of September.

The success of Zari owes much to the vision of CliveGoatham for recognising its potential, and the technical supportof FAST. However, the management skills of growers workingwith the trees on a daily basis is a critical factor. Jonathan Dukeof Park Farm and Piotr Bukowski of A.C. Goatham & Son aremaking the difference between acceptable and outstandingresults. Jonathan Duke won the Best Overall Farm and BestYoung Orchard with his Zari at the Goudhurst and PaddockWood NFU Orchard Competition in 2014, and in 2015 A.C.Goatham & Son took the first three places in the East Kent FruitSociety Orchard Competition for ‘Other Dessert Apples’. ◆

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24 F O r c h a r d o f t h e Ye a r F


Simon Bray and his team are masters of attention todetail, as became apparent on a recent East KentFruit Society (EKFS) Farm Walk following his

success in the Society’s Orchard ManagementCompetition, in which his Gala apples won the Orchard ofthe Year and the Most Commercial Orchard Classes, butalso the Hygiene Award and the Best Orchard over 1000trees/acre. The farm also won Class A (Cox) and Class B(Gala), fighting off some stiff competition. Simon, like hisfather before him, has won numerous classes in thiscompetition over the years, reflected in the large numberof Society members in attendance at the Farm Walk,

having benefited from the high quality brickearth soils andfavoured location of the farm.

Monks Farm’s reputation for high performance wasdemonstrated by every orchard being at almost maximumyield for 2015, with Cox predicted to be at around 40tonnes/ha, having produced 43 tonnes/ha in 2014, Gala andJazz at 50 tonnes/ha, having achieved 56 tonnes/hapreviously, and Braeburn, Bramley and Morren’s Jonagoredat 60 tonnes/ha across the 39ha farm near Faversham,Kent.

Simon Bray pays great attention to detail; for example, hecarries out most of the tree-spraying operations himself andgrows his fruit to very high standards at all stages of

‘Orchard of the Year’ benefits from attention to detailand high quality soils reports Malcolm Withnall


25F O r c h a r d o f t h e Ye a r F


production. He pointed out to visitors the white discs at thebase of the tree stakes on every fourth tree row to assist himwith his early season spray rounds, especially at high speed.

Monks Farm has a standard orchard configuration,favouring 3.0m x 1.2m for Gala, Jazz and Cox, and 3.3m x1.5m for Bramley. Simon does not favour a tree height tallerthan 2.5m, so there are no post-and-wire systems in place.“We like to keep things simple and standardised,”commented Simon.

The varietal mix on the farm is 30% Gala, 20% Cox, whichis down from 80% 15 years ago, Bramley 16%, Jazz 16%,Braeburn 6%, Jonagold 6% and Red Delicious, Amelia andEgremont Russet at 2% each. Red Delicious is being grownas part of a trial on behalf of Worldwide Fruit.

The farm has 1200 tonnes of high quality storage capacity;Bramley is stored year-round and the farm prides itself onproducing fruit with a very high percentage of Class I. Thefarm is a member of the Fruition producer organisation andmarkets its fruit through Worldwide Fruit that has exclusiverights to Jazz, and Amelia, which is sold exclusively to M&S.This collaboration enables Monks Farm to access multipleretailers such as M&S, Tesco and Waitrose.

When explaining some of the production details of specificvarieties, Simon referred to the Cox clone ‘La Vera’ and theGala clone ‘Galaxy’ with regard to the pursuit of highperformance, his Cox crop being grown for the M&S ‘tree-ripened’ programme. He also explained that all his treespraying was conducted at 9.6km/h and that pre-blossomhe uses a volume of 200 litres/ha, rising to 300 litres/hapost-bloom, but some applications of growth regulatorswere made at 500 litres/ha.

Simon firmly believes in the contribution of Regalis to hisconsistent production levels, maintaining a balanced tree

with good light penetration across the canopy, to maintainhigh percentages of Class I. He uses fairly standard mixesfor scab and mildew controls pre- and post-blossom. “Iwould not be able to grow fruit as I do without Regalis,” saidSimon. “And we have used some MaxCel to thin our crop,”he added.

With Jonagored Simon has regularly achieved very highyields of 60 tonnes/ha, and, if the size range is suitable forgrading, he will sell the fruit for fresh consumption, the restbeing sold for processing. “We aim to keep the size below75mm,” he added.

In growing Jazz for Worldwide Fruit he, like others, isbattling with canker, using maximum ameliorant sprays, andpruning late in the winter to minimise infection and spread.“We do not use calcium sprays on Jazz, and we predict a40 tonne/ha crop, having cropped at 45 tonnes/ha in thepast,” he said. “We maximise foliar programmes throughoutthe season and make a half-rate application of Regalis tomaintain balanced growth”.

