Following several years of commercial trials and an HDC funded study, Melcourt Industries Ltd have launched their unique Melcourt Salad-Bag®, and were delighted when it won the ‘Best New Product’ at the recent South West Regional Growers show in Exeter. Not only that, but the judges were sufficiently impressed to give it the ‘Overall Winner’ award qualifying it for entry for the top product prize at the Grower of the Year Awards in February.

Melcourt were encouraged to develop a sustainable, recyclable and cost effective alternative to the traditional mineral wool crop bag, following discussions with tomato growers about the increasing costs involved in sending used mineral wool slabs to landfill. In addition, supermarkets are constantly asking their suppliers to produce products in a more sustainable and environmentally friendly way.

Grower trials were initially undertaken in the years 2000 and 2001 at VHB, Cantelo Nurseries and Flavourfresh Ltd, after which it became clear that this was a system with great potential. In order to refine the product and develop a blueprint for its use, a two year project was undertaken at Stockbridge Technology Centre with funding from the HDC, the Waste and Resources Action Programme and Melcourt. At the same time further commercial grower trials were carried out at Wight Salads and Flavourfresh Ltd.

During the trial period, crops grown in mineral wool and the Melcourt Salad-Bags, were carefully monitored, for crop growth, fruit yield and size, sugar content and shelf life. The Melcourt Salad-Bag matched the performance of the mineral wool control in all of the measured factors. See the WRAP report on the development of the Melcourt Salad Bag. Please note that within the report the product is referred to as FCCB.

Crop progress was monitored by a team of industry experts, including Dr. Rob Jacobson, Dr Phil Morley of Wight Salads and Derek Hargreaves.  Catherine Dawson, Melcourt’s R and D Co-ordinator said ‘We are delighted with the results.  We expect even better success once growers have become experienced in maximising the yield from this unique, recyclable growing system. This year we have also seen successful sweet pepper and cucumber crops being grown in the Salad-Bag.’

After a season as a salads substrate the bark-based contents of the Salad-Bag can be spread onto land as a soil conditioner, put through a green waste composting system or ultimately be used as a raw material in growing medium manufacture. Melcourt have investigated re-using the once-used contents of the Salad-Bag in their ornamentals growing media with great success and are considering introducing a collection service in due course.