Tag Archives: greenhouse

Hydroponic internships available in South Wales

A studentship is available to work with Phytoponics and Aberystwyth University, giving the successful applicant the chance to consider what makes a successful hydroponic crop and how can we improve the agronomy of hydroponics to maximise the yield, efficiency of production and crop quality.

South Wales-based has developed the Hydrosac, a novel device for growing plants hydroponically that expands the range of applications of hydroponics. According to the firm the Hydrosac opens up the opportunity to develop novel agronomy for large scale hydroponics and to develop varieties that are specifically selected for use in hydroponic agriculture.

The project will grow a diverse population from a range of potential salad crops in Hydrosacs, identifying suitable variations to improve plant growth for hydroponic systems and will identify what characteristics are associated with superior performance to establish the characteristics that define a successful hydroponic crop. A major outcome will be to identify the potential impact of new breeding programmes specific for hydroponic agriculture.

Specific aims include identifying crop phenotypes in hydroponic and conventional growing systems, testing how different crops may be optimally linked through hydroponics to maximise the use of nutrient and space, and performing a large scale test of selected crop types to confirm in detail improvements in hydroponics using the Hydrosac for yield and nutrient content.

Photo Credit: Phytoponics

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AHDB & BPOA plan Canadian study trip

After the success of its previous transatlantic study tour to the United States in 2015, AHDB Horticulture, The Bedding and Pot Plant Centre and The British Protected Ornamentals Association (BPOA) are now organising a two week study tour to Canada.

According to AHDB, ‘The study tour has been designed to share with growers the latest products, technical innovation, news and research from Canada and to identify potential new commercial opportunities for UK growers.’ As well as visits to nurseries and the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, the trip will include the Canadian Greenhouse Conference in Niagra Falls in October.

A provisional itinerary and estimate costs are available on the AHDB Horticulture website and further details will be posted if there is sufficient interest. ‘The overall objective is to offer growers an opportunity to learn from the Canadian ornamentals industry in order to help identify new product ideas and technical innovation that can be implemented back in the UK,’ according to AHDB.

Photo Caption: Previous study tour to the US

Photo Credit: BPOA / NFU

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Isle of Man nursery installs heat pump

Greenhouses operated by Douglas Council on the Isle of Man have been installed with a new air source heat pump.

The system has been installed at Ballaughton Nurseries to replace an old oil-fired heating system. Discussing the new renewable energy project, which has been named the Most Innovative Project in the Public Sector category of the 2016 Energy Awards, Environmental services committee chairman, Councillor Ritchie McNicholl, said, “The nursery’s oil heating system was coming to the end of its economically viable life.

“Investment was going to have to be made and after careful analysis it became clear an air source heat pump would not only reduce the council’s carbon footprint, but would also lead to saving on fuel oil, estimated to be in the region of £12,000 annually from April 2017.”

Electrical power for the pump attracts a reduced tariff from Manx Utilities, saving further money.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

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Dutch growers struggling to repair hail damaged glass

According to reports from The Netherlands, Dutch greenhouse growers are struggling to find enough workers and companies to repair significant hail damage.

Storms on 24 June, some of which damaged top fruit in the south east of England, are reported to have destroyed 150 hectares of glass in the Noord-Brabant region and damaged another 50 hectares. In total the damage has been estimated at between €70 and €100 million.

Although insurance companies and financial institutions like Rabobank have been working to help growers, greenhouse construction and repair companies have said they cannot find enough staff to meet the demand for rapid repairs, with some growers worried they will not be back up and running in time for the next season.

Photo Caption: One of the hailstones which fell at the end of June

Photo Credit: @SuperSaartje/Twitter

The post Dutch growers struggling to repair hail damaged glass appeared first on Hort News on 13 July 2016.

Thanet Earth criticised for light pollution

In a new series of satellite maps, the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), have criticised protected vegetable grower Thanet Earth as the second worst light polluter in the country, second only to Tata Steel in Rotherham.

CPRE said in a statement, “Thanet Earth pledged to improve its greenhouse blinds in 2013, yet the light emitted is still severe. Its maximum brightness value is 84.98 nanowatts/cm2*sr, brighter than anywhere else in the South East, including London.”

However, the company defended its use of lighting and published a detailed explanation of the screens it uses on its website. “To achieve an economically-sustainable yield in the winter months then we have to supplement the natural light that the plants receive. Both of the tomato glasshouses at Thanet Earth are equipped with growlights which provide the plants with a light intensity that replicates the light levels of a typical spring day,” it explained. “In total, our two operational lit greenhouses have some 20,000 lights at work. Each is around 1000W. These lights are usually switched on by around midnight, and will stay on until the afternoon.”

