In This Issue
How 'showrooming' is impacting on garden centre sales
Mark Pearson steps down as Gardman CEO
TGCG launches Professional Cookery Apprenticeships
Vitax to take part in Queen's Coronation celebrations
How Armitages Pennine put on a sizzling display
The White Winter Wipe Out
Fiskars open new UK showroom
Gro-Sure is an instant success
Take part in the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch this weekend
Snow shovels in hot demand
Carbon Gold welcome peat-alternative move
New Epson printer ideal for outdoor labelling
Weather slows down GYO sales
Are you an SQP? Earn CPD points at PATS!
Colombo Bactuur water treatments bring ponds back to life
Jock Davidson dies aged 89
GTN Bestsellers - garden centre sales data every week
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
 

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How 'showrooming' is impacting on garden centre sales
Showrooming - where consumers browse in store but then buy online - is beginning to impact on garden centres...



‘Showrooming’ is a new piece of jargon that we’re all going to get tired of pretty soon. It refers to the practice of using a shop to browse and bone up on products, then buying from a cheaper online retailer.

Nothing new there…but this once-feared trend has in double quick time become a serious reality across almost all retail sectors, including the garden retail industry, thanks in part to the relentless march of smartphone and tablet technology, which makes it easy to check how the price of the product you’re looking at in-store compares to online sources. Only this week, the British Retail Consortium reported that in the fourth quarter of 2012, search volumes on tablet devices outpaced those on any other device, increasing by 238% and on smartphone devices by 76%.

A survey before Christmas by Real Business Today (realbusiness.co.uk) revealed that that one in five shoppers said they had researched online after a store visit – and nearly half of those ended up buying elsewhere. This, says Peter Ballard, author of an article that first appeared on foolproof.co.uk, means that “nearly 10 per cent of sales are walking out of the door as a direct result of showrooming activities. So it is no surprise that those retailers who seem least well equipped to deal with that loss are finding it hard to stay in business”.

He cited the demise of HMV as a prime example of what can happen next. “Almost their entire product line is easily found at lower prices on Amazon and other online retailers, and reliable and often free next day postal delivery, there are no compelling reasons to pay more just to own it today,”

Ballard concludes that HMV’s problem, like Comet, Jessops and Blockbuster, is that they failed to understand and respond to changes in consumer shopping behaviour.

Will the showrooming phenomenon affect garden centres, too? It already has. I have spoken to suppliers and retailers who have serious concerns about the way that online sales of garden furniture and barbecues are cannibalising garden centre outdoor leisure turnover. One supplier I spoke to has threatened to pull back from garden centres altogether, and a number of retailers have told me they are now questioning whether or not they should continue to sell garden furniture when all they have become is a showroom for internet traders.

Clearly, if garden centres want to remain serious players in the outdoor leisure category, they may be forced to play it differently. More staff with more detailed product knowledge – and a greater willingness to engage with customers in the sales process – will be required, as well as a more creative approach to display and merchandising. Retail theatre works for Christmas – the same principles now need to be applied to what passes for high summer in the UK.

But there is another debate to be had here. Just where do suppliers stand on pricing and distribution policies and online strategies?

There is a view within the Leisure & Outdoor Furniture Association (LOFA) that ‘showrooming’ is more of an issue for retailers to address than for suppliers. “A small number of our members also have consumer outlets and they tend to be of the internet type,” says LOFA’s Secretary, Phil Gibbs. “Our position is that, because the majority of items supplied by our members tend to be large and discretionary purchases, rather than impulse, consumers generally are more likely to want to be hands on in a showroom than to buy unseen online, and will purchase if the price is right. It is down to the retailers and suppliers to negotiate to get the prices right. In a way, our members per se are not as affected by it as retailers, because we have already sold the goods to the retailer.

Price, says Gibbs, will always be the leading driver but service comes into it too. “If you get good customer service and after sales back-up with good advice, you will be prepared to pay that little bit more."

