Kelly Nursery Event organised by Teagasc

Approximately 60 nursery growers and students attended a highly successful technical event held at Kelly Nursery

The workshop offered attendees a hands-on look at innovative solutions for sustainable plant production, with a focus on composted green waste as an element of growing media

Horticulture

Read More: Kelly's Nursery Teagasc Workshop

29 October 2025

Approximately 60 nursery producers and students attended a highly successful technical seminar at Kelly Nursery, which focused on practical composting processes, cutting-edge technology, and important industry updates.

The day began with Eoin Kelly giving an exciting live demonstration of the new Eco Green Shredder composting machinery. Attendees received a firsthand peek at the entire process, from green garbage at various stages to final screened and mature compost.

Following the demonstration, Dónall Flanagan and Dr. Eoghan Corbett gave an excellent overview of the composting process. They emphasized the essential success factors, such as temperature monitoring and prompt turning.

The discussion then moved to the nursery’s remarkable infrastructure, with Billy Kelly displaying their innovative technology. This featured the Aqua Hort fertigation and copper ion dosing system, which is used for accurate nutrient delivery, as well as the management of their large rainwater gathering tanks.

Dr. Corbett gave the group a technical presentation in the afternoon on how to evaluate growth media for pH, EC, and phytotoxicity – all of which are necessary for quality control.

Consultant Alice McGlynn then delivered a critical industry update, outlining her work with the Minor Use Working Group. This group is essential in identifying gaps and opportunities for plant protection product registration in Ireland.

Tamsen Harward of DAFM gave the final and most significant presentation. She reminded growers of the sector’s recent census and emphasized the importance of robust grower engagement in ensuring the census accurately reflects the industry’s size and worth. The next census is set for 2026.

The day ended with guests enjoying a well-deserved lunch on-site, which provided an excellent opportunity for networking and sharing valuable feedback on the educational session.

The event was organised by Dónall Flanagan, Teagasc Nursery Specialised Stock Advisor, and generously sponsored by Kellys Nursery.

Read more: Nursery stock workshop overview

Read More: Kelly's Nursery Teagasc Workshop