Having explained that he has used MaxCel to thin hiscrop, Simon still relies heavily on hand-thinning to maintainan optimum size range. “We have spent 250 man-hours/hathinning this year with an in-house thinning team, havingtried agency staff in the past,” he explained. “We do not usepiecework as an incentive scheme, but pay by the hour, andsupervise operations very carefully”. ◆

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26 F C o m m e n t F


Recently, I read an article by a well-known economistabout the changes in worldwide demographics; he saidthat as people live longer and birth rates fall, the

world’s proportion of people of working age is decreasing.Although this is likely to be influenced by significantmovements of immigrants or refugees from various distressedareas of the world, to whom employers in more fortunatecountries may be able to offer employment, it is possible thatconfidence to increase the production of labour-intensiveproducts may suffer.

But this may well encourage the development of robotics and,as the number of innovators increases, its use is likely to spreadacross a much wider range of human activities. As we all know,fruit production is already a global activity, although confined toareas which are the most suitable, including countries whosegeographical locations can fill the gaps in our seasons.

For top fruit growers, a good site needs to be where the soil isgood for their crops but also somewhere where an adequatesupply of seasonal labour can be recruited. With modern,controlled-atmosphere storage facilities, apples and pears do

not have to be grown close to where our consumers live, but forsoft fruit this is still important, although not essential. Soft fruit is,of course, lighter, but as it needs to be fresh on arrival, longdistance transport can be rather expensive, although by nomeans impossible.

Now that we have substrate production for soft fruit, thequality of the soil is less relevant, although, of course, theclimate is very important for high quality production. Theavailability of a suitable and willing labour force is even moreessential, and this has become, or will become, crucial for softfruit production.

Most of today’s soft fruit growers provide temporaryaccommodation for the mostly young people who come fromvarious parts of the world to pick their fruit and do otherseasonal work. But I can recall the days when everyone whogrew soft fruit did so in a locality where it was possible to recruitseasonal workers from nearby villages. Of course, this limitedthe amount of fruit one could grow but it did provide part-timeemployment for local people who wanted seasonal work. Thisworked well in those days, but times have changed and

@ Orchard_World

Will we be able to use robotics?A comment from Hugh Lowe


27F C o m m e n t F


eventually growers had to seek, or develop, alternativearrangements which included recruiting young people fromoverseas for seasonal work, many of whom were students whocame via SAWS and needed to earn money to pay their tuitionfees. They were paid on a piecework basis and most of themworked hard and earned useful money.

Growers were able to take advantage of the UK confirming itsmembership of the EU and consequent access to the FreeMovement of Workers regulation. These young people wererecruited for us by the SAWS operators and a positive effect ofthis was that nearly all of those young people were keen to doseasonal work and we soon discovered that they wanted toearn good money which, when exchanged for their owncountry’s currency, turned out to be more valuable – so theyconcentrated on the job they were doing and worked hard. Westill hear of young couples who tell us that they have earnedenough in one or two summers to go home and buy a smallhouse. Of course, most of this was some time ago, whenproperty prices in some EU Member States were probably muchlower than they are now, but occasionally we hear of a youngcouple who can even buy a house here, after a few seasons’work.

There is now a risk that the coming referendum on the UK’scontinued membership of the EU might result in a ‘Brexit’ which,of course, would put an end to the EU’s Free Movement ofWorkers regulation on which we all rely at the moment. Thiscould make the production of fruit and other hand-harvestedcrops impossible, with the consuming public having to either gowithout, or rely upon a much larger proportion of importedproduce, which is precisely the opposite of what we have beensaying that they should do.

It seems so different now, with all the uncertainty which isbeyond our control, and it is not surprising that considerablethought is being given to the development of robotics and/ormechanical harvesting. I remember having a blackcurrantharvesting machine years ago, before we decided toconcentrate on fresh soft fruit and there are probably other fruitcrops that could be suitable for this. Robotic harvesting forstrawberries, that need careful selection and handling, is alreadypossible but, so far, is rather slow. ◆

Our dedicated agronomists are able to ensure that

you maximise your yields of top quality fruit, whilst

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You are welcome to visit my fields to see the tips fornext year’s trayplants

We also grow Elsanta minitrays.


