Kwekers_Bode_UK_june_2022

J un e 2 2 , 2 0 2 2 2 Scaling up requires careful

consideration

4 Towards 25 per cent

organically grown in 2030

6 Anticipating shortages

and price increases

8 Entrepreneurship, research,

and leaning: a must or not?

10 Biodiversity is of great

importance, but the mowing

policy is a point of discussion 12 The way potting soil

develops from peat

15 Partnership Varb and

GGP; also grounded well in 2022!

COLOFON: This KwekersBode is a cooperation between Uitgeverij de Bode and GrootGroenPlus | Distribution:

Municipalities of Halderberge, Etten-Leur, Rucphen and

Zundert | Circulation: 54,000 copies | Acquisition: Sonja Kox and John van Aert | Lay-out and design: Jan Bastiaenen, Simone van der Heijden | GrootGroenPlus texts are

submitted by: Frank van Suchtelen and Chantal van Kuyck.

THE 32ND EDITION OF GROOTGROENPLUS IS ALMOST HERE! Another live, physical edition of the trade fair GrootGroenPlus will be hosted soon. This edition scheduled for 5 - 7

approximately 155 participating tree

world. And you can be one of those participants.

and non-profit organisations,

October 2022, of course again in Zundert. Some 225 participants will welcome thousands of visitors from all over the

The international trade fair for the green industry

be and must see for governments,

use sometimes put that soil as a basis

international trade fair for the green

property developers, landscapers, gardeners, garden designers and

strong foundation, the industry always

GrootGroenPlus has been the

industry for decades now, and

attracts participants and visitors from

institutions, housing associations,

garden centres.

approximately 30 countries, such as the

Trade fair topic: Grounded

Germany, France, Poland, Hungary,

trade fair is ‘Grounded’. This theme fits

Netherlands, Belgium, United Kingdom,

Denmark, Italy, Spain, Slovakia, Romania and Croatia.

Growers, traders, manufacturers and suppliers of machines and tools and

numerous subcontractors from among others the Netherlands and Belgium

get the possibility to inform visitors and

participants on the latest developments in the industry. This strengthens

relationships and ensures that the

industry as a whole can take major steps forward.

This makes GrootGroenPlus a must

The theme for this new edition of the

in with the sector and the trade fair in a variety of ways. The interest for the

important advantages that the industry has to offer when it comes to greening, climate issues, and financially, is

increasing. That is why it is essential that the tree nursery industry is well-founded and works from a solid foundation, based on its own strength.

to the test. Nevertheless, thanks to the manages to find a way.

Of course, a good foundation and

healthy soil are also important for

nursery products. A plant can only do well if the quality of the soil is good.

And finally, many growers are also very grounded, because they have been

growing on one location for generations.

They know exactly how they can get the most out of what they have and do this while combining traditional techniques

of products and services, which

makes sure that the most important developments are presented here.

Of course, there is also an interesting

programme, which will be broadcasted partly digitally.

The trade fair attracts thousands of

visitors every year. It also gains a lot of press attention; combined, the

journalists represent approximately 40

different media outlets from 15 countries.

This makes the trade fair the perfect place to present your business.

Sign up for the new edition

them inspiring.

at the 32nd edition of the trade fair.

ensures better quality and it also makes

living, rich, healthy soil is the basis of

as plant protection and water and land

meet colleagues and customers. With

our crops. Restrictions on matters such

GrootGroenPlus offers a wide assortment

with the latest developments. This

The place to meet colleagues and customers

Of course, that starts with the soil. A

nurseries and about 70 subcontractors

Trade fair GrootGroenPlus is the place to

There is still some space available

You can register at GrootGroenPlus.nl.

Registrations, requests, and preferences will be handled in order of receipt. If you have any questions, please contact info@grootgroenplus.nl. 

June 2022

SPECIAL

2

Text: Nursery Stock Trade Fair GrootGroenPlus

SCALING UP REQUIRES CAREFUL CONSIDERATION Scaling up has been an item in our industry for years. Companies take over each other, or grow. It has turned into more

ensure a good framework at every level,

disadvantages that it entails. What are the pitfalls? We asked both the consultant and the grower.

