Author: Amy Riley

On 4 th January, we were featured in a BBC news article discussing how we are dealing with
the current cost of living and energy crisis. It is a difficult time for many and we wanted to
inform people of what we are doing to manage our business during this time. As we generate
our own power at R&L Holt, we realised that we could make more money by selling our
energy as we do not depend on gas to maintain our plant growth. The surge in energy prices
hasn’t been all bad for us here as this means that we can afford to upgrade our LED lights
that provide our plants with heat and warmth during the colder months. This shows the
advantages of using solar powered tools to grow our crops, not to mention the positive
implications this has on the environment! You can read the full article here.

We said we’ve been busy, and we certainly have been! This month we have also been
featured on the Jeremy Vine show with Roly discussing our multiple sites and our delay in
winter plant production. Due to the current energy crisis, we have only been producing 50%
of the produce that we usually do due to having to delay growth by two months to keep up
with the current times.

The 300% increase in the energy market has resulted in our punnets increasing in price by
between 30-40p. Unfortunately, this means we are making a loss on each punnet due to this
increase that aligns with the cost of living. But the good news is that it is viable for us to keep
going due to the renewable energy that we produce! This has been a huge help in maintaining
our business as we can sell this energy back to the National Grid.

We understand the challenges faced by consumers and supermarkets alike. This is a very
uncertain and difficult time for many and we would like to thank you, our customers and
supporters, for your loyalty to our business and sticking by us during these times. We are
very grateful to have been featured on the BBC website and to have been interviewed by
Jeremy Vine. This is a great opportunity for others to understand what goes on behind the
scenes of our business and we’re looking forward to what else 2023 has instore for R&L
Holt!

As we steadily progress through the new year, we thought that we would share with you an insight into what we do and how we do it to give you, our loyal following, a better understanding of what really happens at R&L Holt…

1. Growing 

Arguably what we are best known for, growing tomatoes is a huge part of our company as we have focused on growing tomatoes in glass houses since the mid 1980’s.

Up until 2000, we used to grow predominantly ‘classic’ round tomatoes and then we started to trial cherry tomatoes and large vine varieties to expand our produce.

Since then we have seen the increased demand for on the vine varieties over the last 10 years.

In the last five years we have started to grow different coloured varieties ranging from red, yellow, orange, purple to green, making our greenhouses bright and colourful!

We use hydroponics to grow the crops which are predominantly NFT (Nutrient Film Technique). The plants are suspended on hanging gutters and we manage the plants vertically in a high wire crop. Our most recent glasshouse is 7m tall meaning that there is plenty of space for growth. 

2. Sustainability 

To ensure the eco-friendly growth of our plants, sustainability plays a huge role in what we do at R&L Holt. Wondering how we do this? Keep reading…

We use recycled wood chips in our boilers to provide hot water to heat the glasshouses which are stored in buffer tanks. 

Carbon dioxide, a byproduct of an anaerobic digester, is used in the crops to aid with photosynthesis. 

Solar panels enable the power to run pumps that irrigate the crops and climate control helps to ensure we are not wasting energy.

Thermal screens keep heat in the glasshouse, but also help to shade the crops during bright weather. Our LED lighting uses up to 40% less electricity than conventional lighting and reduces the requirement to import power. Therefore, we don’t rely on the National Grid supply.

Among our busy schedule growing our tomato plants sustainably, we have made sure that there is still plenty of time for fun…

Additionally, we run a successful football team called ‘Side-shoots FC’ which kicked off (pardon the pun) in 2006.

The team, made up of staff and friends across the sites, plays in a local five-a-side league. We are proud to have regularly won the Premiership over the last 14 years – to the extent that we now need a new trophy cabinet!

We hope that this has given you a better insight into what we do here and how we do it! Happy New Year, we’ll see you next time.

Here at R&L Holt, we have a wide range of varieties and are proud of how each thrive under our care in different ways. This blog is dedicated to our seven main varieties and what makes them so unique and special!

Piccolo –  After starting this trial variety over 20 years ago, piccolo has been the main type for 18 years. It is a cherry on the Vine type that is the most popular variety in Northern Europe due to its sweet, but not sugary, slightly acidic taste. It’s intense long lasting distinctive flavour and aroma is the perfect addition to any palette. It’s even a favourite in the fussiest of children’s lunch boxes as it can be accompanied with any cold or warm dish (making lunch prep much easier for parents and caregivers!)

Yelorita – This Yellow Cherry on the Vine type has a beautiful appearance with its luminous yellow colouring and very uniform neat trusses. It has a special and unique flavour which is delicious on its own or mixed in with a salad which makes it the perfect tomato to during summer due to its bright colour and taste, (some even say it’s like having a sun in the mix!)

Roterno– This premium medium vine tomato is the perfect size to be enjoyed sliced up in a lunchtime sandwich or as a go to variety in many tomato based dishes. It is one of our most versatile varieties which is why it is one of our most popular.

Arlinta – This popular cocktail variety has a strong rich aroma and taste which is why it is such an unforgettable type. It is a great choice for simple dishes due to its unique flavour adding rich taste to any dish it accompanies. It is also great for cooking as it keeps its shape.

Duelle – The smallest of them all duelle is a baby plum snack tomato. It’s perfect on its own or accompanied in both warm or cold dishes meaning that this type can be enjoyed in any dish. It’s small size makes it easy to add to any meal as it’s not too overpowering. 

Dunne – This baby plum on the vine is a great looking tomato with a distinctive taste to be eaten on its own or a multiple array of dishes. The dunne variety is small and sweet, and as we know good things come in small packages!

Strabena – Strabena is a new premium min-plum variety. Its fantastic deep intense red colour complements the sweet fleshy taste that this variety provides. It is very popular with local farm shops and deli’s due to its unique shape and taste, adding an unforgettable taste to any dish it accompanies.

Have you tried any of our seven varieties? Let us know about your favourite!

Did you know that the taller a greenhouse, the more energy efficient it is?

The reason being, in taller greenhouses, there is more growing space. A contributing factor to this is that there is less humidity than in lower glass houses. Therefore, we don’t need to put as much energy into taller glass houses because we don’t need to open the vents as much to control the humidity. Having the vents open less often means that we can keep the CO2 levels higher which is better for the crop and allows it to grow in a more efficient way.

You may be wondering how we get our crops to ripen as we descend into the cold winter months with less natural light through shorter days and colder nights. Here at R&L Holt, we won’t let that stop us! Here are the two ways that we keep our crops ripe in the coldest conditions… 

1. Keep your crop healthy

A healthy crop is crucial to maintaining its ripeness as a healthy crop produces the right nutrients to ensure the plant stays healthy.

1. Put heating relative to light level

This allows the plant to ripen in accordance with the weather. On a darker, more dull day, we won’t emit as much heat compared to a lighter day where we add more heat to progress the ripening.