This is the fourth time in a row that trial station Proeftuin Zwaagdijk successfully concluded a trial investigating the hydroponic culture of chrysanthemums. No plants were lost during the trial, which was held from October to November 2015. The average branch weight – in the most favourable cases – was 82 grams for the ‘Bacardi’ variety and 96 grams for ‘Alero’ chrysanthemums.
The leaves as well as the roots were of an outstanding quality. This was also the case for plants grown for the fourth time in rows in which neither the nutrient solution was replenished nor disinfection had taken place. The plants suffered only minute pressure from thrips. Possible improvements could be achieved primarily in the area of crop uniformity.
Just as in the previous trials, the cuttings had been rooted in glued coco plugs and transferred to Botman Hydroponics floaters directly after, where they were kept floating on a 30 cm deep nutrient solution that was continually aerated and kept in circulation. The trial investigated the effects of water temperature and the addition of micro copper to the nutrient solution. ‘Bacardi’ and ‘Alero’ clearly reacted differently to the treatments provided.
Sustainable cultivation system
The underlying objective for these trials is the development of a sustainable cultivation system. The system, which is separated from the subsoil, will lead to considerable reductions in the emission of nutrients and chemical pesticides.
The following parties were involved in the trials: Fred van Paassen, Green Simplicity, Bovebo, Dekker Chrysanten, Fides by Dümmen Orange, Botman Hydroponics BV, KaRo BV, van Iperen and the Allsmeer Chamber of Commerce/Greenport Innovation Engine.
Source/photo: Proeftuin Zwaagdijk.