Dekkers.

than just adding some land and buildings. Things have become much more complicated, with all the advantages and

and good communication”, says René

Scaling up should not be an end in itself

use of drones. Specialisation can also be

itself”, says Dekkers. “There is a lot to

Dare to make choices

ted,” says René Dekkers, senior account

have to remember that specialisation

also has the disadvantage of becoming

emphasise the staff component. First of

horticulture) of Accountants- en

“Increasing scale is not cultivation-relamanager for Food and Agri at Rabobank.

“You can see it in all types of cultivation in the nursery stock industry. For some

types of cultivation, mechanisation plays

an important part and specialisation can also lead to expansion. Or what about less intensive cultivation and allow for more fallow land with the use of soil

fertilisers. That would mean that you will

need more land to meet your production requirements. With a healthier soil, you

get better growth and therefore a better price. The soil is also capital and you

have to deal with it in a sustainable way.”

Dekkers mentions the aspect of efficient working through mechanisation and

digitisation as an advantage of scaling

a reason for scaling up.” Dekkers: “You

more dependent. Distribution

among customers is important.

Another disadvantage of increasing specialisation is that it limits the

assortment. Specialisation has highs and lows; you can see it with the Buxus. Many growers have stopped growing these,

because of the Buxus moth. Now you can see that because of resistant species, interest is increasing again.”

“Scaling up should not be an end in

think about. And here, I would also like to all, you need ‘enough hands’. Scaling up,

mechanisation, and digitisation make the work more challenging. And that makes it easier to get staff.”

“Quite a lot is happening in the industry.

New developments, interesting

knowledge initiatives, which also make

the profession more interesting for young people. Finding staff abroad? Then make

sure you’ve taken care of everything. I see that that isn’t always the case. In terms of staff policy, it is important that you

On behalf of trade fair GrootGroenPlus: Erik Bastiaensen, member of the board.

up. “Beside mechanisation, digitisation

“According to the Van Dale, ‘scaling up’ means ‘an expansion of size’. However, the

growth are increasingly more often being

Dekkers that scaling up isn’t a goal in itself, but that it often helps entrepreneurs

is also increasing. Soil situation and

digitally driven. You get data-driven

cultivation. And what about the emerging

responses in this article show that it is much more than that. And I agree with René reach their goals.

View of Rijsbergen near garden center. PHOTO FRESON

Mike Aldewereld (relation manager Advieskantoor ABAB, mentions the lack of a successor, market circumstances, and cost efficiency as the most important

reasons to scale up. “You have to make sure you don’t loose sight of the bigger picture. If you want to scale up, for

whatever reason, it is important to find

out if it fits you and the organisation you want to have. When scaling up, matters such as staff policy, organisational

structure and business development are explicitly addressed. It’s not what it used to be.”

“Especially for the companies that are

dealing with economies of scale for the

first time, it is important to seek external advice,” says Aldewereld, “if you’ve got any experience, you know a bit more about it, but still, external advice can always add another dimension. The

consultant can be the sounding board of the entrepreneur and if necessary, hold

3

Joost Sterke up a mirror. At ABAB, we know the industry

that’s really what you want. I think it is

We asked Joost Sterke, director-owner

addition to the aspect of the employees,

says Aldewereld. He mentions fiscal and

people he can talk to, and that he can

company considers innovation to be

automation, digitisation, mechanisation

from ‘A to Z’ and know what is going on,” financial policy, business development and of course HR management

(including staff policy) as very important points of attention. “Dare to make

choices, stay close to yourself and make sure that you continue to see the bigger picture” Mike Aldewereld advises the growers who consider scaling up.

Continuing to offer perspective to employees “It is very important that you carefully

list all the factors when thinking about possible scaling up,” says Elbert van Aalst of Alfa Accountants. “Bigger

doesn’t have to be better”. In addition to

considerations such as lowering the cost

price, the need for cooperation and being desirable to the market, Van Aalst also

mentions continuing to offer perspective to employees. He sees the increase in scale across the board in the nursery

stock, not necessarily cultivation-rela-

ted. It is often sales-driven, for example

to continue to facilitate large customers

“You sometimes have to grow with them.”

