How Norfolk plant business has grown from strength to strength

The Suggitts infront of the PlantGrow trade stand. picture:SUGGITT (Image: Archant)

And now one Norfolk couple has watched their investment grow after landing a UK-wide distribution deal with one of the biggest names in DIY.

Farming couple Steve and Sarah Suggitt created the fertiliser PlantGrow as a side venture, after wanting to make use of a growing amount of residue plant material from their biogas plant which produced electricity.

However, they soon began to realise the growth potential of what they had, so began working with friend and horticulturist Richard Beale on the development of an entirely plant-based fertiliser.

So successful were trials of the product that the Suggitts' business has now changed priorities - instead of focussing on electricity as before, PlantGrow has become the main focus of their entrepreneurial activities.

'What began as an exercise born of curiosity quickly became the focus of some furious thinking on our part,' Mr Suggitt explained.

'We tested the liquid fertiliser on lawns, on plants and shrubs and in every case the results were startlingly successful.'

About a year after the launch of the product, PlantGrow has secured not only one but two nationwide deals - with the garden centre group Blue Diamond and DIY retailer Homebase-Bunnings.

'Homebase is a giant in the gardening world and we are delighted they have chosen our natural products at PlantGrow, which will be on sale at 200 of its centres across the UK,' said Mr Suggitt

'Working with such a well-established market brand can only be of benefit to a young enterprise such as ours.'

During product trials PlantGrow was found to be as effect on vegetables and shrubs as it was on lawns and hanging baskets, with such promising results the business is looking forward to what will be their growing season over the summer months.

Daniel Suggitt, Mr Suggitt's brother, said: 'We have found ourselves in quite an exciting position coming up to spring because all the work we've done and investment has been leading up to this point.'

Whilst the family still produce Biogas which is converted into electricity for the National Grid the production of Plantgrow is the family's main business focus.