Responding to the changing marketplace, Burston Nurseries has refocused and is devoting all 7-acres of glasshouses production to its core business – quality pack bedding.

Based in a prime geographical location, at St Albans in Hertfordshire, this busy nursery supplies garden centres in England and the Channel Islands with an unrivalled range of quality seasonal bedding.

“Moving forward in this highly competitive market we aim to be among the best - not only in terms of the plant quality but in our communications and customer service,” says Ewan Macmillan - head of production and quality. “Attention to detail is key - right through to finishing the product with pre pricing and bar coding. Burston has earned a reputation for consistently producing quality plants. We’re now taking it one step further to give customers exactly what they want – eye-catching shelf-ready quality products that will continue to perform well for the end-user.”

Last year this busy nursery produced over 900,000 units. The 600,000 units in spring/summer included high-end patio and basket plants rooted on site and jumbo packs of premium non-stop Begonias, ivy leaf and zonal Geraniums and Osteospermums. Production then shifted to 100,000 units of Pansies and Violas and then 200,000 units of Pansy, Primulas and Polyanthus for the autumn.

While constantly updating ranges with novel introductions, Burston’s adaptable production team has moved from predominantly seed sowing to embrace current trends in young plant plugs. Meanwhile, the nursery has retained its premium product lines propagated from cuttings rooted on the premise. “We have the flexibility – the skills and equipment - to switch back to seed sowing should it make economic sense in the future,” says Ewan.

Committed to producing a quality plant that performs well for the retailer and end user, Burston has remained loyal to Levington Advance Pot and Bedding M2 and Levington Advance Primula and Pansy mix for many decades.

“It’s very straightforward, we take bulk deliveries of both. The M2 contains feed for the first four weeks and we have Osmocote Exact Standard 5-6 months premixed in. Our Pansy and Primula 5-6 month mix comes with Osmocote Exact High K premixed to help toughen up plants for winter by encouraging strong, compact roots. We rely on Osmocote Exact to deliver what the crops need and rarely have to liquid feed.

“While, of course, we trial other growing media products from time to time, Levington consistently delivers what we are looking for - it also performs extremely well through our filling equipment, which is important.

“Using Osmocote we are confident retail customers will receive a quality plant that performs well on the shelf, while ultimately the end user also benefits - hopefully leading to repeat business.

“We work closely with ICL’s Stuart Gammage and feel we are getting a service alongside the product. Over the years on the rare occasion when we’ve had an issue, it has been sorted out quickly and satisfactorily. If we weren’t happy, we’d change supplier!

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