28 F F r u i t e r e r s F


In my first article, I wrote of the Fruiterers’ history and theCompany’s objectives. This second article reflects on theevents of the summer and early autumn.It is 15 years since the Fruiterers first visited the Royal Bath

& West Show, until 1964 a peripatetic show covering all ofsouthern England and Wales, as far north as Nottingham, butnow at its permanent site at Shepton Mallet in Somerset.Several Livery Companies – Farriers, Blacksmiths andWoolmen – were already associated with the Society and theFruiterers came in as sponsors of the then barely-establishedCider Orchard and Cider-Making Section. We have since beenjoined by the Pewterers and Coopers, both of whom havepresented handsome trophies, and the Show has been visitedby other companies, amongst them the Bakers,Leathersellers, Saddlers, Farmers and Poulters, all with aninterest in the trades and activities that make up the ruraleconomy.

The Master presents the Fruiterers Cup for the ChampionBritish Cider, which this year went to one of the two West

Dorset finalists. Later in the year, tutored by Don Vaughan, Iwas a judge at the National Cherry and Soft Fruit Show, inwhich the Company was strongly represented amongst thecommittee, stewards, competitors and prizewinners. Mostrecently, at the Three Counties Showground for the MalvernAutumn Show, with its strong focus on horticulture, we foundfamiliar faces such as Dr Jonathan Blackman of Hutchinsons,Amanda Farmer of Vigo Ltd and Paul Courtney, the newowner of Vigo’s recently spun-off retail operation, as well astwo well-known fruit tree suppliers with their daughters - NickDunn and Stephanie of F.P Matthews Ltd and John Worle andCaroline from Hereford. Also present were Tom Oliver, thisyear’s winner of the Royal Bath & West Gold Medal for alifetime’s contribution to the Cider and Perry Industry andPeter Mitchell, whose training courses now take him as faraway as the USA.

One of the pleasures of being a Livery Company Master ismeeting enthusiastic students on the point of entering theindustry and thus the next generation to take UK fruitbusinesses forward in a competitive and fast-moving world.This is normally arranged by Dr Graham Collier, Chairman ofthe Fruiterers’ Awards Council. The first of the Fruiterers’ two2015 Student Award winners was Ryan Williams, in hissecond year on the Fruit Supervisory ManagementProgramme at Hadlow College, Kent, who joined us, togetherwith Honorary Freeman and former East Malling ResearchDirector, Dr Mike Solomon, and Fruiterers-sponsored NuffieldAgricultural Scholar and Vice Chairman of the NFU

www.wholesalefruitvegetableflowers.co.uk

Contact: [email protected]

Telephone: 0208 556 1479

Sherrin Road, Leyton, London E10 5SQ

THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN

The Worshipful Company of Fruiterers - A City ofLondon Livery Companyby Rupert Best, Master of the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers


29F F r u i t e r e r s F


Horticultural Committee, Alison Capper, for orchard visits toThatcher’s Cider and later Julian Temperley’s Somerset CiderBrandy Company.

John Thatcher, this year’s recipient of the Fruiterers’Matthew Mack Award for training, education and innovation,showed us the plant which, at that time, was pressingblackcurrants for Ribena. We were then shown his new bushorchard - planted to be managed with machinery for lowspray-loss and minimal fruit damage - that has been designedby Thatchers in conjunction with Martock-based SFMTechnology, a company which combines advancedengineering for the MoD with a range of fruit harvesting andorchard machinery that is having significant export success.

By contrast, Julian Temperley, who supplies cider to theGlastonbury Festival from his well-known bus and was the firstto obtain a commercial cider brandy distilling licence in severalhundred years, has a traditional plant and the largest standardcider orchard in the country.

At the time of these visits, the second award winner, KathrynMills, a recent graduate from Harper Adams University, was ona project in the USA, but we caught up with her at theMalvern Autumn Show and the presentation was made in frontof the Fruiterers’ stand. Kathryn comes from Moneymore inCounty Londonderry, a plantation town built in the 17thcentury by another Livery Company, the Drapers.

We have fulfilled our duty to the City of London by voting at

the elections in Guildhall, first for the two Sheriffs and morerecently the new Lord Mayor, both occasions also providingan opportunity for meeting other Livery Companies and forfellowship within our own fraternity. This latter objective wasalso achieved at the Summer Court Dinner in Haberdasher’sHall, when one of our Three Musketeers, Honorary LiverymanGeneral Sir Robert Pascoe, gave us a fresh view of the Battleof Waterloo, in which his former Regiment, then the 52nd ofFoot, played such a decisive part. Links with the armedservices continued with the presentation of a cheque to theStation Commander at RAF St. Mawgan in Cornwall, to payfor children’s toys and facilities for the two contact housesthat provide short-term accommodation for RAF families inneed.

