A Tasmanian strawberry nursery has reported a 40% uplift in early-season tip yields following the adoption of a new coco coir growing system, as rapid expansion in tray plant production continues to reshape the Australian berry sector.
Located in the Ouse region of Tasmania, Jack and Lisa Beattie have invested into a highly productive strawberry propagation business on their 280-hectare farm, now supplying millions of plants annually across Australia.
The latest development sees the business move fully to Botanicoir’s Precision Plus Ultra (PPU) coir grow bags after on-farm trials demonstrated a significant increase in productivity.
“We saw a 40% increase in tips per mother plant at the front end of the season using PPU compared with our previous system,” explains Jack. “That early yield is critical, and it’s given us the confidence to invest fully in the new substrate.”
PPU’s chip-based coir mix offers better drainage compared to traditional coir blends, helping plants perform more effectively during colder early-season conditions when excess moisture can limit growth. While the initial trial highlighted challenges in maintaining performance throughout the full season, largely due to irrigation constraints, the yield potential has driven further investment.
“We realised quickly that to get the best out of PPU, we needed to upgrade our irrigation management,” says Jack. “We’ve since invested in new hardware and software to match the system, and our entire order for next season is now PPU.”
The shift comes alongside rapid growth in the farm’s tray plant production, which has expanded three- to four-fold year-on-year. What began in 2023 as a predominantly soil-based system, just 1% tray plants, has evolved into a 70% tray-based operation across 26 tunnels.
“There’s a clear move away from soil-grown plants towards tray plants,” Jack explains. “They’re cleaner, more uniform, and reduce the risk of soil-borne disease. For growers, that consistency translates into more even ripening and significantly lower picking costs.”
Tray plants are produced by harvesting unrooted “tips” from mother plants grown in elevated gutter systems before being transferred into trays filled with a Legro substrate mix containing coir. Because all plants are struck at the same time, they develop uniformly, which is an increasingly important factor for commercial growers managing labour and harvest efficiency.
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Jack works closely with Phil Badgery at substate specialist, Legro, for all his growing media requirements. “It’s been positive to see how the right growing media can impact yield and quality in a demanding production system,” says Phil.
The business now produces between 5 and 10 million plants annually, across 16 strawberry varieties, some of which are proprietary genetics contract- propagated in partnership with global breeders. As market demands evolve, the nursery is focused on delivering varieties suited to both premium and high-volume segments.
“We’re seeing a split in the market,” says Jack. “There’s demand for premium strawberries with a unique eating experience, alongside more traditional high-yielding varieties. Our role is to supply plants that fit those different market needs while delivering performance for growers.”
Operating within a complex supply chain, from breeder to nursery, grower, marketer and retailer, the business places strong emphasis on plant quality and consistency.
“Our plants have to perform,” Jack adds. “They need to be high yielding, uniform and suited to the system they’re grown in. That’s why growing media plays such a critical role in what we do.”
With continued investment in technology, growing systems and genetics, the Beatties’ are positioning their business at the forefront of Australia’s expanding berry industry.
“It’s a fast-moving sector,” says Jack. “We’re investing both to keep up with that growth and to make sure we’re delivering the best possible plants to our customers.”
