Growing healthy plants that are high in quality helps to achieve good sales. When plants are attacked by pests and pathogens it results in damage and can lead to the loss of plants. Nurseries need to practice high standards of hygiene to prevent pests and diseases from establishing themselves. Preventing the spread of pests and diseases outside the nursery to customer plants, other grower businesses, natural habitats and regions is vital. To support this, growers should understand the principles of biosecurity. 

This section explores the key issues facing horticulture businesses. It contains links to other sections of the Knowledge Hub with practical steps to consider and links to other useful resources.

Read Complete Guide.

Webinar: Nutrient Use Efficiency in Field Vegetables

Tyfu Cymru, Dr Lizzie Sagoo and Chris Creed of ADAS hosted this webinar on…

Webinar: Disease in salad crops - How to save losses

This Tyfu Cymru webinar led by Erika Wedgwood of ADAS provided advice on gi…

Webinar: Weed control in field vegetable production: Integrated weed management options

Weed control in field vegetable crops is essential to retain yield and qual…

Plant Health Site-specific Risk Assessment

Plant health risk assessment and how to start one for your nursery.

Guidance on Importing, Exporting and Moving plants following the UK's withdrawal from the EU

Changes to plant health regulations are being made following the UK’s withd…

Update on plant imports with high risk for Xylella fastidiosa- legislation (March 2021)

This note is for guidance and signposting only. New legislation that will c…

Pest and Disease Identification and Control with Bransford Webbs

Bransford Webbs is one of the leading growers of ornamental plants in the U…

Technical Advice Sheet from the Vegetable Network Power Hour

The Tyfu Cymru Vegetable Network have launched an online power hour in orde…

Technical Advice Sheet: Growing Lavender

Lavender can be a new and unusual crop that can be integrated into a range…

Technical Advice Sheet: Soft Fruit Network – June 2020

From a growing perspective this has been a difficult season so far. We had…

Technical Advice Sheet: Soft Fruit – July

Tyfu Cymru have launched regular Power Hour sessions for members of the Sof…

Technical Advice Sheet: Growing Sunflowers

Sunflowers can make a very attractive addition to wide range of businesses.…

Technical Advice Sheet Pumpkin Power Hour – November

The start of the 2020 season was difficult. Late frosts until the first wee…

Technical Advice Sheet: Strawberry, April 2020

This fact sheet provides technical advice on managing your strawberry crops…

Technical Advice Sheet: Pumpkin Power Hour - July

Tyfu Cymru have launched regular Power Hour sessions for members of the Pum…

Webinar: Christmas Trees - Summer Update (Current Disease issues)

In this Session Janet Allen (ADAS) focused on current disease issues in Chr…

Integrated Pest Management for Commercial Ornamental Growers in Wales

Webinar with David Talbot from ADAS on Integrated Pest Management for comme…

Webinar: IPDM Ornamental Crops: April and early Spring pest management

Tyfu Cymru's Integrated Pest and Disease Management Network provides traini…

Diagnosis in Ornamental Plants

In commercial horticulture, plant pests and diseases (P&D) lead to losses i…

Technical Advice Sheet: Raspberry & Cane Fruit

This technical advice sheet focuses on Raspberry and Cane Fruit, and provid…

Promoting Beneficial Insects

This factsheet is designed to give some brief examples of available options…

Pumpkin Disease Control

The main disease of concern in pumpkin during the early season is powdery m…

Technical Advice Sheet: Christmas Tree – July

This fact sheet provides technical advice on managing Christmas Tree crops

Asparagus: Spring Pest Control

This fact sheet details spring pest control tips for growing asparagus.

