Tamar Nurseries embraces peat-free growing with UK ingredients

Since eliminating peat in 2018 and coir in 2022, Wisbech-based Tamar Nurseries is helping lead the way in sustainable, high-quality plant production. Partnering with ICL, the nursery now relies on a Levington Advance Sustain peat-free mix – comprising 100% UK-sourced wood-based ingredients – to grow a diverse range of CNS and perennials.

Tamar Nurseries operates on 34 acres at Wisbech, on the Norfolk-Cambridgeshire border. Producing over one million hardy, high-quality peat-free plants annually, Tamar supplies local authorities, landscapers, designers, and retailers and its clients include Royal Palaces and embassy gardens.

“What we say is what we do,” says Managing Director John Huibers, who set up the business in October 1992 and sold it to the Fountain Group Ltd in 2024. “Beyond plant quality, we prioritise reliability, punctuality and expert planting advice.”

John Huibers – Managing Director

Sustainability and innovation

Tamar has invested in cutting-edge infrastructure, including a 10,000m² state-of-the-art glasshouse and extensive open beds with a sophisticated underground network of drains. A carbon-neutral operation, the nursery runs off-grid using solar power, a recycled vegetable oil generator, and on-site electric vehicles. Water conservation is paramount—rainwater is harvested, irrigation water is recycled, and its two 3-million litre storage tank capacity will soon expand with a new reservoir.

(L) James, Jake – Production Manager & Chloe Whiteside – ICL (R)

Peat-free excellence

In 2018 after a couple of small-scale peat-free trials, Tamar transitioned from 40% peat-reduced Levington Advance mixes to a single, bespoke Levington Advance Sustain peat-free mix – containing bark, Fibagro Advance woodfibre and coir. Four years later, to minimise the carbon footprint, John approached ICL to eliminate coir from the mix.

“Working with Chloe Whiteside, we developed a mix comprising 45% bark and 55% Fibagro Advance woodfibre,” he says. “It’s slightly lighter and dustier than before but performing well.  We’re seeing quicker and improved rooting, so plants are saleable sooner. With the wood-based products, the mix is about 3°C warmer, which is an advantage – particularly on this exposed site.”

Developed specifically for sustainable growing media, Osmocote 5 (12-14m) controlled release fertiliser forms the backbone of the nutrition programme.

“Osmocote 5 features unique nutrient matching release technology and an improved Optimised Trace Element Availability system,” explains Chloe, who previously worked for ADAS where she played a lead role in the AHDB project – Transitioning to responsibly sourced growing media use in UK Horticulture.

“Matching plants’ nutritional needs throughout the release programme, the S-shaped nutrient release curve, starts slowly and increases as the plant’s demand rises.  Meanwhile, a slightly higher overall N content improves overall growth – as sustainable media mixes tend to have lower nutrient buffering capacity.”

“Because of our water recycling system, we can’t allow liquid feeds into the system,” says John. “We rely on Osmocote 5 to release nutrients only when the temperature is right. This saves labour, reduces leaching and ensures efficiency.”

Having eliminated coir from the mix, Chloe recommended adjusting the rates of standard base fertiliser and Osmocote N (5-6m) accordingly, to compensate for the higher percentages of bark and woodfibre.  The rate of H2Gro has remained the same.

Improved irrigation efficiency

“We’re using less water now than in the past,” says Production Manager, Jake. “With the help of a custom app he developed, the nursery has optimised its irrigation efficiency by grouping together species with similar water needs, improving plant quality while minimising water wastage.

“I can control the irrigation programme for each of the 38 beds from my mobile phone,” says Jake. “Initially the system requires more work, planning and setting out the beds correctly, however it does make a huge difference improving irrigation efficiency.”

Tamar repurposes its green waste to produce a peat-free mix for its 7,000 trees ranging from 25 to 260-litre containers. “With 65% green waste and 34% pine bark from Thetford Forest, we maintain full control over quality,” says Jake. “It’s heavier than the ICL mix but works well.”

Summing up John says, “Our Levington Advance Sustain mix is convenient, consistent and easy to handle.  The quality is excellent, and the support is always professional – but the real proof is in the final crop.”

Helping to set the industry standard for sustainable, peat-free plant production, Tamar proves that high-quality plants and sustainability really can go hand in hand.