New robot for picking strawberries harvests faster than a human
A new robot for picking strawberries from Octinion, an R & D company from Leuven, was recently unveiled in Hoogstraten. After 2 years of
‘Open crop can bring forward production and save energy’
How much leaf does a tomato plant need to produce a good yield? That’s the main question behind a research project, The New Crop.
‘Do we really take into account consumer wishes?’
Over the last 30 years, of all the orchid species, phalaenopsis has developed into one of the most popular flowering pot plants. Jan Post,
Rotten spots caused by Rhizopus
Rhizopus stolonifer is a fungus that can cause stem and fruit rot in several crops. It is also a well-known bread mould. Rhizopus is
Watering to plant’s need is getting a step closer
The variation in mineral emission between different chrysanthemum growers is large. That is partly due to decisions made by growers. Yet to be able
‘Good plant balance ensures lower plant burden and faster ripening’
Gardener’s Pride, the tomato nursery belonging to Cock and Marja van Overbeek, is starting to master the principles of Next Generation Growing. The new
Experts try to revitalise China’s failing high tech greenhouses
China’s increasing awareness of food safety and food security is driving development of more modern and efficient cultivation systems. Over the last 15 years
‘If you think you’re the best, you’ll never get any better’
For growers who have greenhouses at several locations and grow a wide assortment it is very difficult to objectively and accurately calculate all the
Prevent clean ground becoming infected again immediately
Chrysanthemum grower Maurice van Os, like many Dutch colleagues, has a problem with thrips in the nursery. He solves it mainly by using Amblyseius
More homogenous climate requires different look at equipment and controls
You’d think that the climate in modern, well insulated greenhouses would be a lot more homogeneous than in days gone by. Nothing could be
Can you save electricity by dimming both morning and afternoon?
Phalaenopsis growers sometimes use artificial lighting for 16 hours per day, totalling 8 to 10 mol/m2/day, especially in the winter. For a crop with
No artificial lighting but two energy screens and no dehumidification
Gertjan van der Spek is the first tomato grower without artificial lighting in the Netherlands to have two transparent energy screens and no dehumidification.
Lessons in Brazilian climate
We’ve almost reached the end of our first year at our phalaenopsis young plant location in Brazil. Until now growers bought material from laboratories
‘In the greenhouse temperature differences not easy to solve’
In a large greenhouse with supplementary lighting the temperature differences in winter can rise so high it’s at the expense of quality and energy
NGG profits from new insight into air movement and evaporation
Over the last ten years the research and experience gained from Next Generation Growing has revealed many new insights about the complex relationship between
Construction of World of Westland begins
On 13 September, construction work on the Greenport Horti Campus in Naaldwijk started. The new name was also unveiled: World of Westland. In a
‘The multitude of solutions is too complex and hinders exchange of knowledge’...
Roughly 60 to 70 greenhouses in the Netherlands have invested in air handling systems and they are all different. Growers who are interested in
First ask how heavy the roof washer should be
A grower is likely to have a problem if a slightly too heavy roof washer or chalking machine is driven over a greenhouse roof
‘Bring in the Dutch’
I am convinced that after all the developments that have taken place from soil to substrate; volume-orientated to customer orientated; from unlit to artificial
Agrosol profits from high-tech year round production
Spain is – perhaps wrongly – still often seen as a country with middle-tech greenhouse horticulture: that is crops grown in the open ground,
