Transition from grower to technical sales

The youngest member of the area sales manager team at 46, Stuart Gammage is not short on practical growing experience. Having joined Notcutts Nurseries on a YTS scheme straight after school, he spent 29 years there working his way up to become Technical Assistant Manager at the then 64-acre John Wood Nurseries. Stuart left to join ICL’s technical area sales team in 2015.

What is different?

Generally speaking as a grower you know pretty much what to expect at the beginning of each day. In my new role with ICL I’m on the road visiting a broad range of nurseries in my sales patch - Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire - growing a diverse range of crops.

Having previously worked on one production site, I find it interesting to see how growers approach the same crops in different ways.  No two nurseries operate the same way.  After 30 years I’m still learning - one of the joys of this industry.    

What is the same?

There are aspects of my old job that I still get to do. In particular I relish the crop walks - to be honest I’d rather do that than the paperwork! 

I enjoy the agronomy side of the job - working with growers to find solutions to issues. While I miss that personal sense of achievement of growing my own crops, it is rewarding to feel you’re using your experience to help make a difference to someone elses business.

What major changes have you’ve witnessed?

When I started out in the industry, some 30 years ago, we grew large batches of plants and didn’t pay much attention to the cost of inputs, such as growing media and plant protection products.  Nowadays things are very different. Growers generally cost everything out meticulously, largely grow to order and are generally under greater time and cost pressures.   

Opportunities and threats?  

As some pests and diseases have become more challenging to control with fewer chemicals in the armory, growers have had to become more skilled at nursery hygiene and adopt a more sustainable IPM approach.

Meanwhile other areas of production have simplified.  When I started out we mixed our own growing media adding straights and lime which required certain skills and time.  This has been hugely simplified and streamlined with the advent of proprietary and bespoke growing media mixes containing controlled release fertilizers and additional additives. In response, growers’ technical knowledge regarding growing media and fertilizers has had to increase to keep up with all the new developments.

How do you relax?  

Now I don’t oversee crops day to day, I’m tending to spend more time in my garden and greenhouse. I grow all my own bedding plants from seeds.  I like to keep my hand in!