After 23 years working for De Ruiter Seeds and a lifetime in horticulture, Hugh Lisher is set to retire.
Lisher, brought up on his father‟s nursery in Lancing, West Sussex, moved to the Isle of Wight after agricultural college, to join the AB Stevens nursery, which is now Wight Salads.
After 13 years, he took up the nursery manager job for a tomato grower near Bridgewater in Somerset, working seven days a week.
Following 11 years in Somerset, the opportunity arose for Lisher to join De Ruiter Seeds as technical sales manager for the UK.
Lisher said: 'Twenty-three years have passed very quickly, and what changes I have seen.
'When I first started the main varieties were loose tomato Liberto, Gourmet, Pronto, followed by Solairo - everybody remembers that beast! It was about this time that cherry loose and cherry plum were just starting, with Favorita and Dasher, then Conchita, cocktail plum Flavorino and medium vine Elegance.
'Slowly the UK market became more speciality, and loose round was reduced, although still 40 per cent of the market, but varieties like Capita Espero and Encore were the main. Growers in Jersey had an exclusive Jersey Royale; VHB had Eloisa and Christina. It was about this time that seed companies introduced Rootstock and Beaufort was the number one, quickly followed by Maxifort. Growers realised the advantages of rootstock more as insurance. Growers also realised they could grow two stems minimum, sometimes four stems per plant using rootstock.'
He added: 'I would like to thank you, the growers, for always finding time and making me very welcome when I visited. I shall miss our walks, discussion and coffee a lot more than you can imagine.'
Lisher has moved back to Sussex where he intends to enjoy his retirement by the beach playing golf.
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