Sustainable agronomy support – Vineyard
A "sustainable agronomy support solution for the small grower" was launched at the Vineyard & Winery Show by leading agronomy firm Hutchinsons ...
Innovation agronomist Rob Saunders explained that the new offering consisted of a comprehensive vineyard guide that was available, free, on request, alongside the opportunity to sign up for more tailored, bespoke advice for a small annual fee.
“We are offering a huge amount of free information that will be useful as an ‘aide memoire’ to experienced growers but will be especially helpful to new entrants to the industry, coupled with a low-cost subscription service designed to really make a difference,” he explained.
For just £285 a year, subscribers will receive regular updates to technical information, approved product listings and spray programmes, a monthly bulletin, and telephone and email support from a Hutchinsons agronomist.
The free Hutchinsons Vineyard Guide is divided into six easy-to-read sections covering everything from soil preparation before planting, rootstock selection and ongoing nutrition through to pest, disease and weed control.
There is also advice on sprayer calibration and tank mix sequences plus conversion tables and an annually updated section listing approved crop protection materials, alongside an outline spray programme. The ring binder-style publication also provides a useful list of monthly jobs to be carried out in the vineyard.
Growers who take up the subscription option will also be entitled to one leaf/ petiole analysis each year as well as the option of in-person visits during the season at an additional cost. “This is a flexible offering which allows all growers to benefit from a wealth of free advice but then either subscribe for more detailed support or go a step further and buy in additional expertise as they need it,” said Rob.
“Compared to the hourly cost of bringing in an agronomist, this is a way for new and smaller growers, in particular, to give themselves the best chance of success.
“There are now more than 1,000 vineyards registered in the UK, and a lot of those are quite small sites, perhaps covering just a couple of acres, owned and run by growers who may not necessarily be able to justify full, in-person, agronomy support.
“This guide is part of a new service Hutchinsons is offering which will give smaller-scale growers access to sustainable, high quality agronomy advice and ongoing advice.
“We want to support this growing industry, and seasons such as the one we have just experienced have highlighted the importance of good crop management and well-planned crop protection in maintaining a productive vineyard.”
As always, the Hutchinsons stand at the Vineyard & Winery Show was impressive and busy, with a wealth of agronomists on hand to talk to existing and potential customers about the wide range of products and services on offer from what is still a family-run business.
The business has grown to become one of the country’s leading agricultural and horticultural input advice and supply companies and currently employs more than 470 people, more than half of whom are directly involved with providing professional agronomic services.
The Hutchinsons Vineyard Guide reflects figures from WineGB which show a rise of nearly 10% in the number of registered UK vineyards in the past year. While the average size is around four hectares, this masks the fact that there are many relatively small-scale sites covering less than a hectare, where vine growing is a diversification or a lifestyle choice. “It is those smaller growers that we want to help with this particular product,” Rob concluded.
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