But another trade show leader, Neil Gow of the Garden Industry Manufacturers Association (GIMA), who also owns the Fresh@burcot garden centre, believes ‘showrooming’ is already an ingrained consumer behaviour. “I wonder what these suppliers will think when they have no ‘showrooms’ left?” he said.  “Online retailers are going to pick off more and more over the coming years, first furniture and barbecues, then garden tools, machinery, hoses and fittings and so on. How long before garden centres become just coffee shops selling a few impulse plants, compost, chemicals and a bit of giftware?”

  • If you have a view, we'd like to hear from you. What is your attitude to suppliers who supply garden centres but also trade online, either direct to consumers or through other internet retailers? If you are a supplier, how do you square the differing demands of online and bricks and mortar retailing? And if you are a garden centre who also sells garden furniture online, how do you see it? We will publish your views in a future issue of GTN Xtra. Email your comments to: trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or mike.wyatt@tgcmc.co.uk
 
Mark Pearson steps down as Gardman CEO
Gardman, the leading gardening sundries and wild bird care company, has announced that its CEO Mark Pearson is leaving the company...
Gardman, the leading gardening sundries and wild bird care company, has announced that its CEO Mark Pearson is leaving the company.

Over the last 4 years Pearson has successfully navigated the Gardman Group through an extremely challenging economic cycle. This culminated in the financial restructuring completed in December which has given the business a much improved financial platform to invest in further profitable growth both in the UK and internationally.

“I have truly enjoyed my time here at Gardman," he said. "It has been a challenging four years, as for so many businesses in our industry, but it has also been a great four years with my team at Gardman, supported by some excellent suppliers and working with some exceptional retail partners.

"As I said in December, I am delighted with the financial restructuring we completed last year; the business continues to generate good profits and cash and I know that as the Group moves into the next phase of its business development it will do so with a greatly reduced debt structure leaving it very secure for the future.

"As I now take this opportunity to move on with my own plans, I am confident that the Gardman Board will build a strong new leadership team under a new CEO to take the company forward, and I will, of course, stay close to support them over coming months as they make that transition.”

Jonathan Halford, Gardman’s Chairman, said: “I want to give Mark my huge thanks for the considerable contribution that he has made to our business over the last four years, and value greatly the support he will continue to give us as we bring in the new CEO and embark on the next stage of our plans.

"I join with the other directors and staff at the Gardman offices around the world to wish him every success for the future.”
TGCG launches Professional Cookery Apprenticeships


Ambitious trainee chefs have new opportunities to develop their careers with new Apprenticeships in Professional Cookery launched by The Garden Centre Group...



Ambitious trainee chefs have new opportunities to develop their careers with new Apprenticeships in Professional Cookery.

The new Apprenticeship opportunities have been launched by The Garden Centre Group with training provided by Westminster Kingsway College, a centre of excellence in Hospitality and Culinary Arts.

The Garden Centre Group has developed a unique Apprenticeship scheme in conjunction with the college that focuses on professional cookery in the restaurants located in its garden centres across the UK.

The Apprenticeship programme combines a blended learning approach with full integration in The Garden Centre Group restaurants.

Knowledge based learning will be accessed online and through working on the job whilst the College-based training and masterclasses each month at Westminster Kingsway College will develop practical skills and enhance knowledge. These will, in turn, be put into practice in the workplace. All Apprentices who successfully complete the programme will obtain a City & Guilds work based Diploma in Professional Cookery Level 2.

The initial intake for the one year Apprenticeship programme will be 17 Apprentices who will receive a salary determined by the Apprenticeship minimum wage relevant to their age. A 'celebration bonus' of £500 is also paid to all those who successfully complete the programme.

Successful candidates will also have the opportunity to progress onto Higher Level Apprenticeships linked to the management development strategy for The Garden Centre Group (subject to application). The programme is seeking committed, enthusiastic and hard working applicants who want to 'earn while they learn' and with the very real prospect of being a manager or chef in one of the company's restaurants in five year's time.

