
Luring effect of pheromone enhanced by adding plant aromatics
Plant bugs like the European tarnished plant bug and the common nettle bug are a serious problem in crops such as aubergine, cucumber and

Targeted fertilisation enables extra recirculation in pot orchids
Greater re-use of drainage water for pot orchids is one step closer with a new compound fertiliser. Phalaenopsis grower De Molenhoek in Bemmel, the

‘Use of analysis of sales and costing data basis for future decisions’
Stan Vander Waal got his first taste of working in horticulture when he was just 13 years old. His father switched from crop and

Quick and detailed information on a plant’s mineral uptake
According to the advisers at the Dutch consultancy group HortiNova, fertilisation is a very precise science that can only be done properly if you

Water distribution in growing substrates continues to surprise
Contrary to what was assumed in the past, recent research has revealed that water is rarely distributed homogeneously through the root ball following limited

‘Interlighting boosts truss development and flowering speed’
Interest in artificial lighting with LEDs is on the rise. Recently tomato growers Verkade in ‘s-Gravenzande (Westland, the Netherlands) gained their first experience with

Adding bio to substrate reduces chemical use in strawberries
The strawberry is a vulnerable crop: the plants and fruits are susceptible to all kinds of diseases and insects. Crop protection is therefore a

My last column
I have been a columnist for In Greenhouses since the very first edition in October 2012. Almost every year I told the Chief Editor

Cucumber grower takes quantum leap with Next Generation Growing
Hans Houben’s initial reason for trying out Next Generation Growing was to save energy. “But that shouldn’t really be your main objective: you need

German rose grower chooses market development over expansion
The German cut rose sector mainly consists of lots of small companies that grow a wide range of cultivars and focus on private sales.

Avoiding moisture shocks best remedy for preventing tip burn
Tip burn, or marginal necrosis, is a long-standing problem in tomato cultivation which occasionally rears its head in the new strategy of Next Generation

Growing under cover in Africa
I’m writing my first column for In Greenhouses sitting in the departure lounge at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. The reason for my three-day trip

Potassium, the major organiser in numerous plant processes
No potassium no plant: A huge number of processes are dependent on this element. Luckily, hardly any problems occur because the plant is good

Remote growing now possible with consistent data collection
Building a high-tech greenhouse is one thing, but working with it is a whole different ball game. Nurseries in countries with no horticultural tradition

Transpiration is driver behind cooling and uptake and transport of nutrients
The plant can’t function without transpiration. But sometimes it can be somewhat less. Also less than is commonly used commercially. There are plenty of

Tuta absoluta
Tuta absoluta (tomato leafminer) belongs to the very large insect family Gelechiidae and is native to South America. Tuta is a micro moth and

Feeding predatory mites pollen is useful weapon in battle against thrips
Controlling thrips in cut flowers biologically may be difficult but it’s not impossible. Supplementary feeding with pollen can help to build up and maintain