SUPERB BY ALL ACCOUNTS!

For the most recent Young Grower venture, a trip to the newly established greenhouse at Superb Herb was undertaken by the group.

It was a great turnout at the West Auckland site following an early start for many. Containing a fully automated glasshouse suited to potted and cut herbs, the new set up is the first of its kind in Australasia!

Charles Pike, co-owner and director of the company, was a great host and tour guide. With a very sound knowledge of the operation and the specifics behind the recent build, he artfully navigated many a question by the enthusiastic bunch.

The tour took place around the new greenhouse, a full 1.2 ha of glass with double shade cloth netting, vertical fans and extensive ventilation. The new high tech operation was established in just over a year and is nearly in full production - a great feat considering the rapid timeline in which the project was completed.

Onsite construction began with Apex over the Summer of 2018. The site itself is flat so it was a relatively smooth process to gain plan approval and begin drilling posts. With a build that was “mostly on time and mostly on budget” the team is very excited to be producing herbs at full capacity come Christmas.

Despite the overall success of the build there were still a few setbacks during construction. The (at times) 100km costal winds provided a continual challenge and managed to completely uplift one of the main water tanks. Reinforced vents are also currently on order from Holland to help combat these prevailing gusts.

Complete with automated pot spacing and an overhead gantry the new house is now home to multiple herb and leaf varieties. Empty benches can even be directed and sent for washing at the push of a button. Instructions must be accurately programed however as up to 1,200 saleable plants could possibly be dumped into the washer if the wrong bench number is keyed in! Not that this has happened so far…

Company house agronomist, Jaeseung Lee, has also seen an increase in days to production for crops sown in the new house. The biggest challenge now will be adjusting climate control and crop rotations to match the accelerated rate of growth. The new system allows total environmental control which helps to produce consistently uniform, insect free plants year round. While current greenhouses have the capacity to do this, the new house allows more accurate control over factors such as light diffusion, temperature and water use efficiency.

While the new set up has proved a bit of learning curve, the Superb Herb team are effectively integrating new systems all the while remaining profitable under current operations. A big part of this involves a progressive approach from staff who regularly contribute to new ideas. This collaborative approach has made a big difference in day to day operations.

Overall it was a very interactive and enjoyable tour of the venue with much interest and knowledge to be taken on board by those attending. SPS are delighted to sponsor and organise the Pukekohe Young Grower group initiative including field trips such as these each month. We would like to thank Charles, Jaeseung and the team at Superb Herb for hosting the Young Grower group and for the lovely breakfast that was provided during this visit.