On a different note, some 40 Liverymen journeyed toRenishaw Hall, in north-east Derbyshire and home of theSackville family for nearly 400 years, for the annual treeplanting in the HHA/Christie’s Garden of the Year. In fruitterms, Renishaw is today better known for its vineyard which,when first planted, was the most northerly in the country; butrecords dating from the 17th century describe an astonishingvariety of fruits, including nectarines, apricots and melons.Peaches and grapes were supplied to Covent Garden asearly as April, the first box of peaches always going to QueenVictoria. It certainly helped to have a coal mine at the bottomof the garden. ◆


30 F V i n e y a r d S p r a y e r s F


In the 120 years since Berthoud pioneered sprayers forFrench vineyards, the technology, like the viticulture, hasmoved on. With their latest Win’Air models Berthoud believe

that they can meet the requirements of both large and smallvineyards.

Some air-blast sprayers have been limited by largely non-targeted airflow leading to high drift and low productivitybecause only two half-rows are sprayed. Also the fan systemdraws on low-level air which can include dust and debris.Berthoud’s latest trailed, pneumatic Win’Air sprayers can befitted with the ‘AB Most’ boom with optional Air Drive system.This features ‘drop-legs’ suspended from the boom, aligning aseries of directional air-diffusers onto and around the grapes at ahigher pressure which can twist foliage for uniform coverage ofleaves and grapes. This also ensures a more efficient use ofchemicals and minimises drift.

The hydraulic Air Drive diffusers include a swirl-nozzle whoseairflow angle optimises spray application in terms of coverageheight and distribution. The airflow is placed behind the nozzleto trap all the droplets and thereby focus dispersion onto thegrapes, effectively transposing the air within the vines. Thepneumatic Airmist shear blade alternative is popular in Frenchvineyards where lower liquid volumes are commonly used.

The Speedair or Supair reverse intake fan is positioned at aheight where it draws in clear air without any risk of recapturingspray mixture, which can undermine the quality of application,increases corrosion risks and leads to the formation of depositsinside the air ducts.

The lightweight AB Most ‘drop legs’ are engineered from ahardwearing composite material and are mounted on flexiblesleeves for a 360 degree break-back function which reduces therisk of damage in case of contact. They are available in air-assisted version, single- or double-sided and with three or fourdiffuser levels. The diffuser spray-heads are easily turned on andoff making it possible to adjust the spray pattern to the height of

the canopy at an early stage in the season, with positive impacton the environment and enabling cost savings. The Easyflowunit gives precise calibration of the flow-rate combined with ananti-drip diaphragm.

Win’Air trailed models are available with 600, 800, 1000 and1500 litre capacities, with either single or double directionalbooms, spraying two rows plus two half-rows. There is ahydraulically extending boom option which combines automaticunfolding/folding, variable geometry and auto-neutralpositioning, useful when working on slopes. Application ratesmonitored by an electromagnetic flow-meter are available withthe EC Control option.

The UK’s oldest and newest vineyardsWin’Air sprayers with AB Most drop-leg booms are currently in

use at the UK’s oldest vineyard at Biddenden in Kent and at thenewest, established by Simpson Wine Estates at Barham, nearCanterbury.

Simpson Wine EstatesRuth and Charles Simpson have spent the past 13 years

learning about growing, crafting and exporting exceptional winesfrom their estate, Domaine Sainte Rose, in the Languedocregion of southern France. “Our wines have received manyawards and have been hugely enjoyed, becoming firm favouriteswith savvy connoisseurs”, says Charles. “Now we are bringingour knowledge back to British shores, eight miles inland fromthe Kent coast, to south-facing, chalky slopes near Barham, toplant and cultivate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meuniervines. We hope that the resulting vintages will add to and setnew standards in the fast-growing and increasingly admiredworld of English sparkling wine.”

Simpson Wine Estates planted their first 10ha in spring 2014.A further 10ha will be planted in 2016 followed by another 10hain 2017. With this total 30ha operation in mind, they made the

Berthoud marks 120 years of vineyard spraying


31F V i n e y a r d S p r a y e r s F


‘future-proofing’ decision to purchase the largest Win’Air modelavailable, a 1500 litre model with six ‘drop leg’ booms. “Initiallywe looked at the 1000 litre model”, explains vineyard managerand sprayer operator Darryl Kemp, “but the relatively smalladditional cost of the 1500 made good purchasing sense.”