The Garden Centre Group has already developed a successful and unique Apprenticeship scheme that focuses on garden centre employment and horticulture and this new Chefs Apprenticeship will build on that successful programme. Westminster Kingsway College is a leading Further Education College in central London which delivers outstanding provision in Hospitality and Culinary Arts.

Tom Martell, Head of Training for The Garden Centre Group said "Developing our Chefs and restaurant managers of the future is core to our strategy. Westminster Kingsway is one of the premier Further Education Colleges teaching Hospitality and it is very exciting to working with them on Apprenticeships."

Louise Jordan, Head of Hospitality Apprenticeships at Westminster Kingsway College said: "We are very excited to be working on a new Apprenticeship programme with The Garden Centre Group to develop their new recruits and managers of the future. Westminster Kingsway College is working with a number of employers in the Hospitality Industry and beyond to provide training programmes and Apprenticeships to meet their development needs. Apprenticeships are the proven way to train your workforce and can make your organisation more effective, productive and competitive."

Please note: although Apprentices will attend College classes each month, these Apprenticeships vacancies are located at different Garden Centre Group sites around the UK. Applicants should visit www.thegardencentregroup.co.uk/careers for further information about these Apprenticeship vacancies and the entry requirements.
 
Vitax to take part in Queen's Coronation celebrations
Vitax will be taking part in a one-off event at Buckingham Palace in July for holders of Royal Warrants to celebrate the 60th anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation...


Vitax will be taking part in a one-off event at Buckingham Palace in July for holders of Royal Warrants to celebrate the 60th anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation.

The Coronation Festival will celebrate innovation, excellence and industry, showcasing the broad range of fine brands, including Vitax, which have earned the recognition of a Royal Warrant over the years.

Royal Warrants are a mark of recognition to individuals or companies who have supplied goods or services for at least five years to the Households of The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh or The Prince of Wales.

Warrants have always been regarded as hallmarks of quality, excellence and service.

Vitax was awarded its first Royal Warrant in 1965 and its prestigious Royal appointment now sees Vitax join over 200 Royal Warrant Holders at this unique event.

The Coronation Festival will be split into four specific showcase areas: Design and Technology; Food and Drink; Style Pursuits and Pastimes; Homes and Gardens. There will also be a section for The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST), the charitable arm of the Royal Warrant Holders Association, which helps financially disadvantaged, experienced crafts people to further their skills through the funding of further education and training.

The Festival will be open to members of the public from Friday, 12th to Sunday, 14th July. There will be a Royal Preview on Thursday, 11th July for invited guests, including Members of the Royal Family, charities, patronages, media, armed forces, inward investors and overseas trade missions, and guests of the Royal Warrant Holders Association and the Royal Household.

In the evening, the Gardens, with Buckingham Palace as the back-drop, will host a magnificent performance of music and dance.

The Coronation Gala will celebrate cultural life during the reign of Her Majesty, showcasing the achievements and personality of this extraordinary age.

The performances will chime with the themes of the Festival - tradition, excellence and innovation - featuring a range of superb home-grown UK talent with a focus on youth, as well as talent from across the Commonwealth - a unique, energetic and entertaining show for this very special celebration.

How Armitages Pennine put on a sizzling display
Pictures from The Greatest Christmas Sizzle Teams


This week we put the spotlight on those garden centres that excelled in The Greatest Christmas Sizzle, a new category won by Armitages Pennine...

This week we put the spotlight on those garden centres that excelled in The Greatest Christmas Sizzle, a new category won by Armitages Pennine.

The Greatest Christmas Sizzle, sponsored by SOLEX, was introduced to acknowledge the efforts of garden centres selling barbecues to customers for cooking their Christmas turkey.



Armitages Pennine took the gold award with the judges remarking: "We loved the way that Christmas was so seamlessly integrated with the BBQ display."

