Nursery Case Studies
Up Jackson way it’s waste not, want not
A nursery owner who can halve growing times
and double turnover is someone to be reckoned
with.
The dream of a perfect nursery
It has taken Philip Wratten five years to perfect what he needs – a perfect nursery.
Getting on top of root rot
Alpine conditions prove a perfect environment for root rot, but a feeble match for the foresight of one Queenslander.
You could say Botanica is steeped in culture
Botanica Nurseries of Silverdale, NSW, have taken the principle of supplying only the highest quality to the finest degree.
Water problem solved by science
Old timers in the nursery industry can remember when growing plants successfully was based on intuition and experience, with the idea of treating growing as a science still a long way off.
An intellectual approach to plant sales
Malcolm Woolmore from Lyndale Nursery in New Zealand has an interesting story to tell about not just selling plants, but selling their intellectual interests in plants.
Pots of gold
At Rainbow Park Nurseries, you can always expect a riot of colour but, thanks to some canny growing decisions, business is also blooming.
Osmocote Exact is successfully
trialed in alpine climate
Located on the Queensland – New South Wales border, approximately one thousand metres above sea level, you’ll find Cherry Lane Nursery.
And now for something completely different
Andrew Bowman wasn’t hedging his bets when he created the instant hedgerow.
“We found our landscaping customers were considering hedges,
but their clients wanted them
for privacy now, not in three years time. They wanted hedges of a good height instantly."
UKi Tree Nursery - a working partner with Scotts
The long established and renowned semi-advanced tree nursery, Uki Tree Nursery, in far northern NSW, has recently become a full working partner with Scotts Australia.
At Woodlea you can see the forest for the trees
There is an ongoing tussle between green groups and forest groups in Tasmania, but one nursery specialising in reforestation has both groups on its side.
Taking care of business
As Australia's largest grower dealing exclusively with pelargoniums, Gary Dale of Geranium Cottage has spent twenty-five years refining his growing techniques to simultaneously improve plant quality and lift volume of production – without increasing costs. The key? "Better science, more advanced chemicals," says Gary.
Osmocote even works under water
Sydney-based Glenfield Nursery has an excellent local reputation for its wide range of domestic plants, including ground covers, herbs, seasonal flowering lines, flowering baskets and succulents.
Mixing it up brings a change for the better
As one of New Zealand’s largest plant suppliers specialising in flowering perennials, Seaview Nurseries has found that taking the time to review and optimize its fertiliser program is bringing benefits in productivity and performance.
A tip for making Rout work even better
Mike Gafa from Nelson City Council in New Zealand just can’t believe how much time he has saved on weeding since he started using Rout. He recently met with Nicola Rochester, Scotts NZ manager, and told her he has reduced his team’s weeding time by around 90%.
A little ingenuity goes a long way
How do you increase margins in a tight nursery market if you can’t raise prices? Barry Hayes of Hayes Wholesale Nurseries (NZ) believes you apply a little ingenuity to increase productivity and efficiency.
Does your potting mix pass the test?
Many major nurseries make their own potting mix, devising the composition of the mix to suit their particular stock requirements and local environmental conditions. However, even the most competently prepared mix can be improved. The secret is in knowing how.
Garden Gate Wholesale Nursery
In mid 2004 Robert Megier paid a routine visit to Graham Twaddell at Garden Gate Wholesale Nursery in Dural. Graham explained that he’d been having serious problems with Mealy Bug in his succulent plants.
Getting on top of root rot
Alpine conditions prove a perfect environment
for root rot, but a feeble match for the foresight
of one Queenslander.
A state of concern for breeders
The Ollerenshaws have a thriving business in breeding new varieties of native plants for Australia’s wholesale nurseries. However, not every state shares their enthusiasm.
A little dibble will do you
Large growers and nurseries are onto a fertilising method that saves them money and increases their profit. Smaller growers should get onto it as well - why let the big boys have all the fun?
Are plants our saviour?
The important role of plants in their contribution to carbon reduction is now recognized as the climate change debate gains heat.