Now is the ideal time to start planning essential winter machinery servicing for your tractors and implements. Proactive maintenance not only reduces the risk of unexpected breakdowns but also helps to minimise costly emergency repairs, keeping your machinery in peak condition and avoiding unnecessary downtime during critical growing periods. Well-maintained machinery operates at maximum efficiency, … Continue reading →
Reliable solutions for mulching vine prunings
For vineyard managers, dealing with vine prunings has long been a seasonal challenge. Traditional methods, such as removing or burning the cuttings, come with significant drawbacks. Burning prunings, while occasionally offering warmth on cold days, is unsustainable and contributes to significant air pollution, especially in larger vineyards. The labour-intensive task of clearing rows entirely also … Continue reading →
Cutting down time by mechanising vineyard pruning
Pruning is one of the most labour-intensive tasks in vineyard management, especially in the UK, where achieving the right crop load and vine balance is essential. To help vineyard managers streamline operations and increase profitability, NP Seymour offers advanced machinery from Germany’s leading vineyard machinery manufacturer, ERO, that quickly transforms the pruning process. The ERO … Continue reading →
Self-propelled mechanical grape harvester demonstration success
On 22 October 2024 we hosted an exclusive demonstration of the ERO Grapeliner 7000 series self-propelled mechanical grape harvester at Greyfriars Vineyard in Surrey. Attendees had the chance to see this advanced machine in action, including being able to sit in the cab with contractor and operator Sam Barnes to see how the cab’s central location, glass … Continue reading →
NP Seymour becomes first UK dealer to offer ERO Grapeliner 7000 Series
NP Seymour, the UK’s leading provider of specialist orchard and vineyard machinery, is thrilled to announce its partnership with German manufacturer ERO GmbH as the first UK dealership to supply the renowned ERO Grapeliner 7000 series mechanical grape harvesters. Known for exceptional harvest quality, low fuel consumption, and superior operator comfort, the Grapeliner 7000 series … Continue reading →
Pulling in the harvest
While we are huge advocates of mechanical harvesters, such as the ERO Grapeliner 7000 series, we recognise that not all fruit is suitable for machine harvesting, and the majority of English and Welsh wine producers will continue to harvest by hand. Thankfully, a range of modern equipment is designed to make life as easy and … Continue reading →
Specialist fruit and vine machinery dealer celebrates 50 years with duo demonstration days
Over 100 top fruit growers and vineyard managers travelled from across the UK to attend NP Seymour’s two-day specialist fruit and vine machinery demonstration event on 18 and 19 July 2024. Alongside celebrating the Kent-based machinery dealership’s 50th anniversary and 40 years of working with Fendt to supply and service the manufacturer’s specialist 200 V/F/P … Continue reading →
Opening up and controlling the canopy
It’s that time of year when vineyard managers turn their thoughts to the importance and benefits of opening up and controlling the canopy as early as possible. It’s widely well-known that good ventilation in the fruiting zone reduces the risk of botrytis and other fungal diseases, improves spray targeting and efficacy, and also increases the … Continue reading →
Combining operations to save time in the orchard or vineyard
If you’ve ever wished you could clone yourself to get more orchard or vineyard management jobs ticked off in less time, we’ve rounded up some essential machines which can help you multi-task for ultimate efficiency this summer. While time is one of the driving motivators, combining operations in the orchard or vineyard is not just … Continue reading →
Mechanical weeding solutions from Braun
It is well known that mechanical weeding is just as effective as herbicide in maintaining vine health and increasing yield. A three-year integrated weed management trial, IWMPRAISE, carried out on Chardonnay at NIAB EMR’s Kent-based research vineyard effectively proved that all the mechanical weeding methods trialled positively impacted the health of the vine and yield. … Continue reading →
Effective and efficient sprayer coverage
On 16 April, Tim and Claire headed to Plumpton College for WineGB’s Conference for Growth to give a talk on sprayer usage and calibration, looking in particular at the OCLL NPA sprayer. If you’re looking for a reliable sprayer that will provide effective and efficient coverage for the 2024 season, the range of OCLL sprayers … Continue reading →
The 2024 Battle of the Secateurs
Wines of Great Britain (WineGB) held its national pruning competition, affectionately known as ‘The Battle of the Secateurs’, on 13 March 2024. Around 60 competitors, judges, spectators, and sponsors (including Claire Seymour and Tim Sillence from NP Seymour) attended this annual event which was kindly hosted by Langham Wine Estate in Dorset. Proudly sponsored by … Continue reading →