Soft Fruit Pests

These factsheets outline some of the common pests found within soft fruit c…

Managing Blossom End Rot in Pumpkin

Blossom End Rot (BER) is a particular problem that pumpkin growers face, es…

Virtual Tour of Crug Farm Plants

This film is an exciting opportunity to have a tour around the renowned Crû…

Webinar: Soft Fruit – Post Season

Chris Creed (Senior Horticulture Consultant, ADAS) delivered an interactive…

Webinar: IPDM Review of the Season - Ornamentals

An opportunity to review progress with an integrated approach to pest and d…

Technical Advice Sheet: Christmas Tree Needle Diseases

A range of similar, but subtly different, foliar diseases can impact Christ…

Webinar: IPDM Ornamentals: Limiting the impact of difficult pests

In this Months IPDM Ornamental Session David Talbot (ADAS Consultant) focus…

Webinar: IPDM Network Thrips in Edible Crops

This session focused on Thrips in edible crops, with particular focus on We…

Webinar: IPDM Network – Edible’s; Weevils in soft fruit crops

This month’s Edible session led by Chris Creed and Pete Seymour focused on…

Webinar: Limiting the impact of common Summer Pathogens

In the 4th session the Ornamental group lead by David Talbot we looked at l…

Webinar: IPDM Biological Controls - Ornamentals

The second session of the IPDM network focused on biological controls for t…

Webinar: IPDM Biological Controls - Edibles

The second session of the IPDM network focused on biological controls for t…

Where to find Information on Pests and Diseases in Plant Health

You may have found a pest or pathogen or have heard about the threat from o…

Tyfu Cymru Ornamentals network 2021 Spray Programme for disease prevention and control

This spray programme has been written for ornamental crops, products includ…

Webinar: Smart utilisation of an Integrated Pest and Disease Management System

Tyfu Cymru is launching a IPDM Network in this first session David Talbot…

Current Online Training Resources for Plant Health

This report describes the sources of resources, currently available online,…

Webinar - Daffodil Crop Protection

The webinar covers the latest updates and best practice for plant protectio…

Webinar: Weed control in the production of ornamentals

Recent losses of contact herbicides and increased restrictions on the numbe…

A Summary of the Key Messages from the Plant Health in Horticulture 2020 Conference

Professor David Skydmore - Senior Plant Health Professional summarises the…

Integrated Pest Management Case Study with Springfields Fresh Produce

Nick and Pat Bean have successfully grown vegetables and soft fruit in Pemb…

Pests and Disease: Threats, Diagnosis and Reporting

It is essential that pests and diseases are identified correctly before the…

An Introduction to the Plant Health Management Standard

Plant Healthy Alliance has been formed with the aim of helping businesses g…

Biosecurity Policy and Legislation - panel discussion

Professor. Nicola Spence - UK Chief Plant Health Officer and Deputy Directo…

Maintaining a Biosecure Site at the National Botanic Garden of Wales

Will Ritchie - Curator, National Botanic Garden of Wales. Delivered by Cura…

The roles of trade associations in raising awareness and representing members

Pippa Greenwood is a very well-known broadcaster and author including being…

An introduction to the International Year of Plant Health and Plant Health in Horticulture Conference

Kevin Thomas - Director, Lantra Wales and Professor David Skydmore - Senior…

Technical Advice Sheet: Weed Control in Ornamentals

Your first line of defence against weeds should be cultural controls; no he…

Technical Advice Sheet Pumpkin planning and weed control – May

You should now be planning the planting for this year’s crop. If you’re new…

Plant Health Webinar: Diagnosis in Ornamental Plants

Plant Health Webinar: Diagnosis in Ornamental Plants - an overview. Deliver…

Plant Health Webinar: Health of Trees and Shrubs

Health of Trees and Shrubs - An Overview of Pest and Disease Symptoms and B…

Tyfu Cymru Webinar: Plant Protection in Ornamentals; How, When and Why?

Focusing on pesticide application, how best to apply product to get the bes…

Webinar: Plant Biosecurity

Plant Biosecurity in the Welsh Ornamental Plant Trade - An Overview from Dr…

Technical Advice Sheet: Ornamental Plant Protection

Effective pest and disease control should always begin with cultural contro…

Technical Advice Sheet Pumpkin Power Hour – June

Tyfu Cymru have launched regular Power Hour sessions for members of the Pum…

Technical Advice Sheet Strawberry & Raspberry May 2020

This fact sheet provides technical advice on managing your strawberry and R…

Weed Control in Pumpkin

Effective weed control in pumpkin is essential in growing a crop that maxim…

Disease Management of Bush Fruit

Currants, gooseberries and blueberries can be an important addition to any…

Disease and Weed Management of Bush Fruit

Currants, gooseberries and blueberries can be an important addition to any…

Getting to grips with the basics of plant health…

To sell high quality plants, you need to produce healthy plants. Plant pest…