How do I check a nursery’s disease and pest control history before buying?

Treatment records are the starting point. Ask what pests and diseases showed up, in which blocks, when they were found and what was done about each. Look for gaps: a year with no notes may mean no problems, or it may mean nobody wrote anything down. Ask how the nursery scouts for trouble and how quickly it acts once something is found.

Then check the stock itself. Walk the rows with the seller and with someone who knows the crop. Look at foliage, roots in sample pots, and any blocks that look different from their neighbours. Ask why any blocks were removed or replanted. Ask whether sales were ever held back, or customers complained, because of a health issue.

Finally, ask who carried the know-how. If one person made all the treatment calls, plan for a handover. Ask your accountant how past losses show in the books, and ask a plant health adviser what you should expect to see in a clean operation of this kind. Keep your own notes of what you are told and what you see, then compare the two after each visit. Differences between them are the questions to put to the seller next.

Key takeaways

• Compare written treatment records with what you see in the rows.
• Treat a year with no notes as a question, not as good news.
• Plan a handover with whoever made the treatment calls.