Horticulture
Otago Polytechnic has launched an expanded consultancy and advisory service. The new service builds on the crop advice, pest management, sprayer calibration and agrichemical auditing which has been available from the Central Otago campus for the past several years.
We are pleased to have added two new consultants to the team, Alex Smith (NZ Horticulture Advisory Service Ltd) and Dr Jill McLaren have joined Wayne King, based out of the Central Otago campus.
With the addition of Alex and Jill, the group now has considerable experience in horticultural and viticultural problem solving and development.
Alongside these three key consultants, the campus has skilled staff in the areas of dryland plants and landscape design, water use, soil management, viticulture and turf management.
The group is available for research studies. Otago Polytechnic has an 11ha crop centre summerfruit, pipfruit, grapes and olives) available for trials.
The consulting team is available by calling the Central Otago Campus.
A consultant will be on site in most cases within 24 hours of contact with us, or by appointment for non-urgent matters.
The following horticultural consultancy and commercial services are available:
Compliance
- Approved Handler certification
- Agrichemical application, storage and review.
Horticulture
- Site evaluations
- Land to crop options
- What can be done with a piece of land – what sort of crop can be grown on it
- What sort of land will I need to grow the crop of my choice?
- Crop reports
- Commercial cropping advice and help with budgets
- Water – irrigation requirement calculations, monitoring resource usage and effects.
Plants and Gardens
- Dry garden design and planting
- Contract planting
- Design and plant consultancy
- Choices of species
- Advice on amenity planting/shelter belts etc.
Stonework
- Historical building restoration work
- Contract stonework features.
Turf
- Advice on all aspects of turf management from your home garden to commercial sports surfaces.
On-Site Training
We are also able to provide training at your premises on a number of aspects of horticulture, viticulture or compliance issues such as safe driving of 4WD vehicles.
Contact Alex Huffadine to discuss options for your specific needs.
Profiles:
Alex Huffadine
Alex has 20 years of experience in the horticulture industry with roles as a commercial grower, in research and in a compliance role. Alex’s strengths are with climate, soils and crop options/site evaluation.
Raewyn Paviour
Raewyn has a degree in viticulture with practical experience on most aspects of vineyard management. She is also the viticulture and horticulture apprentice coordinator for Central Otago.
Alex Smith
Alex Smith has been advising for the past 30 years, is totally independent and has key strengths in nutrition for almost all crops, crop management, irrigation management, resource management, feasibility studies, budgets, herbicides and crop damage assessments. Alex is based out of Canterbury and services most of the South Island, and is in Central Otago at least two days per month.
Dr. Jill McLaren
Dr. Jill McLaren has been part of the Central Otago growing scene for many years. Jill brings a strong entomology, pest management and research background to the group. Jill has had wide ranging experience from pests and diseases of summerfruits, to organic production and fruit quality.
Wayne King
Wayne has 40 years experience in horticultural management in Central Otago and is a pest and disease management consultant, registered spray calibrator and test certifier under HSNO Act.
Jo Wakelin
Jo has managed the Polytechnic nursery for many years and has expertise in growing and landscaping with Central Otago natives and other plants suited to our cold dry climate.
Gary Smith
Gary has 28 years experience in the sports turf management and horticulture industry with roles as a residential/commercial land turf manager of a championship golf course. Gary’s strengths are turf management and landscaping.
Steve Holmes
Steve has a background working in contract stonemasonry and hard landscaping of more than eight years. He learned to work with stone in the English Lake District and has an interest in a wide range of traditional stonemasonry techniques.
Keith Hinds
Keith has worked as a stonemason for the last 20 years. During this time he has worked on many projects from modern veneer houses to rebuilding a 100 year old bridge and repairing 1860’s stone culverts. Keith’s skills are predominately with heritage restoration, traditional mortars and adapting traditional styles to encompass modern disciplines and guidelines.