With such young vines, he is spraying every two weeks usingjust two nozzles, which is sufficient for the modest vine heightand canopy. The higher nozzles will be employed as the vinesgrow taller. The vines have been planted at a 1.25m in-rowspacing with 2m between the rows, giving 4166 vines/ha. “Themain benefit of the Win’Air drop-leg system is its side deliverywhich minimizes off-target drift”, says Darryl.

Biddenden VineyardsBiddenden Vineyards was established by the Barnes family in

1969. Starting with one acre, the vineyards have grown to 23acres with 11 varieties of grapes grown. Set on a gentle south-facing slope in a shallow sheltered valley, their sandy loam overclay provides ideal conditions for vines, notably Germanvarieties, including Ortega, Huxelrebe, Bacchus, Schonburgerand Reichensteiner plus Pinot Noir, Gamay and Dornfelder.

The vineyards produce white, red, rosé and sparkling wines,with harvesting of the grapes from late September when visitorscan see the presses operating in the winery. Bottlingcommences early the following year; and great effort is made toensure that the estate wines produced are of the highest quality,which is reflected by the number of awards Julian Barnes andhis team have received. “Our soil produces especially good stillwines with good depth, taste and aroma”, explains Julian.

Their new 1000 litre Win’Air replaces an earlier air-blastsprayer and has drop-leg booms with adjustable air-drive heads.“Shading from the windblast is no longer a problem so thegrapes are getting effective coverage. We spray every 14 days,targeting downy mildew on the leaves and powdery mildew onthe fruit, according to the season.”

Julian is currently planting vines on a new system of closerlateral spacing resulting in greater root competition, fewerpruning decisions over the winter and simpler tidying duringfollow through. Julian looks for a full crop in the fourth season

from planting rather than a more traditional five to seven years.‘Attention to detail’ is all important. “I have always believed thatyou make wine in the vineyard, not in the winery!” says Julian.

Alternative boom arrangementBerthoud offers a range of boom designs on their Win’air

sprayers, including fixed, manual and hydraulic folding, and theability to extend with the use of cannons. With its armsextended to their maximum point, the Vitiflex boom arch has fullhydraulic folding and telescopic width adjustment up to 5.3m,which makes it possible to bring the cannons close to thevegetation and thus target the outer rows more accurately.

Rinsing systems are included as standard; if an application isinterrupted ‘boom rinse’ prevents nozzle-blocking when sprayingis resumed. This is done without returning mixture to the tankand allows the boom to be rinsed without diluting the spraymixture remaining in the tank. ‘Tank rinse’ rinses the walls of thetank with clean water at the end of the application.

The Win’air range meets all the regulatory requirementsapplicable to sprayers in terms of safety, environment and roadlegislation. It also offers simple and convenient solutions for easyimplementation of good crop spraying practices.

The machines in use at Biddenden Vineyards and SimpsonsWine Estates were supplied by N P Seymour Ltd of Cranbrook,Kent. ◆

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32 F R e s e a r c h B r i e f i n g F


Anaerobic soil disinfestation is a biological alternative to soilfumigation, shown to control a range of soil-borne pathogensand nematodes in numerous crop production systems.Scientists from the University of California and USDA areinvestigating how to optimise anaerobic soil disinfestation, interms of carbon-source used, temperature and degree ofanaerobiosis attained, to control specific sets of pathogens.Field and greenhouse trials are testing the effect of soiltemperature, carbon source (for example: rice bran, grapepomace, molasses) and cumulative anaerobic conditions, onsuppression of Verticillium dahliae, Macrophomina phaseolinaand Fusarium oxysporum.

Results indicate that microsclerotia of V. dahliae can bereduced by 80%-100% providing soil temperatures are above18C and have the correct level of anaerobiosis. Microbial shiftsassociated with rice bran as a carbon source persist for atleast 10 months, and enhanced V. dahliae suppression wasobserved two years after treatment, despite multiple tillageoperations and rotation crops. In 2014/2015 400ha ofcommercial strawberry and raspberries in California wereplanted using anaerobic soil disinfestation and in one fielddemonstration organic strawberry yields were almost doubledusing the technique when compared to standard growerpractices.

by Dr David PennellResearch BriefingWhat is probably the largest annual gathering of horticulturalists andscientists takes place at the American Society for Horticultural ScienceAnnual Conference. The 2015 Conference took place in New Orleansat the beginning of August. As usual there was an enormous numberof subjects covered over the four days, showing something of thescope of research work being undertaken in North America. Thefollowing is a taste of the work on fruit crops that was discussed byresearchers, technologists and growers.