“Choosing to scale up also means that, as an entrepreneur, you get a lot on

your plate. You have to ask yourself if

important that an entrepreneur attracts work well together with. The team has

to be strong. An increase in scale also

means more employees, either because they come along during a takeover or

are attracted externally. And if the size of your company is increasing, that

also means that you cannot do it all

by yourself as an owner. Other people

will also have to take responsibility. And you have to choose them carefully and

make clear agreements. And you have to keep communicating. If you work at one location, things are clearer than when you’re having multiple locations due

to a takeover. That requires a different

approach.” Van Aalst also gives us the

opportunity to think carefully about the

of Plantenkwekerij Joost Sterke. “Our

a solid foundation, and our employees

also play an important part in this”, says

Sterke. “They are also thinking about how we can make cultivation smarter, more

sustainable and more qualitative, which is also in their best interests. We are

investing in precision farming within the nursery. Plants, pruning, rootballing and undercutting are all done by using GPS. A soil scanner will tell us exactly where

plans are in line with the zoning plan and the environmental permit.”

Lack of ‘hands’ puts the brakes on growth

How does a grower look at this problem?

‘hands’ to take care of the operation. I just mentioned the aspects of mechanisation and such; they are not just important

from an efficiency perspective, but also for making the work lighter and more fun.”

it’s hard to get those hands. Even for

the plants, and measure the sizes. We use underground drip hoses to water everything.”

depends on the staff component. “Can

important to carefully check whether the

even then, you will eventually need those

We use a drone to scan our plots, count

And another point: “Scaling up can

the start of cultivation. In that case, it is

successfully, you can’t ignore these. But

It is not just the lack of skilled staff that

comes to food and water management.

According to Sterke, whether or not

also mean the acquisition of land and

and robotisation. If you want to scale up

on the plot we have to do what when it

form of the company. Does the current shape still fit in with the new situation?

you will of course also have to deal with

you should decide to scale up largely

you have enough skilled employees to cope with the expansion? If not, well, it

ends there.” Sterke also notices that this aspect puts the brake on the growth

of many colleagues. “Retailers are still

able to cope with this increase in scale.

That is not the problem. Up-scaling

shouldn’t be more of the same entering

the market, that only lowers the prices. In

plays a role. Sterke: “Across the board,

unskilled work. At my company I mainly

work with Dutch employees, but currently I have 5 people from Romania who will

join us for a few weeks. In the past, people liked to work overtime, which was an

extra income. Nowadays, people more often just want to work the 40 hours.

You have to take this into account when planning your work. If you enter the field as’ unskilled in this field ’and you show your willingness to learn, then a great

deal has already been gained. Then there is plenty of willingness to help such an

employee on their way and to ‘retrain’.

This way, we’ve added another valuable employee to our company.” 

June 2022

SPECIAL

4

Text: Broer de Boer

The step from sustainable to organic cultivation can still be challenging for the nursery stock industry

TOWARDS 25 PER CENT ORGANICALLY GROWN IN 2030 The cultivation of nursery stock is becoming increasingly more sustainable. Leaders in the industry have been working on this for twenty years. Organic cultivation is a politically correct activity that also increases the cost of production.

That is why an increase in real organic products is still something for the future.

Actually, the knowledge and experience

green manure crop. On top of that, the

(BIOM nursery stock cultivation) started

to a fertile soil with a rich and varied soil

“If regular cultivation, with the use of chemical products, will ever cease to exist?”

to an attractive living environment and

chemical products, ever cease to exist?

from practical network BIOM-boomteelt organic cultivation. Entrepreneurs,

consultants and researchers had been involved in this project, which took

place in 2002 - 2005. In 2021, the Second Chamber of the Parliament adopted a

motion that stated that 25 per cent of all planting material has to be organically grown in 2030. The question is: what’s

the situation of the organic nursery stock industry 20 years after the start of this

project? The nursery stock cultivation is

standing out due to its large diversity. It

has more than 20,000 types and cultivars in several plant groups: standard trees,

forest and hedge shrubs, perennials, fruit trees and ornamental shrubs, which are grown in pot, in container and on open soil.

