Horticulture sector eyes new wood fibre tech

Could wood fibre technology be a game changer for our horticulture industry and help reduce carbon emissions? Locally grown fruit, vegetables and plants are all generally grown in compost or potting mix which contains peat. Peat is a highly sought after ingredient which boosts production, retains nutrients and holds water but it is imported, and mining of it has been banned recently in the UK and Ireland because of the high levels of carbon emitted in the process. A Matamata company, Daltons, which supplies growing media such as potting mix, has just imported the first wood fibre processing machine which will use wood chips from pinus radiatus trees to reduce its reliance on peat. Susie Ferguson speaks with Scott Bromwich from Dalton's and Dr Brian Jackson from the University of North Carolina, has been researching alternatives to peat for nearly 20 years.