Thanet Earth also pointed out that growlights are not used between April and September, depending on light levels, and that there are few dwellings in the immediate vicinity of the site. “By leaving the lights off until 11pm at the earliest, we aim to minimise any impact of the lights on our neighbours.”

Photo Caption: The growlights at Thanet Earth stay on until the afternoon

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Deleafing robot to begin trials

Priva has unveiled its new deleafing robot for tomatoes at GreenTech 2016, while at the same time three growers involved in the machine’s development will be able to begin trials.

Officially known as the Priva Kompano Deleaf-Line, it is expected that the machine, which was presented to the GreenTech ‘jury’ on 14 June will be available commercially to growers who register their interest and pre-order it (at fd8.formdesk.com/priva/kompano) from next summer.

According to the company the new machine is the first in a series of solutions for automating labour intensive procedures in commercial horticulture. A spokesperson for Priva said, “The Priva Kompano Deleaf-Line is the first product, worldwide, that provides growers with an economically viable alternative for manual deleafing tomato crops. Labour expenses are a particularly large part of operational costs, but can be unpredictable and for a large number of tasks, finding a motivated workforce to carry out the work is getting much harder.”

Photo Credit: Priva

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Valley Grown opens new glass

Valley Grown Nurseries has official opened its latest block of glass following its lengthy legal battle with local planning authorities.

Unveiling the first 9.7 ha of new glass at Nazeing near Harlow, business co-owner of the company Jimmy Russo slammed the behaviour of Lee Valley Regional Park but thanked both the NFU and Lea Valley Growers Association (LVGA) for their support during the process. “This project has no downside,” he claimed, adding: “Hopefully this has set a precedent for all growers regarding planning.”

NFU President Meurig Raymond was one of the guests at the opening and said, “Self-sufficiency in the horticultural industry has fallen for a number of years. We now import four out of every five tomatoes eaten in this country, at a time when the public is actively seeking to buy quality British produce.

“There is tremendous scope to grow more salad crops to meet public demand, but modern agriculture and horticulture require investment in modern buildings and modern facilities. That’s why this new development is so welcome. I’m delighted that the NFU supported Valley Grown Nurseries through the planning process and I hope we will see more schemes like this in the future.”

Lee Stiles, of LVGA added, “We have a great opportunity to grow more local food, reduce food imports and create local jobs through glasshouse expansion in the Lea Valley.”

HN RC 294

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Planning victory for Lee Valley grower

Plans for a 92,000 square meter glasshouse in the Lee Valley on greenbelt land at Nazeing near Harlow have been backed by the Court of Appeal.

Valley Grown Salads was granted permission for the expansion at its Paynes Lane site by the local authority in August 2014, but the decision was fought by the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority as, as well as being a green belt site, it said the site was within the Lee Valley Park and less than a mile from the Lee Valley Special Protection Area.

The principal issue in the case concerned the consequences of a proposal being appropriate (or “not inappropriate”) development in the Green Belt. The glasshouse was appropriate, since it was a “building for agriculture” under the first bullet of paragraph 89 of the NPPF. In his decision, Lord Justice Lindblom stressed that new buildings for agriculture and forestry are not viewed as “inappropriate” in the Green Belt.

Photo Credit: Volvo trucks

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Ebtech starts greenhouse build

Hull-based greenhouse specialists Ebtech have begun work on a 7,500 sq. m extension for lettuce propagator PR & AJ Mercer, in Lancashire.

The project will see the new Venlo unit installed between existing glass houses and a shed, being attached to existing structures on three sides. Foundations and steelwork have been completed and the whole construction should be completed by mid-November.

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CMW & Certhon to build new glass

CMW Horticulture and Certhon are to construct a new block of glass for Harlow-based UK Salads Ltd.

The 13,200 square metre development at UK Salads’ Hoe Lane site in the Lea Valley will enable the company to add home produced speciality tomatoes to their existing product range alongside peppers, cucumbers and aubergines.

The new turnkey greenhouse project will also include a boiler house, irrigation room and packing shed along with water storage tanks and heating system including boiler and buffer.

CMW commented, “This latest co-operative project between CMW Horticulture and Certhon will see Certhon taking care of the greenhouse and heating and CMW working alongside them to supply and install the thermal screens, crop gutters and air tube system.”

Work on the foundations began in early July and it is expected that the first crop will be planted next season.

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