Top left SunMaster Diffuse, top right SteriLight SuperThermic, bottom left SunMaster Clear, bottom right SunSmart Blue.
At the other end of the spectrum, XL also produces a film that is UV closed. Flying insects like whitefly see in Ultra Violet light. Without the Ultra Violet flying insects will get blown into the greenhouse on their initial migration but never fly again, so they won’t populate the entire greenhouse, as they normally would. Fungal molds also rely upon UV to be able to sporulate and spread, so without UV fungal disease is very much reduced.
“We're also the only ones who make a film specifically for shade-loving plants,” said Lane. “We mimic the light spectrum under a forest canopy, and that's very hard to do because the natural light under a canopy has part of the red spectrum reduced, and we can do that.” By using a different Pr/Pfr modulation they are also able to make a film which will give significant growth reduction for annual plants, even without using chemicals.
“We make and adapt our polythene films to wherever they're going,” said Lane. “It's just a matter of changing the additives that are put into the product.” Though XL doesn't own any of the machines that manufacture their products, they work closely with the best polythene producers in Europe to create and refine polythene products for every climate. “So we use the latest technology in polythene manufacturing.”
3bay Multispan covered with Sunmaster Diffused on the Isles of Scilly
“We do a lot of product research,” said Lane, who is a member of the International Plant Propagators Association as well as a member of the International Society for Horticultural Scientists.
“We know all of the very technical details of the manufacturing process,” said Lane. “So we're able to design films that will last anywhere in the world.” In fact, Lane noted that, because of the quality and modern ingredients their manufacturers produce, their 150 micron film is as strong as most other films that are 200 microns thick.
SunMaster Lite for soft fruit tunnels
That combination of horticultural technology, know-how and advanced manufacturing techniques allows them to make polythene films that can fit virtually every environment in the world. Though his company supplies to distributors rather than individual growers, the array of plastic formulas they have are enough to cover a variety of growing climates all around the world.
For more information:
XL Horticulture Ltd
Les Lane
[email protected]
Exmouth Road
West Hill
Ottery St. Mary
Devon
EX11 1JZ
Tel: 01404 823044
Fax: 01404 823335
www.xlhorticulture.co.uk
