International Plant Health Day
12th May is the International Day of Plant Health. The aim? To raise global awareness on the benefits and importance of protecting plant health.
As a Plant Healthy Certificated supplier to the trade, we wanted to celebrate this day.
Plant Healthy Certification
The Plant Healthy Certification Scheme is a voluntary certification for plant health in the UK. The Certification Scheme has the following aims:
Reduce the risk of introducing / spreading destructive plant pests via plant supply chains (trade).
Protect the horticulture industry, other cultivated plants and natural habits.
Easily identify businesses or organisations that grow, trade and manage plants to high standards of plant health and biosecurity.
Provender Nurseries have been Plant Healthy Certified for 5 years. In fact, we recently had our 5th audit for Plant Healthy. This title is something we are extremely proud of.
What are we doing?
There are many things we are doing behind the scenes as a wholesale nursery, here is a small insight into some of them:
- We were the first trade supply nursery to become Plant Healthy.
- We ensure that all of the correct measures have been taken from purchasing all the way through to despatch.
- We keep our team informed of any changes to biosecurity policy, new pests and diseases, movement restrictions of certain species etc.
- We were also the first nursery to become a Control Point. This allows us to continue to unload and have plants inspected on our main site in Swanley, Kent.
- We want our customers to feel confident that when they purchase from us the correct biosecurity steps have taken place.
Our biosecurity tips for you
Here are a few things that you can do to ensure you are following the correct biosecurity measures, resulting in healthy plants:
- Always use a plant supplier that is Plant Healthy Certificated. Using a Plant Healthy Nursery gives you assurance that all biosecurity checks are being undertaken on your behalf.
- Clean all tools (including secateurs) and footwear between site visits to help stop the spread of potential pests and diseases.
- Record plant passports. All suppliers will have their own unique plant passport number that should be attached to the plant or plant batches.
- Ask your supplier what their biosecurity policy is, if you are unsure.
For more biosecurity tips, look out for our article in Pro Landscaper's Biosecurity Special which will be launched in June.
If you have any questions about Plant Health, biosecurity or our Control Point you can head over to our website for more information or, contact Stuart Tickner, Site Operations Manager via stuart.tickner@provendernurseries.co.uk
