Two-day excursion to innovative Dutch greenhouses
The Dutch greenhouse sector is continuously innovating. In addition, the nurseries and research centres are keen to share their knowledge and experiences with growers
Combining two vertical fans makes for more even climate
Assimilation lights give off a lot of heat which stays at the top of the greenhouse when you would rather have it down near
First tentative steps with biochar turn out positive
Biochar is a type of charcoal which looks set to become widely available on the market in future. This product could have potential for
‘We are committed to high standards of quality, food safety and sustainability’
Founded in 1971, Mexican vegetable grower Agrícola Zarattini is a family business that produces peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, asparagus and strawberries. Having started out with
Nutrient deficiency in peppers despite perfect drainage values
When several of the sweet pepper plants at Zwingrow in Honselersdijk (Westland, the Netherlands) were found to be growing more slowly than the rest,
Erwinia
Erwinia is a bacterial disease that can cause damage in a range of crops. It often produces watery looking, rotten patches on the leaves,
First grower sheds more light on anti-condensation coating
In the past, greenhouse roof light transmittance has always been measured when the roof was dry. But a greenhouse roof spends half the year
Rain and drought in Africa
A lot of things are unfairly distributed in the world, and rain and drought are no exception, especially in Africa. Last month I was
Time for resistance
It’s always an exciting time when the first flowers appear in the new crop. We proudly put them in a vase at home so
Spotlight on knowledge sharing and future trends
The German trade fairs IPM Essen and Fruit Logistica in Berlin are among the leading events in the world for the ornamentals and fruit
‘Before the problem starts, build up a vigorous predator population’
Supplementary feeding of predatory mites with a pollen preparation has outgrown the trial phase. A large number of growers is successfully using this method.
Sweet pepper growers can get by with less CO2 in winter
Sweet peppers can manage with 800 ppm CO2 in the winter months. Supplying more than that doesn’t boost photosynthesis: in fact, the sweet pepper
Maintenance starts with rinsing filters clean after every use
A sprayer is an indispensable part of many a grower’s kit, whether we’re talking spray robot or spray gun. When you’re buying a sprayer,
Lots of benefits for the plant and more pleasant working environment
The new diffuse screen from Svensson provides even better light distribution than the previous version. But growers are also still very keen on the
To light or not to light – that is the question
In Next Generation Growing (NGG) we’re always talking about balances: water balance, fruit balance, energy balance, etc etc. And in sweet pepper production we’re
Pioneering climate control solution in tomato greenhouse
Golden Fresh Farms, based in Wapakoneta, Ohio, USA, is a high-tech tomato producer selling to leading grocery retailers in North America. In Greenhouses spoke
Fungi and bacteria boost resistance to pests and diseases
More and more research is revealing that endophytes – microorganisms that live in the plant without harming it – can significantly boost a plant’s
‘Our Dendrobium plants are growing much faster and more uniformly’
There’s a lot of experimenting with alternative growing substrates going on among orchid growers. Mixtures without bark – or at least with a much
Penicillium
Penicillium chrysogenum is a beneficial fungus whose Latin name means “painter’s brush”, after the shape of the branched hyphae bearing rows of black/grey spores.
Robot automatically spaces young pot orchids right distance apart
Orchid nursery Hazeu Orchids in Delfgauw in the Netherlands has robotised part of its internal transport system. The robot sets down pots with young
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