Silver winners were Cadbury Garden & Leisure and Garden Pride, and the finalist included Ayletts and Fermoys.

"We've found that an increasing number of our customers are cooking their Christmas dinners on their barbecues," said Will Armitage, of Armitages Pennine. "We saw this as an opportunity and have reacted accordingly. This award is recognition of the work we have put into this area.

"Our Christmas display extended to barbecues and we produced gift hampers for barbecue fans. The gift hampers included Weber accessories, barbecue sauces from the food hall and beers. They were received really well by our customers."

Now take a look at our special picture gallery below to see how the winning entrants wowed the judges...

Next week: The Greatest Christmas Festive Catering Teams
 
The White Winter Wipe Out
Snow wiped out a huge amount of garden centre trade last week but provided great opportunity for sales of winter products and wild bird care...

Snow wiped out a huge amount of garden centre trade last week but provided great opportunity for sales of winter products and wild bird care.


Week three of this year compares almost exactly with week 2 in 2010 when we had the start of a long spell with snow on the ground for weeks.

Fortunately the weather is forecast to warm up this weeeknd so hopefully the freeze won’t keep customers off their gardens for too long.



While garden products, veg to grow and compost sales all suffered from very low total volume sales, there was good volume sales in winter products such as sledges,  de-icers, logs and coal.

The cold snap has also spurred Wild Bird Care sales into life as well.

To view our seasonal Winter Products and Wild Bird Care Top 20 sales charts subscribe to receive the GTN Bestsellers Weekly Charts for only £120.00 per year click here


Fiskars open new UK showroom
Fiskars in the UK have opened a spacious new showroom at their Nottingham HQ this spring as part of a major drive to push sales...


Fiskars' UK MD John Grayson in the new 'cutting edge' showroom.

Fiskars in the UK have opened a spacious new showroom at their Nottingham HQ this spring as part of a major drive to push sales.

The showroom, which features inspirational ‘real life’ displays of Fiskars garden tools and ebertsankey containers and water butts, will also be used for trade meetings and training programmes for retail staff.

The showroom gives retailers who haven't yet seen Fiskars current FSDU- unit-based Powergear promotional offers a chance to check them out. The campaign, which runs until the end of March, is exclusive to garden centres and majors on three ready-stocked units – one each for Powergear by-pass pruners, hedge shear and loppers.

Meanwhile, the company say the 2013 national TV advertising campaign for the popular Weed Puller, with its ‘No weeds, no backache’message, will start on Thursday 28 March, just before the key Easter week-end. Weedpullers, in fixed and telescopic handle versions, will be delivered in ready-stocked FSDU units of 16.

Last year’s Weed Puller  TVcampaign helped to give Fiskars 54.8 per cent share by value of the £4.15 million hoes and weeders category* - an increase of 34 per cent over 2011, year of the Weedpuller’s UK launch. “We sell relatively few hoes, so the majority of those sales were Weed Pullers,” Miko Manninen, Fiskars’ UK marketing director, told GTN Xtra. “The data clearly shows that we dominate the high price points in this category. We believe there is massive potential for garden centres who stock the Weedpuller.”

Information 0115 927 7335  www.fiskars.com

Gro-Sure is an instant success


Again the weather has played havoc with sales of growing media. Low volume sales are being reported but looking on the bright side there was a star performance by Westland Gro-Sure Seed & Cutting Compost...



Again the weather has played havoc with sales of growing media. Low volume sales are being reported but looking on the bright side they are not as bad as week 2 in 2010.

The star performer is Westland Gro-Sure Seed & Cutting Compost, 30 litres, which has proved to be an instant success. This new product has jumped straight in at No 6.

Orchid compost is at an all time high as Growth Technology’s Orchid Focus Medium Compost, 3 litres, has moved up to No 5.

There are signs that gardeners are starting to think about seed sowing as Scotts Levington John Innes Seed, 25 litres, has re-entered the chart at No 23.

