As more and more companies recognise the value of knowledgeable, well-informed staff, the Hortifeeds team is increasingly asked to provide expert training and advice sessions.
Most recently sales managers Stephen Appleton and Richard Cameron, and technical expert Dennis Wilson have been on hand at The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in Surrey and at Highland Heathers in Argyll to equip the teams with the information needed to get the most out of their feeding regimes.
Kew Gardens
Hortifeeds sales manager Stephen Appleton spent an afternoon at the world-renowned Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, providing training and advice to a group of 12 staff members.
The Surrey-based gardens use a number of Hortifeeds feeds, and Stephen was asked to educate the team about aspects of plant nutrition.
Highland Heathers
Owners, managers and staff alike all benefited from Hortifeeds’ expert advice and guidance when Richard Cameron and Dennis Wilson presented a training course at Highland Heathers Nursery.
Founded in 1978, Highland Heathers operates from four sites in Argyll, and produces around 4.5 million heather plants in 150 varieties every year. The visit from Hortifeeds provided the staff with an opportunity to learn more about the fertilisers available, and how they can be used to improve the quality of plants.
The training was split over two sessions – the first for the owners and senior personnel, and the second for staff from each of the nursery sites. The first group discussed their present practices and the results obtained, then looked at ways to improve the feeding programmes and the use of fertilisers.
During the second session Richard and Dennis explained how to take readings and carry out water and soil analyses, and how to interpret the results and adapt feeding regimes appropriately.
Highland Heathers sells plants to garden centres all over the UK and in Holland and Germany. The company uses a range of Hortifeeds plant nutrition products and is firmly committed to developing the skills of its staff.
Hortifeeds is happy to provide raining sessions to interested companies or horticultural groups. Talks can cover all aspects of plant nutrition or focus on a specific area. For more information call 01522 704404.
