Viveros Hernandorena has opened a composting center and launched a compost production program to address two challenges: managing nursery plant waste and enriching soils under continuous cultivation. The initiative converts the waste into compost, which it returns to the fields as organic matter, completing the cycle and helping restore soil fertility, biological activity, and productive capacity.

"We needed to find a practical use for the plant waste we produce and a way to enrich our soil with organic matter to sustain its fertility. This center allows us to accomplish both goals by turning waste into a resource for the nursery. Our dedication to sustainability is driven by a firm belief that conserving, maintaining, and enhancing natural resources is essential," stated Fernando Hernandorena Ribes, CEO of Viveros Hernandorena.

The composting center, now operational, began development in October 2025 to transform pruning waste, branches, and other biodegradable materials into a resource that enhances the nursery's soil. The project has benefited from collaboration with the Department of Agrochemistry and the Environment at Miguel Hernández University in Elche, led by Raúl Moral Herrero, and from technical guidance by Carlos Gómez. This effort is part of the Agrocomposting program managed by the Valencian Regional Government's Department of Agriculture. At Viveros Hernandorena, Eva Lacuesta, head of the Technical Department, oversees the initiative, working alongside technician Jonathan Aguirre Cruz, who leads the project.

Initial trials on horticultural crops confirmed the compost's effectiveness before applying it to the nursery's fields. "We tested the compost once it was mature and saw that the plants had more developed root systems, confirming the process was successful," stated Jonathan Aguirre Cruz, the project technician.

Throughout this first year of trials, they incorporated 150 to 200 tons of compost into the nursery.

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Soil health, the cornerstone of the strategy
Producing this compost allows Viveros Hernandorena to address a key challenge in its production model: maintaining land quality over time. Adding organic matter helps sustain soil fertility and biological activity, reducing the need to shift production to new plots—a solution that is increasingly complex and costly. This sustainability effort extends beyond soil care and enrichment, supported by other practices Viveros Hernandorena has developed over the years, such as biological pest control in the nursery since 2013, using cover crops when plots are fallow, and adding beneficial microorganisms to the compost.

From compost to the field: A plant ready for transplanting
Applying compost to nursery fields enhances plant vigor and promotes a denser root system. This helps plants better withstand transplanting and establish themselves in their final growing site. "A better-developed root system enables the customer to have a plant that is more capable of handling transplanting and settling into the field," states Fernando Hernandorena Ribes.

The process will be repeated each growing season. The next batch will be prepared in late September, to have mature compost ready between February and March.