Horticulture Case Study - Kees Nell

Flower grower Kees Nell is devoted to his business, Tatchells & Co Ltd, which has been in his family since 1952. Like his father before him, Kees tends to his flowers all year round. Today he and his wife, Anetta, grow three different types of flowers – lilies, lisianthus and tulips.

Based in Terrington St Clement near King’s Lynn, Tatchells & Co employs six staff and covers two acres of land. The flowers produced are cut and sold to the UK wholesale market and include ever popular asiatic and oriental lilies.

It has been four years since Kees installed the nine Calor-powered heaters into one of his glass houses to provide heat throughout the winter months. He took the decision to use LPG after discussion with Calor representatives for its flexibility and ease of use.

• Nine Calor LPG powered heaters warm three glasshouses, covering two acres, throughout the winter months.
  
• Calor LPG provides a CO2 enriched environment, encouraging flower growth in lilies, tulips and lisianthus.
  
• Calor LPG is a reliable and flexible fuel.
  
• Reliable, regular Calor deliveries ensure continuity of supply.

To store his LPG supply, Kees has two Calor tanks onsite which are used to fuel both the heaters and the LPG-powered fork lift truck used to carry the flower stock around the site. During the winter months, Kees will have a weekly delivery from Calor to sustain his heaters. Calor Commercial Specialist, Jeff Penfold, says;

"I am delighted Calor is helping a rural business to keep on delivering year after year by providing an efficient and flexible fuel".

Kees has since discovered that gas heaters also provide a useful by-product. He says; "We use the heaters in the glasshouses that contain the lilies. We’ve found that using heaters keeps the atmosphere right for the flowers to grow and can even enrich it, due to the by product it produces, CO2".

He explains; "I’ve found that this has really improved the quality of the foliage. It is important we provide an enriched atmosphere for the lilies as it firms up their growth and stiffens the stems, and greens up the leaves".

Once the flowers are ready, they are cut and placed into a cold store until delivery day. The flowers are then picked up from Tatchells on a thrice weekly basis for delivery to wholesalers all over the UK.

Following each harvest, the ground is replanted with more bulbs. It is a constant cycle for Kees, with the different species of lilies taking between 60 and 120 days to grow.