Supervision

‘Organic’ is a legally protected term: a

product is only organic if it is produced and certified pursuant the Dutch and

European law. In the Netherlands, SKAL

Biocontrole supervises the organic chain.

If you want to market a tree as ‘organic’, you have to be SKAL certified. Statistics

show that 1 per cent of all growers grow

organically. Large businesses sometimes grow part of their plants SKAL certified.

For types that can be grown without

taking additional measures, this is not a

problem. However, it can be cumbersome to make a strict division between the different processes for sustainable

and organic growth. In many cases, a

separate legal entity is founded for the SKAL part.

Barrier

Organic arboriculture has been based

on the principles of organic agriculture.

It strives towards closed cycles and

a natural balance. By refraining from

the use of artificial manure, chemical synthetic weed control, and gen

technology, tree nurseries are taking care of the environment. Organic nurseries growing nursery stock pay a lot of

attention to the fertility of the soil by using organic fertilisers, such as compost and

application of crop rotation contributes

life. Organic cultivation also contributes

biodiversity. However, nurserymen often experience the hoops you have to jump through if you want to become SKAL

certified, as a barrier. They often work

mainly organic and follow the guidelines, but without the certification. According to them, it is hard to get the certificate, and it might even have a significant

financial impact. Buyers also experience limits when it comes to purchasing

organic materials. This mainly concerns the obligation of the European tender,

and the limited supply of some products, which means that the purchaser cannot just select on SKAL material.

Faassen Plants

Ted Huijbers, account manager at

Faassen Plants in Tegelen, is expressly

working on certification of the company, with approximately 50 hectares of

avenue trees, 30 hectares of forest

shrubs, and approximately 1.5 hectares of container cultivation. He says: “We

would love to produce under the SKAL certificate, to be able to sell official

organically grown planting material.

We started growing as sustainable as

possible some fifteen years ago, pursuant the Milieukeur requirements. To become

Will regular cultivation, with the use of

Huijbers answers that question as follows: “I think it is impossible to stop doing this, unless the government will remove all

chemical products from the admission list of the ‘College voor de toelating

van gewasbeschermingsmiddelen en

biociden’ (Ctgb, college for the admission of crop protection products and

biocides). Organically grown is also more

expensive, and there is always a demand for regular planting materials. Huijbers says that in the past 15 years, Faassen

Provided that they are used well, they

always in a better position to withstand a

insects. Insiders know these products

monitor the crops. “A healthy plant is

bug or fungal infection than we think. And infections mostly come in waves. If for

example Fagus would really suffer from the presence of lice, watering could be

an option. We know from experience that they don’t like this! The use of ladybugs

in open organic cultivation is considered to be hard. Moreover, we see that weed

in our sustainable cultivation is the major point of attention. That especially causes problems with planting woodlands.

Despite mechanisation, a small plough

with a hoe are used to maintain our beds, very traditional.”

SKAL certified, you have to adhere to the years. For us, those rules are too much

that organic growers can use to combat

of a barrier still. There’s too much work pressure at the nursery, which means

that we hardly have time to work on this.

We wonder why it is not possible to award the certificate afterwards, after you’ve been doing it for five years. However,

we are officially PlanetProof and MPS A+ certified. My experience is that 50 per

cent of the municipalities and the forest

groups now work with PlanetProof or SKAL certified planting materials.” From that point of view, one could argue that the

turning point from regular to sustainable has been reached. In any case, Faassen

Plants is able to manage the demand for his PlanetProof products.’

Tegelen. PHOTO NWST

Plants has mainly learned to continuously

Use of means

rules of this certificate for at least five

Accountmanager at Faassen Plants in

What is the status of organic means

are very effective in controlling fungi and and every industrial permit holder has

an assortment of these ‘green products’.

Some examples are Polyversum, new

organic fungicide on the basis of Pythium oligandrum, and Vintec, a product

against branch mortality on the basis

of Trichoderma atrovirens. Furthermore,

Taegro and Amylo-X have been allowed onto the market in the past two years.