Anaerobic soil disinfestation for control of soil-bornediseases in strawberry

Precision chemical thinning — a useful and practicalguide for apple growers

Scientists from Cornell University outlined their development ofprecision thinning - a strategy to increase the efficacy of chemicalthinning. The concept is to define the optimum fruit number/treeand try to thin to that specific number through the precisionthinning programme. The method relies on five main steps:

1) Identifying the target number of fruits per tree 2) Using the Cornell Apple Carbohydrate Thinning model to

predict thinning response 3) Applying the thinners 4) Using the Fruit-Growth-Rate model for early assessment of

thinning response 5) Re-applying the thinners if necessary

Beginning in 2012 they organized a state-wide group effort inNew York State to manage chemical thinning of Gala andHoneycrisp more precisely. In practice, growers were advised tofollow a sequence of thinning sprays to achieve their target crop-load, beginning with a spray at bloom, followed by another atpetal fall. Then, if needed, as defined by the fruit-growth-ratemodel, another spray at 12mm fruit size and, if required, a final

spray at 18mm fruit size. The carbohydrate model was used toguide the dose of chemical and timing, while the fruit-growth-ratemodel indicated the percentage of thinning achieved. In 2013and 2014 most Gala blocks did not thin enough, showing a veryheavy crop. Starting the thinning programme with bloom sprayswas a valuable tool and reduced the amount of hand-thinningrequired. Most Honeycrisp blocks were not thinned enough in2013, but some were slightly over-thinned in 2014. Bloom-thinning sprays were quite effective in 2013 but less so in 2014.Sprays of Maxcel at blossom time showed great efficacy. The10-12mm spray was not effective in 2013, partially due to thepositive carbohydrate balance, but gave good thinning results in2014. The sequential sprays provided excellent crop-loadcontrol. The carbohydrate model can be a guide to knowwhether or not to spray, how much to spray and what days toavoid spraying. However, the fruit-growth-rate model has beenthe best method for physically accessing precise thinningefficacy. Using both models together in the precision-thinningprogramme is a useful tool to optimise crop-load and fruit size,and improve profitability.


33F R e s e a r c h B r i e f i n g F


The use of soil inoculants to promote plant growth has beenwidely demonstrated, with vermicompost and arbuscularmycorrhizal fungi (AMF) being shown to have stimulatory effects onplant-growth including increased nutrient availability and uptake,production of plant-growth-promoting compounds and increasedstress tolerance. Incorporation of these inoculants into plugproduction for strawberries may provide benefits, includingincreasing the rate of plant development, increasing plant growthand root development, and increasing beneficial soil organisms inthe field. These benefits to plug-plants may result in improved plantsurvival and yields, but few studies have examined the impacts of

vermicompost and AMF on strawberries. Researchers at North Carolina State University reported studies

evaluating the addition of vermicompost, one native and twocommercial AMF inoculants, and the combination of AMF andvermicompost inoculants, compared to a control, on strawberryplug-plant production. Different methods of incorporation of AMFinoculant into the plug (mixed with media, top-dressed and dipped)and two rates of AMF inoculant (recommended and high) werecompared. Plug-plant rates of development, ratios of root-to-shootgrowth, percentage of roots colonized by AMF and nutrient uptakewere evaluated, and results appear encouraging.

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Effects of soil microbial inoculants on strawberryplug-plant growth

Developing a sustainable strategy for pollination in tree fruitResearch in Washington State aims to develop an artificial

pollination system for tree fruit based on the electrostaticapplication of pollen in liquid suspension. The current research isassessing the role of potential pollen suspension constituents onpollen viability over time. Trials investigated pollen germination afterincubation in solution, with a range of concentrations of sucrose,boric acid, calcium chloride, and commercially availablesurfactants. Sucrose, at 8% and 16%, improved pollen germinationby 132% and 143% respectively, compared to water alone, at 30minutes. Similarly, at 60 minutes 8% and 16% sucrose solutionsincreased germination over the control by 254% and 240%respectively.

The effects of boric acid and calcium chloride upon pollengermination in liquid delivery media are less clear. Calcium chlorideat 0.075% caused 21% higher germination than the control afterfive minutes. After five and 60 minutes, 0.025% calcium chloridealso improved pollen germination by 11% and 10% respectively.Boric acid had no effect on pollen germination. When comparedwith the control at five and 60 minutes, the composite suspensionwith calcium chloride (8% sucrose, 0.05% boric acid, and 0.025%calcium chloride) yielded 225% and 198% germination increases,as a percentage of control. The composite suspension without

calcium chloride was more consistent and produced significantlyhigher germination than the control at all three loading times: 158%at five minutes, 161% at 30 minutes and 316% at 60 minutes, as apercentage of control. The commercial surfactant Regulaid® andgrowth regulator ReTain® did not inhibit pollen germination. Theresults of these trials introduce a baseline for the development ofpollen carrier media for application via electrostatic spray systemsin tree fruit pollination.