See the full GTN Growing Media Bestsellers Chart here.  Subscribers Only

To Subscribe to the full GTN Bestsellers Weekly Charts for only £120.00 per year click here

WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts can seriously improve your business.  Only subscribe if you want to invest 15 minutes each week in improving your turnover and customer satisfaction.

Take part in the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch this weekend


To celebrate the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch, Castle Gardens in Sherborne will present a new birdhouse and feeder to the bird-lover who spots and records the most varieties during the event which takes place this weekend...



To celebrate the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch, Castle Gardens in Sherborne will present a new birdhouse and feeder to the bird-lover who spots and records the most varieties during the event which takes place this weekend.

To help with record-keeping, Birdwatch counting sheets are available from Castle Gardens, online at www.thegardeneronline.co.uk or www.rspb.org.uk

Completed forms need to be back at Castle Gardens by Sunday, February 3, when the winner will be selected after the number of bird varieties is confirmed.  

Mike Burks, from Castle Gardens, comments: “The recent cold weather has made more people aware of birds and that’s brilliant but it’s important to keep bird feeders topped up and clear of any snow so that birds can spot the food and reach it without using loads of energy.

"As gardeners already know, birds are like an unpaid army of natural pest controllers and they come every day if they feel welcome! The fact that they are a delight to watch is just an added bonus.

“We want to support the RSPB event and encourage people to take part in such an important recording of Britain’s birds,” said Mike.
 

Every week GTN receives and analyses epos data from a number of UK garden centres to produce the GTN Bestsellers charts and weekly bestsellers sales tips.

The full charts which provide useful insight into product sales peaks, new trends and new link sales opportunities are published in the weekly GTN Xtra printed newsletter and on the GTN website www.gardentradenews.co.uk.

New for this year, every week we'll give sales volume comparisons with 2011 as well as 2012 to allow your teams to see variations over a three year period.

Access is by subscription only.  For £120.00 per year you and your team can have access to the most upto date gardening sales analysis that has already helped many UK garden centres increase their sales.  To subscribe call 01733 775700, or subscribe on-line here

 

or e-mail karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

Highlights of the GTN Garden Products Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Veg-2-Gro Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Growing Media Bestsellers chart for this week are here

WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts seriously improve the business of our subscribers.  Invest 15 minutes each week in improving your sales using the GTN Bestsellers charts and your turnover and customer satisfaction will improve too.

 
Snow shovels in hot demand
Snow shovels have been the bestsellers this week as the country felt the full force of extreme wintry weather...
Snow shovels have been the bestsellers this week as the country felt the full force of extreme wintry weather.

The Kelkay Snow Shovel, Red (right) was the highest re-entry in the Garden Products chart, jumping straight into No 2, and only kept off the top spot by the ever popular Fito Drip Feeder for Orchids, 32ml.

The highest climber was another snow shovel. The Yeoman Telescopic Compact Snow Shovel, pictured below, jumped 35 places into the Top 10 and No 6 position.



Orchid care products are generating high volume sales. As well as Fito’s bestseller at No 1 other good performances were recorded by:
  • Gardman Orchid Drip Feeders 3ml, pack of 4, at No 3.
  • Growth Technology Orchid Myst, 100ml, at No 5 while the 300ml version is at No 10.
  • Fito Orchid Drip Feeder, 5 Pack, jumped 27 places to No 15.

Stewart recorded two new entries with their Flower Pot Terracotta, 10 inch, at No 32 and Flower Pot Saucer, 5-6 inch, at No 42.

See the full GTN Garden Products Bestsellers Chart here.  Subscribers Only

To Subscribe to the full GTN Bestsellers Weekly Charts for only £120.00 per year click here

WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts can seriously improve your business.  Only subscribe if you want to invest 15 minutes each week in improving your turnover and customer satisfaction.
Carbon Gold welcome peat-alternative move
Carbon Gold have welcomed the £1-million pledge from Environment Minister Richard Benyon for research into alternatives to peat...
Carbon Gold have welcomed the £1-million pledge from Environment Minister Richard Benyon for research into alternatives to peat.