These are organic fungicides based on the bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefa-

ciens, just like the already earlier allowed product Serenade. Velifer is a new

organic insecticide on the basis of fungus Beauveria bassiana and is effective

against - amongst others - trips and the white fly.

insects, fungi, and undesirable herbs?

Horticulture industry is leading

Coöperatie CEMP. Van ‘t Westeinde says:

product that the industry needs to learn

We ask Peter van ’t Westeinde of

“When it comes to green means, there is an entire series of low risk products

available, based on micro organisms

such as bacteria and fungi specimens.

Van ‘t Westeinde: “Velifer is a low risk

how to work with. Such a new product

is also valuable to be able to alternate the weed control with other products.

For weed control in organic cultivation,

On behalf of trade fair GrootGroenPlus: Didier Hermans, member of the board.

“Chemical means, provided that they are used the right way, do not need to have a negative impact on our living environment. 100% organic may never be achievable.

However, most nurserymen have a lot of attention for their soil, and are close to what would be possible from an organic standpoint.”

5

MUlti E-trike. PHOTO NWST people often use - with some limitations

breakthrough in selling only organic

herbs and (leaf) fertilisation. Earlier,

Of course, in addition to the use of

organic cultivation was somewhat of

headline regarding the purchase of

- pelagon, vinegar and nonanoic acid.

mechanic hoeing methods, sometimes executed using a robot. All products

and methods are similar in that they are more expensive than the regular - chemical - approach, and that the

industrial permit holders mainly focus

on horticulture in its development. There,

nursery stock? “For many growers,

a gamble,” he states. “This has given

them a couple of good years. However,

now the prices in the industry are overall increasing, we feel that there is less

interest in organically grown nursery

stock, which are even more expensive.

products and methods are used in a

Multi-headed beast

might be natural predators, which will

very important, it can be necessary to

more or less closed environment. These stay inside of a greenhouse, but which you cannot really control in outdoor

cultivation. Something like that can cause problems in sales if certain insects (such as remaining predators, red.) are found in the planting materials, especially if

the grower sells it through construction markets. Does Van ‘t Westeinde see a

For nurserymen who find sustainability use conventional methods or means

sometimes. For them, it still is no option to grow (completely) organically.

Fortunately, low-volume systems (LVS)

are also becoming increasingly common in modern, sustainable tree nurseries.

They are often used as modular

systems for the control of undesirable

magazine Boom-in-Business used a organic planting materials: “This is a

multi-headed beast.” The conclusion is that nursery stock growers who focus

on sustainability experience this in the same way. However, it is quite difficult to get them to talk about this ‘in front of the camera’. The certified organic

cultivation method to them is one with

many question marks. Another question is if the industry will leave such a

development up to the market, or that it

needs intervention from the government to make this initiative - that has been around for twenty years - a success.

Or would adjustments in the form of

more realistic objectives lead to a faster market penetration of organic planting materials? 

Peter van ‘t Westeinde. PHOTO NWST

June 2022

SPECIAL

6

Text: Nursery Stock Trade Fair GrootGroenPlus

ANTICIPATING SHORTAGES AND PRICE INCREASES Both the corona period and the war in Ukraine have a major impact on

businesses, also in the nursery stock industry. How do nurserymen handle

price increases, increased delivery times of raw materials, and a shortage of

production resources? And how does the drought impact nursery stock crops in different areas? To answer these questions, GrootGroenPlus talked to a number of growers and other stakeholders.

Different strategies

a preference for nightly watering, and

French nursery Laforet Jeunes Plants.

control irrigation depending on the needs

We asked Emilie Carré, president of the “Covid-19 and later the war in Ukraine

have put us into an economic system

training of our employees, to better of the plants.”

that makes products that need to be

“We’ve also taken measures when it

and with longer delivery times. As a

a market perspective, we are also

imported less available, more expensive, producer, we have to be flexible, to

maintain the production cycles, and

control the costs. Our goal is to maintain a commercial dynamic with reasonable sales prices”, says Emilie Carré. Laforet

developed multiple strategies to manage these limitations as much as possible.