34 F V i n e y a r d C a r e F


This year’s grape crop is looking very promising interms of yield and quality, although there is stillsome picking to be completed before the 2015

harvest is over. Before putting their sprayers away andbeginning pruning, viticulturalists are being advised tocarry out a few late-season tasks, so that their vines areready for winter and for 2016. Hutchinsons vineagronomists Chris Cooper and Rob Saunders advise onthis month’s priorities.

Carbohydrate reservesChris Cooper points out that vines rely on carbohydrate

reserves in their trunks and roots to develop their canopyand flowers in the spring. “This suggests that carbohydratereserves may have a role in determining the yield potentialof vines. This has been borne out experimentally whereresearchers manipulated the overwintering reserves throughpremature defoliation of Chardonnay vines. Lowercarbohydrate reserves resulted in fewer inflorescences pershoot, fewer flowers per inflorescence, and reduced vineyield.” He says that, if the canopy is in reasonable conditionwhen picking is completed there is an opportunity to apply

treatments to rebuild thesecarbohydrate reserves, whileaddressing specific mineraldeficiencies that leaf analysismay reveal. “In the past,some growers have appliedurea, but if recent researchattributing Early Bunch StemNecrosis (EBSN) toPseudomonas is correct, itwould be prudent to avoidhigh-nitrogen feeds wherethis has been a problem anduse a biostimulant plus afoliar feed,” advises Chris.“Cuprokylt (copper) is a low-cost way of slowing theprogression of downy mildew, thus keeping the leavesviable for longer. It received approval for vines in July.”

Spotted Wing DrosophilaRob Saunders reports that the incidence of Spotted Wing

Post-harvest vineyard care


35F V i n e y a r d C a r e F


Drosophila(SWD) in grapesin the UK hasbeen low. “Itappears thatacidic sparklingwine cultivars arenot so attractiveto this pest,which is new tothe UK. But therisk is real,particularly inthin-skinned, high-sugar, low-acidity grapes. Good vineyardhygiene, minimising dropped fruit and carefully disposing ofpomace, thereby preventing a local population explosion inthis as a breeding ground, are the first steps to help controlthis pest. We also advise growers to continue monitoringusing Drosatraps, which hopefully haven’t beencontaminated by too many wasps. Don’t be surprised if thenumbers of SWD caught increase sharply as other foodsources are exhausted. It is important to discuss theongoing management of this pest with your agronomist,”he adds.

Grapevine Trunk Diseases Growers should be on the lookout for Grapevine Trunk

Disease (GTD) symptoms.“Symptoms include muchreduced vigour, deadfruiting arms and, inextreme cases, suddenvine death. Growersshould cut back to healthywood, or, if necessary,remove affected vines as aseparate operation beforecommencing normalpruning,” says RobSaunders. ◆

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The switch from soil-grown crops to growing in coirsubstrate has been a feature of the last decade forUK strawberry growers, and many can reflect on what

they are looking for now that they have years of experiencewith the product. FAST Fruit Adviser Graham Moore stressesthat growers are under increasing pressure to make moneyin the year of planting.

“We are trying to producea full crop in one yearwhereas in the past you hadseveral years to achievethis”, observes Graham.“We all know that even byMay we can see if we havegrown plants that will makemoney and so, from thepoint of view of the grower,everything has to be right,so anything that causesunnecessary checks to thegrowth of the plant must beavoided.” He adds, “Whatgrowers and advisers arelooking for is a high level ofconfidence in the chemical

quality of the bag.”Stephen Tasker, who grows 14ha of tabletop everbearers

near Retford in Nottinghamshire and is advised by Graham, isadamant that you need to know that when a bag is deliveredit’s the one you expected. You don’t want to a send a coirsample for analysis to find out a week later that you will haveto flush the whole system to rectify any imbalances – you wantto hit the spring running”. Graham and Stephen both agreethat if you have to correct an unexpected problem with bags

they will need to be over-irrigated. This flushing inturn leads to problems suchas cooling of the roots - ithas a negative impact onroot growth and createsunnecessary humidity in thecrop. “I want to use asupplier that can offerconsistent product year-on-year”, says Stephen.