Simon Manley, CEO of Carbon Gold, said: "Our 2012 field trials, in conjunction with 19 professional growers across the UK, have shown that our blend of biochar and coir is a low-carbon, sustainable and effective alternative to peat that delivers excellent germination rates and strong, healthy growth.

"We will be expanding our field trials on a much wider scale in 2013 and welcome the pledge by the Government to help support such research."
 
New Epson printer ideal for outdoor labelling
Epson have launched a new stand alone colour label printing station which is ideal for outdoor labelling...
Epson have launched a new stand alone colour label printing station which is ideal for outdoor labelling.

With a dirt and moisture resistant touch screen, its small footprint and plug and play concept, it is perfect for users with limited space.

We understand the need for permanent colour adhesive labels for your outdoor products. The TM-C3400LT is the ideal solution to your problem. Epson pigment inks ensure excellent permanency compared to the thermal printing process and are an excellent solution to labels exposed to sunlight and moisture.

The Epson TM-C3400LT offers a great versatility of label size. Suitable for extra long shelf edge labelling to small pot labels, both produced from the same roll with
‘on demand’ cutting. It is also the fastest label printer available today, printing up to 1,000 labels an hour.

Colour on your labels highlights your brand and is essential to outdoor selling offering visual identification of plants throughout your garden centre.

To find out more click here
 
Weather slows down GYO sales
With snow covering the whole of the UK it isn’t a surprise that sales of GYO items have slowed this week, being down week on week and with the same period in 2012...
With snow covering the whole of the UK it isn’t a surprise that sales of GYO items have slowed this week, being down week on week and with the same period in 2012.


But onion sets are holding up well with four Taylors products in the Top 5 f the GTN Bestsellers Veg-2-Gro chart. They also hold the other spot with their Garlic Marco.

Rhubarb is once again a big chart mover with Taylors Rhubarb Red Champagne jumping nine places to No 12.

This week’s highest re-entry is Unwins Seed Potatoes Rocket, 2kg, which has jumped straight in at No 7. There are a number of Unwins seed potato varieties figuring promptly this week, including Pentland Javelin (pictured below) re-entering the Veg-2-Gro chart at No 11.

Taylors Shallots have also had a good week with Picasso being the highest new entry at No 18 and French Shallots Longor is the highest climber at No 21, moving up 26 places.

There are five tomato plants seeds in the Top 50 so make sure you’ve got an early tomato growing display in place. You can be sure of making some early-bird sales of Tomorite if you do.

See the full GTN Veg 2 Gro Bestsellers Chart here.  Subscribers Only

To Subscribe to the full GTN Bestsellers Weekly Charts for only £120.00 per year click here

WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts can seriously improve your business.  Only subscribe if you want to invest 15 minutes each week in improving your turnover and customer satisfaction.
Are you an SQP? Earn CPD points at PATS!
Visitors to PATS Sandown will be able to earn Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points if they attend a special seminar...
Visitors to PATS Sandown will be able to earn Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points if they attend a special seminar...

The CPD points will go towards the ongoing development of Suitably Qualified People (SQP) working in the pet industry. An SQP is registered with the Animal Medicines Training Regulatory Authority (AMTRA), and is allowed to prescribe and/or supply certain medicines.

The Merial seminar at PATS Sandown on ‘Why understanding fleas and flea control is important for your business’ is AMTRA-accredited, and CPD points will be earned by visitors who register beforehand and then attend the talk.

The seminar is being given by Tanya Leslie, technical manager for Merial’s Frontline Spot On product, and those wishing to attend and earn CPD points need to pre-book their place. There are a limited number of places available on a first-come-first-served basis so it’s advisable to register online immediately at www.patshow.co.uk/merial/

Tanya will be giving a seminar on both days of PATS Sandown (Tuesday and Wednesday, March 19-20). Each talk will start at 2.20pm and is scheduled to last 40 minutes.

