Water
We have met our objective to capture, harvest, filter and store enough water to fully meet all our irrigation needs. This target has been achieved with the completion of our third reservoir in 2022, taking our water storage capability to 75,000,000 litres.
This has proved to be an invaluable resource; our network of lagoons, pumps and collection sumps is sufficient to capture the heaviest downfalls, protecting the surrounding areas from flooding, and sustaining our needs during prolonged dry spells.
Diverse and automated irrigation systems
Our irrigation systems are diverse and mostly computer-controlled to cater to the varying needs of our plants. These systems include overhead sprinklers in our tunnels and glasshouses, flood beds, spray stakes for rootball and container trees, rotating sprinklers for outdoor beds, and drippers for larger containers. Each system is meticulously designed to deliver water precisely where and when it is needed.
How we are committed to water efficiency
Through a process of gradual evolution and development, we have successfully established a comprehensive water management system throughout the nursery. Currently, more than 70% from the container production areas of our 53-hectare site is harvested, stored, and recycled, reflecting our commitment to sustainable practices.
Our buildings, glasshouses, and tunnels are all equipped with highly efficient rainwater collection systems which channel water into underground drainage sumps. The water is pumped to a series of strategically placed storage lagoons around the site, which are planted with reed filters, initiating the filtration process by naturally purifying the water.
In our Young Plants Unit (YPU), we use micro nozzles to produce a fine mist, ideal for the tender leaves of our newly propagated plants. Like all our irrigation systems, these are managed by in-house designed computerised systems. These systems are programmed and controlled by section supervisors, to ensure optimal growing conditions.
While most of our irrigation is automated, there remains an essential role for manual watering. Our team members frequently use hand watering lances, this ensures that every plant receives the care it needs, especially in the more remote or challenging corners of our site.