Welcome
to Butterworths' Organic Nursery.
Welcome
to Butterworths' Organic Nursery.
Dear Customer,
Our small nursery is set amongst 300 acres of
broad-leaved woodland on the banks of the River Lugar, 10 miles inland
from Ayr. We are 300 feet above sea-level and somewhat frost-prone.
Our aims are as follows:
We therefore produce those varieties which are best capable of maturing a
crop in a short season, and which do so without succumbing to disease. We
pursue an active research programme to these ends, including research into
the 40 Scottish-raised (and now largely forgotten) varieties. We welcome
information about any fruit trees, especially in Scotland and N. England.
Many non-commercial varieties are useful to the gardener, given good
drainage, sun and shelter.
Organic growing involves avoiding the use of synthetic chemicals and
genetically modified organisms; relying instead on carefully conserved
manures and labour-intensive methods of weed control, pruning, etc. in order
to promote tree health. It is applicable at every stage of the production process,
from initial propagation through to harvesting, and an ever-growing number
of people agree that it is in the interest of the producer, the consumer and the
environment. An organic fruit tree nursery in Western Scotland faces particular
challenges. High rainfall leads to particular difficulties with mechanical weed
control - our only option - and requires careful attention to disease control.
High windspeed prevents the use of weed control mulches, and requires every
tree to be individually tied (twice) throughout life in the nursery. Our trees
are hardy and able to cope in similar conditions, whilst adapting easily to
more favourable sites.
We were the first commercial organic fruit tree nursery in the UK, all trees
having been grown to official Organic Standards since 1991. At that time we
were also the only specialist fruit-tree nursery in Scotland. We undergo a
rigorous annual inspection to ensure compliance with the Organic Standards.
Please advise us during the first summer of any tree which fails to establish.
We will attempt to diagnose the cause of the problem, and where it seems the
quality of the planting material may be at fault, we pride ourselves on accepting
our responsibility.
A
registered member of Scottish Organic Producers Association.
Organic Certification UK 3
License No. 625G