Carré: “This means that we have to

anticipate when it comes to the delivery times of pots, diversifying suppliers,

reducing the number of deliveries by

comes to marketing”, says Carré. “From developing the assortment by offering

adjusted varieties such as the planting

of Phillyrea hedges (Phillyrea angustifolia Green Quick®), the expansion of our

assortment of Mediterranean plants

(shrubs and perennials), introducing

Mexican garden or dry collections, and by having the guts to use thyme or

chamomile to replace lawns. We have our AlterGazon® concept for this.”

potting soil mixtures (less peat), involving

It is important to keep an eye on the price

waste and to reuse everything that can

Os are managers and owners of the

maintaining more stock, developing our our very motivated teams to reduce be reused.”

The next problem is the availability of water. Besides the difficulties of the

industry, we have to deal with a shortage in water supply, like the rest of Europe.

For years, we’ve been trying to use this

resource the best we can: recuperation

of drainage water, protecting cultivation areas from the sun, mulching the crops,

Mart Peeters and his colleague Stijn van shrub nursery Smart Plants Potcultuur.

The shrubs enter the company as

cutting and will be grown for a year.

After that, the products go to national

and international nurseries and trade to grow further, and finally end up at the

final customer, for example via garden centres.

How does he look at the current situation?

“We are dealing with an industry-wide

Emilie Carré. problem”, says Peeters. “The companies

Peeters is happy that he doesn’t have

be hit harder by the increased prices

supplier has managed that very well.

in the pot and container cultivation will and lack of raw materials than open

soil growers, who will mostly be hit by drought.” He does notice the issue of

shortage of raw materials and increased prices in his company. “Take potting soil for instance,” he says, “a part of those

raw materials come from the area that is now hit by the war between Russia

and Ukraine. The potting soil now has a different composition. Fortunately, the properties have remained the same

for the most part, but you do notice it.”

any issues with the supply of the soil. “Our They didn’t accept new customers, so

they would be able to supply the current customers. I hear from colleagues that they do experience issues. That will

probably differ per supplier. The pots are still supplied in time, but in more limited quantities. There really is an issue with the availability of raw materials and

increased prices. We have to work with day prices for the pots, and the costs for box pallets have also increased a

lot. From 20 to 35 Euros. According to

Water is a necessity Due to climate change, we have to deal

with extreme weather more often, where

extreme rainfall is being followed by long

important to maintain the water, and take the right measures to do that.”

periods of drought. Therefore, it is very

The water board cannot do that alone. It

balance. Water is a necessity, especially

parties. “For the nursery stock industry

important to maintain a good water in the nursery stock industry.

A very important player in water balance is the water board Brabantse Delta.

What do they think of the situation? “This has indeed been a very extreme year”,

says René Rijken, account manager for

is important to cooperate with different

we’ve found a great partner in Treeport.

They help us with maintain a good water quality and reducing emissions. They

also help us find out how the industry

can help with limiting the consequences of climate change.”

agriculture at the water board. “In case

During the extreme drought of the

we can to make sure that water users,

confronted with issues around the

of continued drought, we do everything including nurserymen, get the water

they need. At the same time, it is also

summer of 2018, we were already

availability of water, and a pump ban for surface water was issued. If the water

level in ditches and streams lowers due

There are some great examples of that. If

might prohibit people from pumping

not let it get away. If you place a barrage

to long-term drought, the water board water from these ditches and streams to use in for example nurseries. In

some areas, a pump ban has already been issued again. “As opposed to other nursery areas, we don’t have

any large rivers here, that we can use to get water from”, says Rijken. “The

level in our waterways is low, and the

groundwater level is alarming. It’s really

in the red.” Something needs to happen.

Rijken mentions reducing the need for

sprinkling as an important step. “This can be done more effectively, for example

by drip irrigation on specific locations,

instead of everything from the top down.

the water falls down, you have to store it, in a ditch, you prevent the water from going to the main water way. We can

also wonder if we need as many ditches as we have. In this area, ditches are not

used as water buffer. The system can be compared with the highway. It becomes more crowded due to all these access

roads. If you close down a few of them, it will all get a more quiet.” Rijken also

mentions improving the soil quality as

an important aspect. “Ensure the soil is

very permeable. I cannot emphasize that enough.” By taking the right measures together, we can cope with extreme weather conditions. 