Sandy Booth, of NewForest Fruits near Beaulieuin Hampshire, considersthat the key to growing incoir is that the substrateproduct must be nicelybalanced for root growth.“Most bags have too high an EC (>2) when wetted, whereasI’m looking for an EC of between 0.8 and 1.2 which is perfectfor planting. Botanicoir always come in at this level,” saysSandy. Over the years he has found that any problems withbags can be discussed with Botanicoir’s Kalum Balasuriya,who he says always reacts to feedback and new ideas. A fewyears ago Sandy had a problem under glass with albinoism inearly fruit and the problem was traced to there being toomuch silica in the coir. Cocopeat, the raw material which isprocessed to produce coir, has a naturally high silica contentand this needs to be flushed out in the process of refining theproduct for strawberry growers. “I’ve seen the flushingprocess in the pits at the Botanicoir facility in Sri Lanka”, saysSandy, “No-one else takes such trouble with quality”.Botanicoir’s job, according to Kalum, is to produce “the bestproduct, giving growers the least trouble.”

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High quality of coir growing bags essential forstrawberry production by Joanna Wood


37F C o i r S u b s t r a t e s F


Richard Pendry, Farm Manager at Edward Vinson Ltd, Faversham, Kent also usesBotanicoir’s growbags, having compared bags from a number of companies over the

years, and in a trial on the farm this yearthe results have justified his decision toorder all his bags from Botanicoir. In thepast he has had significant qualityproblems with other products andconsiders that although “some growersbuy on price alone they are missing thepoint that buying quality pays off.”

At Starkeys Fruit Farm, Southwell,Nottinghamshire, manager Steve Hobbshas been changing from soil-grown tosubstrates over the last five years for his13ha of strawberries grown in tunnels witha 50/50 mix of low and standard tabletops.Steve first used Botanicoir bags in 2014 for an Elsanta crop; “We had a very evencrop with respectable yields which then carried over to the 2015 main crop whichagain produced good yields. The bags seem to be very evenly graded and giveconsistent results with no anomalies”. This experience led to the whole farm beingplanted in Botanicoir bags.

Steve considers that the everbearer crop this year in Botanicoir has givenrespectable results, an improvement on previous years where he had a mix of soil-and substrate-grown crops. “The choice of bag is only part of the jigsaw, but quitean important part,” says Steve. He has been pleased with the customer service fromBotanicoir. “We had a small problem with hydration this year where some bags didnot expand properly”. Mark Davies of Agrovista and Kalum Balasuriya came to thefarm and immediately said, “Take them out and we’ll replace them”.

Staffordshire grower Tom Busby of T.W. Busby and Sons has 120ha ofstrawberries, mostly grown in the soil, but 30% are now grown on tabletops. Hestarted to move over to substrate growing in 2011, so he describes himself as beingin the ‘juvenile stage’ of learning how to handle tabletops. He is still experimentingwith types of coir and bags to decide what suits the farm best. He has tried using abespoke washed, but not buffered, Botanicoir filled bag which represents a 23%saving in cost, but admits that it is not such a consistent product as a buffered bag.What he likes about working with Botanicoir is that they react quickly to anyproblems and are reliable with good customer service. “They are amenable to therequirements of a business for a different type or dimension of bag”, says Tom. Forthis year’s order he is going back to a buffered bag as it fits better with his plantingplans. ◆

Because there is already enough uncertainty.

I have no problems when it comes to cultivating outdoors. With the strong substrate specifi cally developed for me by Legro, I get optimal performance from my crop every time. It’s the perfect mixture and always reliable. What’s more, when Ronnie at Legro gives me a delivery day and time, that’s when it arrives. For me, there’s nothing better than working with a company you can trust. So if that’s what you’re looking for, I’d say pick up the phone and call Ronnie or one of his colleagues.

[email protected] | +31 (0) 88 0081800 | www.legro.nl/uk

“ They don’t just deliver reliablesubstrate, they add value too.”

Leon Driessen, Driesvenplant B.V., customer Legro



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galvanised table top system,

irrigation and unused cover.

Gloucester. Tel: 07772 587770

The price to stay in touch is a modest £36,or £66 for 2 years – For overseas rates, see page 3

Telephone: 01622 695656Email: [email protected] or write to: A.C.T. Publishing

FREEPOST TN2289, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1BR(No stamp required)

SSuubbssccrriibbee NNooww!!

Please tellthem we sent

you.When respondingto advertisements

please mention‘The Fruit Grower’


www.worldwidefruit.co.uk+44 (0)1775 717 000

passion to the core

Quality | Passion | Innovation | Together

At Worldwide Fruit, we’re known as much for our

relationships for our growers and suppliers as we are for the quality of our produce.

It’s this belief that is ingrained in our values, as true today as they’ve always been


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