Award-winning orchid growers not afraid to try new things

Pukekohe's Utopia Nurseries grows Cymbidium orchids which are exported and sold locally, potted chrysanthemums and small volumes of laurel leaves, sold to florists. A lifestyle block next door was later bought, with more land added to make up 30 hectares. There are now 1.4ha of glasshouses and 0.9ha of shade house. Two streams have had their sides have been planted out so once the trees grow, they'll provide shade, increasing water quality. A pond which was full of blackberry and willow has been cleared, creating a haven for ducks.

While there were around 150 orchid growers throughout the country 25 years ago Peter told a field day at his property in mid-May that had now dropped to around one-sixth due to exchange rate changes. He still exports mainly white orchids to Japan, where the company carries out its own marketing, the United States, Australia, Canada and China. Up to 30% of its orchids are sold locally to wholesalers and florists.

The plants last for 10-15 years, being split up to increase numbers, with all propagation carried out in house. Harvesting is carried out by some of the nursery’s 10 staff, using knives positioned at the end of each row, which will then be dipped into a pouch of disinfectant they carry after each cut so there’s no risk of any disease cross infection. They’re loaded onto trolleys which are then pulled out into the middle aisle to go off for packing into boxes.

Peter’s son, Michael, who also works in the business, has designed a computer system which schedules tasks to be carried out such as spray applications right through to invoicing sales.

With constant knowledge of which delivery company is taking orchids to which customer, it’s been possible to reduce the sales team by one person. And with the business’s own Excel system the payroll which used to take up to five hours can be done in five minutes.

Michael has also been behind the instillation of 64 solar panels producing 20 kilowatts of energy and the hiring out of the packing area when it’s not being used for its primary purpose for the shooting of music videos.

Plans are to move orchids into an area now used for growing chrysanthemums once they go into a new fully automated part of the operation. At present it takes eight people two hours to move the potted plants which are sent off to supermarkets every week. The most popular colours are pink and white, with 13 hours of darkness provided by curtains being needed for them to flower “seven weeks to the day” after they’re removed.

Peter got into growing the plants 15 months ago after a grower north of Auckland exited the business, with a bonus of being able to retain more staff year-round.

“It was a big learning curve, and things can go wrong quickly.”

A third crop of Italian Rucus, also known as Milano or laurel is grown in a separate shade house from where it’s sold locally year-round to florists for use at weddings and funerals.

They’re trying to introduce nematodes to control pest beetles where chemical sprays have only limited success, the continuation of a chemical reduction strategy which has previously seen the introduction of predator mites.

Ross Neal, chairman of the Auckland BFEA committee, told the field day Utopia Nurseries was an example of putting good environmental practices in place and of not being afraid to try new things to see if they worked.

Easier to Grow Than Grass

A crop that’s easier to grow than grass and may provide future fuel for glasshouse heating is already providing some exciting results only a few years after being planted by Peter Rensen.

There are two hectares of Miscanthus, or elephant grass already planted with plans to put more in.

“I can’t believe how easy it is to grow,” he says.

Not only does it thrive on poor and dry soils such as clay, but it can also be used to mop up wastewater. Being sterile it doesn’t spread like bamboo and grows to two metres tall every year for up to 25 years.

Around 10,000 rhizomes/ha were propagated by nursery staff, a labour-intensive task, but he believes tissue culture might be able to be used in the future.

Due to its drought-tolerance, it can be planted in November, then a crop averaging 12 tonnes/ha is harvested into bales by a forage harvester in August.

At present it’s sold for animal bedding but in the United Kingdom and Canada it’s used for fuelling power stations. Its moisture level of just 12% means it’s drier than wood chips and requires no predrying.

Peter’s wary of having too much labour involved in growing, harvesting and burning the new fuel source but says there could always be an alternative use for the crop.

“Parents might pay to lose their kids in it.”