As well as the Merial seminar there’s an impressive list of other talks planned for Sandown, designed to give visitors valuable advice on how they can improve their business.

Justin Heaton from Burgess Petcare will be discussing ways to drive sales in the small animal category while Chris Collier from Mars Petcare will give an insight into understanding your shoppers.

With internet shopping becoming more popular, Guy Blaskey, of Pooch & Mutt, will suggest how pet stores can thrive in the internet age. And Intelligent Retail’s David Mackley will be offering advice on getting more online visitors by using the latest Google changes to their advantage.

For those pet shop owners thinking of selling reptiles for the first time, Repta’s Chris Newman will be giving an introduction into responsible reptile retailing.

Apart from the Merial seminar, visitors can simply turn up for the talks as they don’t have to be pre-booked.

As well as this free programme of seminars there will be so much more to see and talk about at PATS Sandown with over 160 exhibitors packing the Surrey and Esher Halls.

Visitors are now being urged to register for free show entry by going online at www.patshow.co.uk.  Other benefits include free parking, free catalogue, dog grooming demonstrations and many special offers. The PATS hotline is +44 (0)1892 862848.

 
Colombo Bactuur water treatments bring ponds back to life
Gardeners will soon be thinking about bringing their ponds back to life so retailers should start stocking up on products like Colombo Bactuur water treatements...
Gardeners will soon be thinking about bringing their ponds back to life so retailers should start stocking up on products like Colombo Bactuur water treatements.

During the winter months bacteria in a pond filter will die down or become dormant. It is essential to get the bacteria population restarted in the Spring to create a healthy pond environment in which fish and other aquatic life can thrive.

Colombo has a range of products to help get a biological filter up to speed as well as decomposing sludge and organic waste.



Bactuur Filterstart contains live nitrifying bacteria (800million bacteria per ml), essential for starting a biological filter and for use after filter cleaning and maintenance.

Bactuur Clean contains a high concentration of heterotrophic bacteria (over 200million bacteria per ml). The bacteria in Bactuur Clean will quickly and effectively decompose sludge which has accumulated in the filter and on the bottom of the pond. As well as being unsightly, sludge adversely affects bacteria growth in the filter and general pond environment.

Bactuur Activator is a vegetable catalyst which contains essential nutrients to activate and improve the performance of bacteria in Bactuur Filterstart and Bactuur Clean. The use of Bactuur Activator accelerates the start up of new filters when combined with Bactuur Filterstart.

Supplied in high quality packaging with clear instructions for use Colombo Bactuur water treatments are available in 500ml, 1,000ml and 2,500ml packs.

Colombo have been manufacturing aquarium water treatments for over 30 years and have a comprehensive range of products to deal with all water quality and fish health problems.  

For more information about Colombo Bactuur water treatments contact Pedigree Aquatic Wholesale on 0115 982 3900 or Aquadistri on 01767 677075.

Jock Davidson dies aged 89
William ‘Jock’ Davidson, one of the nursery industry’s most colourful characters, has died, aged 89...

William ‘Jock’ Davidson, one of the nursery industry’s most colourful characters, has died, aged 89.

Jock was best known in the trade as shows manager for Rochfords, the Hertfordshire growers of pot plants, where the term ‘houseplant’ was coined, setting a trend in the 1950s. He was one of the world’s foremost houseplant experts and was responsible for numerous award winning exhibits at flower shows.

From 1980 to 2000, Jock was a columnist for Garden Trade News and various gardening magazines. He wrote a number of books and made regular TV and radio appearances, including the BBC’s Gardeners’ Question Time.

Jock, who lived in Welwyn Garden City, was renowned for his cheeky humour. GTN Editor Mike Wyatt recalls: “He was once asked what was the most dangerous plant to sit under in the garden. He replied: ‘The water lily’.

He leaves a widow, Terri.

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