7

SMART PLANTS POTCULTUUR our suppliers, this might continue for a

did not experience much of a shortage.

of Van Krimpen BV, supplier of plastic

price increases. We’ve seen this with

continue to increase.” It all still fits in with

available anymore.”

“The frenzy of the corona era has died

to flower pots. Recycled materials will

while, and the transport costs will also

the production process of Smart Plants.

But we do notice that not all sizes are

Peeters continues: “We order what we

In 2018, Herplant took action regarding

the price. What can we charge to our

was going to be a real issue. We created

need. It is important to keep an eye on customers? It has to make financial sense. Some products allow for a

larger margin. We do need to cover our costs, but we also have to be fair to our customers.”

Same situation in Flanders

“In Flanders, people also have to deal

with an increase in prices and lack of raw materials, just like in the Netherlands”, says Didier Hermans from Herplant. “I

feel like it is easier for other industries

to transfer the price increases to their

customers than it is in the agricultural and horticultural industry. It will be

tough on many growers. Which isn’t strange, seeing that fertilisers have

already increased in price by 40%, gas and electricity is costing 3 to 4 times more, and that the price of potting

soil has increased by 15%, and so on.

The transportation costs have also

increased a lot, and the staff costs have

the water issue. “We knew that drought two large pools, and we got rid of the

plots that we could not water. However, if we have months like these, with only 60 litres coming down, those pools

don’t really help that much.” Hermans is

annoyed by the arbitrariness of the pump ban. “We just concluded a contract for 30 days, and after one day, we hear that the

governor has issued a pump ban. There’s no dialogue here. It would be better if we

were able to talk to the water boards, like in the Netherlands. However, in Flanders people prefer a policy dictated by the

civil service. We feel that dialogue and consultation would be much better.”

Of course, we did talk to a supplier as

well. Marco Wilschut is co-owner/director

products for the professional horticulture. down, so the situation is a bit more quiet now”, says Wilschut. “However, that

doesn’t mean that calm has returned.

There is also a shortage of raw materials.

time. “Every month, we have to deal with

we are not able to scale-up very fast.

That has increased by a lot, and will

probably remain that way.” Many feel

that corona and the war in Ukraine are to blame for the shortage of raw materials.

Wilschut feels differently; he points the finger at the European Committee.

“They decided that as of 2023, every

plastic products should contain at least 1/3 of recycled materials. If it doesn’t, a

surcharge of hundreds of Euros per tonne should be paid. I do not understand that, since there is no capacity to do this right now. And there may not be for many

years. So the large recycling companies are becoming very proactive and are starting to speculate. That results in

“Due to different external causes, the tree nursery industry experiences many

Fortunately, we have a long-standing

growers and suppliers, have found an inventive way to deal with this, and that they

relationship with our pot supplier, so we

price increases and supply issues. It is good to see that our participants, both

View of stream ‘Aa of Weerijs’. PHOTO FRESON

materials, which is crazy.”

Wilschut notices that this way, the

On behalf of trade fair GrootGroenPlus: Frans van Wanrooij, secretary.

understand each other’s situation.”

become more expensive than new

There is still a shortage of products, and

also increased in the past two years by approximately 10 % due to indexation.

PET bottles, and the same will happen

suppliers are behind the curve all the

new price increases. We can handle one

or two per cent, but you cannot continue

like this, so we have to continue to charge it to our customers. And that doesn’t really make them happy either. Raw

materials make up more than 50 per cent of the cost price, and that doesn’t even

include the costs of energy, production, and transport.

What we see now is that large

international companies have started

focusing on recycling. They can make a profit there. And these companies also

have links to the consumer market. One

chain has already announced that they will require that 1/2 part of every plastic product should be recycled material.

