Other Processes
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Embracing
Sowing
Technology
Pioneering State-of-the-art Machinery
When the company began back in 1964, the mechanisation of the seeding process was inconceivable. Back then, the seed was sown directly into the ground under the glasshouse or polytunnel. Fast forward 20 years, automation within the growing industry was developing. Embracing the new technology under development, we installed our first Vissa seeding line, the best quality of seeding lines back then.
In the late 1980s, the industry experienced further technological advances and computerisation. We invested £25,000 for a new seeding line, which was a substantial acquisition for the company; however, it proved to be a game-changer for Fountain Plants Ltd as this machine could deliver up to 1200 trays an hour and improved our efficiency and output of seed trays. This seeding line operated until 2007, when we upgraded to our current conventional seeder, the Urbinati Sigma80, which has proved to be a very robust machine, as it is still being used today and capable of 1800 trays per hour.
Recently, we have invested in a new and advanced PlantTape® modular planting technology, a seeding line we use for our leeks and lettuce. Seeds are deposited within the growing medium, encapsulated within the material, and slit into running strips. The strips are then automatically folded concertina fashion guided and packed tightly into trays. This machine is much slower than the Urbinati, only having an output of around 200 trays per hour; however, when it comes to planting in a field, this is a much more efficient product than having two people on the back of an 8-row planter.
Other Processes
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A Successful Approach
Growing on our experience
Adapting and refining our procedures and growing processes are crucial to our success. From sowing, germination, quality control, aftercare to despatch, our knowledge of the most appropriate approach for each crop contributes to giving our customers the best outcome for their seed investment.
Commercial Brassica seed sowing
Once an order is received and the seed arrives, our fantastic team of office staff spring into action. Giving every order a unique order number allows us to allocate the correct amount of seed to each individual order. Once the seed has been allocated and picked it's off to the seeder ready to be sown. The plants stay with us between 5-8 week during the year and around 4 months for the overwintered crops.
Peat-free Future
As the markets change to a peat-free industry, Fountains are determined to find a peat-free alternative we can use on a commercial scale. Running trials throughout the season is a critical part of the job if we are going to find the perfect non-peat growing media. Currently, this is proving difficult as we use very small cell sizes, with our most common tray being the 345 each cell only contains one heaped table spoon of peat. But as always, we will find something that works.
Seed-raising Experience Counts
Once sown the plants will spend the next 5-8 weeks being cared for by our team of growers. These guys check on the plants every day making sure they are growing as they should be and are ready for when the customer wants to plant them. Once the correct specification and date arrive the plants are taken up and put into our stillages ready to be transported to our customers.
Innovating Seed-raising Automation
Fountains recognised the need for a non-labour intensive transplanter to match the rapid growth in the use of modules for Brassica plants and the need for Nursery Growers and Farmers to still use their existing, rigid plastic module trays. In 1999, the Fountain brothers designed and built their own auto planter. It took Nick, Chris and Robin over two years of long nights and early mornings to perfect the workings of the auto planter which is still being used today.
Nationwide Service
All of our customers pick their plants up whether this is a local customer collecting with a tractor and trailer or farther afield customers collecting 40 stillages at a time with a lorry and flatbed. Our plants are dispatched nationwide, with customers from Scotland to Cornwall, Lincolnshire to Wales and everywhere in between.
Peat-free Future
As the markets change to a peat-free industry, Fountains are determined to find a peat-free alternative we can use on a commercial scale. Running trials throughout the season is a critical part of the job if we are going to find the perfect non-peat growing media. Currently, this is proving difficult as we use very small cell sizes, with our most common tray being the 345 each cell only contains one heaped table spoon of peat. But as always, we will find something that works.