By switching their controlled release fertilizer to a more sophisticated fourth generation Osmocote Exact Hi.End product, Newey Group’s two container tree production nurseries in West Sussex have reduced overall fertilizer usage while getting better end results.  

Owned by the Newey Group, New Place Nurseries at Pulborough and Walton Farm, at Bosham, near Chichester, both market high quality container-grown trees via the group’s Newey Garden-Ready brand.  

Walton Farm has enjoyed a long horticultural history and site manager, Trevor Bracher, has worked there since 1973.   With a wealth of tree growing experience, he meticulously manages the well-ordered site, which produces 40,000-50,000 high quality container-grown fruit and ornamental trees on free draining gravel beds.  

At Walton Farm the primary focus remains on popular fruit varieties such as Bramley, Cox, and Braeburn Apples, Conference, Williams and Concorde Pears, Sunburst, Stella and Morella Cherries and Victoria Plums.  This sunny site also produces a smaller range of popular ornamentals, such as flowering cherries.  

Twenty miles away on the other side of the South Downs, New Place Nursery at Pulborough enjoys good but slightly more challenging growing conditions, due to its site topography.  A larger 8 Ha site, it produces a broader range of container-grown trees (60,000 a year) on mypex beds, as well as ornamentals in tunnels.

“Alongside traditional fruit and ornamental trees, we produce niche varieties such as Hoheria Snow White,” explains experienced tree unit manager Andy Mount − who has worked there since 1986.  “Native to New Zealand, we have exclusive rights to the ornamental standard range and have sold 1,500 this year.  The market can be quite resistant to new varieties but to keep our offering fresh we constantly strive to make new introductions such as the Starline (single stemmed) Apple - Blue Moon.

When it comes to growing media, Trevor has put his trust in Levington growing media for over ten years.   “Of course from time to time we try other growing media, but we always settle on Levington Advance as it does a great job,” he says.

While working independently, since operating within the same group Andy and Trevor have liaised over production issues.  Struck by the improved performance of the growing media at the Walton Farm site, Andy took the decision to switch to Levington Advance Solutions.  He now relies on two peat-reduced mixes delivered in loose bulk at the start of the season and then in ProBales. Trevor relies on four peat-reduced Levington Advance Solution mixes with different Osmocote Exact Hi.End fertilizer rates, delivered in ProBales.

“Our stock predominantly arrives as bare root that need to establish without lots of nutrient in the media,” explains Trevor.  “We generally pot our trees on from the end of November to close of February, however we want the main nutrient release from the following March/April.  We sell the trees on after one season in a container.”

Historically both Trevor and Andy relied on Osmocote standard at a rate of up to 6 kilos per cubic metre.   Employing the AngelaWeb precision nutrition software tool, the ICL technical team was able to demonstrate the release patterns for different Osmocote products including Osmocote Exact Hi.End.  This fourth generation product employs dual coating technology to delay the nutrient release from 25-40% of granules depending on the longevity.  

“Taking in to account product longevities, the AngleaWeb graphs demonstrated to us the differences in release patterns of various products plotted against the trees’ actual requirements,” says Trevor.  “We could see that the release curve for Osmocote Exact Hi.End fitted better with our trees’ requirements.  While it is a more sophisticated product, and therefore costs slightly more per kilo more, ICL was able to show us we could reduce the rate from 6 kilos of Osmocote Standard products to 4.5 kilos of Osmocote Exact Hi.End due to the efficiency of the 40% dual coating – and to an even lower rate on less vigorous species.”

“Switching is giving us better value as we’ve been able to reduce the amount of fertilizer we’re using while getting better end results,” says Andy.  “A more efficient product it reduces potential leaching issues.  We’re also using less Osmocote FT Topdress for greening up purposes on older stock, due to the more efficient release from Osmocote Exact Hi.End.  

“It’s great working with ICL, the passion and enthusiasm of the technical team comes through.  The ordering process is also good - the product and the supply chain perform consistently well.  There is fast turn around for full loads and the Nutberry growing media factory is accommodating for loose loads – which can be mixed on the same delivery.  The communication is good – you know what’s happening.  The ICL team talk our language, they don’t try to bamboozle us!”  

Agreeing with his colleague Trevor says; “The products are very good – we trust them.  At the end of the day we’d change if we didn’t get what we wanted.”