Otherwise, they will not use it. All this

is done for the customer that chooses environmentally friendly products… or

maybe it’s more about some sort of claw back arrangement? To say it bluntly: ‘the big money has its claws in the recycling industry’. We will have to buy our own waste flows”, says Wilschut. 

June 2022

SPECIAL

8

Text: Nursery Stock Trade Fair GrootGroenPlus

ENTREPRENEURSHIP, RESEARCH, AND LEANING: A MUST OR NOT? Entrepreneurship, research, and leaning: a must or not? And can knowledge help to better counter a crisis or a problem? If you can answer both questions with

‘yes’, this will be a very short article. What is the importance of knowledge in our industry, do we use the knowledge we have, and is there enough knowledge?

GrootGroenPlus decided to find that out.

Interaction between research, education, and businesses is very important.

presentation must contain his knowledge

industry, research and education are part

his claim.” Wil Bekkering notices a gap

“For an industry like the nursery stock

of the foundation of the arboriculture”,

says drs Wil Bekkering, director of Aeres Hogeschool, with faculties in Dronten, Almere, and Wageningen. “Important

global issues, such as the consequences of climate change and the declining

biodiversity, are hitting the nursery stock industry right in its core. If more people

about this product, the use, but it also has to be based on known scientific

knowledge and research that supports between the nursery stock industry

and developments from research. “I

wonder if companies notice this.” Maybe, colleges like Aeres, with practice-oriented research, will have the opportunity

to improve the connection between the nursery stock industry and research.

move to the city, more will be demanded

Aeres will enter into a partnership with

provisioning of food, water, and energy.

(E&E) at Business Centre Treeport (BCT).

when it comes to nature, liveability, the Knowledge is required to keep the

growing cities liveable. And nursery tock products are a very important part of

keeping these cities liveable. Increasingly more often, research shows the

importance of trees, hedges, and plants

for our health and liveability. That is why

interaction between research, education, and businesses is so important. To

give an example: if a grower wants

to convince the government or local

authorities of the importance of planting more green, just the story of him

having great products won’t suffice. His

the Experience & Excellence Centre

Bekkering: “It’s great to see that the E&E seeks to connect with other regions in the northern half of the Netherlands, also when it comes to research and

education. With our wide assortment of courses, the multiple faculties,

and our international contacts, Aeres

drs Wil Bekkering, director of Aeres Hogeschool

really wants to contribute to sharing

are not holed up in their scientific ivory

including attention for the products of the

important that Zundert closes the gap

ankles in the mud.” Aeres will be offering

mainly consists of professionals from

knowledge in the industry. I think it is

that I just mentioned. As colleges, we

can contribute to the thought process,

and we can share our knowledge from

a research perspective. Our researchers

FAÇADE:

towers, but are - so to speak - up to the masterclasses and demand-driven

practical research. Aeres will also develop a short part-time higher vocational

training, focused on nature in the city,

ROOF:

OTHER BUILDING MATERIALS:

nursery stock industry. The target group this industry, who want to deepen their knowledge by means of education.

According to Bekkering, knowledge is indispensable when it comes to

countering problems or crisis situations.

“What’s the problem? What are the

reason and the cause? It is important

not to be individualistic, but to look with

Citumen

the ‘outside world’ at the effects that

can be expected, and to make sure that Kerloc composite tiles

Platowood wooden façade cladding

Sedum roof

Ecoboard

Bio foam

Flax chipboard

CONSTRUCTION:

everyone can contribute to a solution

given their own personal background.

That is why”, according to Bekkering, “it

is important that the education matches the needs.”

Resysta composite façade cladding Laminated wooden constructione

INTERIOR WALLS:

We can be proud of this in Zundert On this year’s schedule of the Business Centre Treeport (BCT), you can for one

thing find the development and set-up of the Excellence & Experience Centre.

Faay bio based interior wall Wooden hollow-core slab

The E&E Centre will include laboratories for applied research, and there will be

room for training, education, promotion, and innovation. Peter Berben has

Timber frame interior walls

Overgrown wall (interior)

INSULATION MATERIALS:

Hemp concrete

Recycled textile

Wood fibre insulation Flax insulation

IMAGE STANTEC

for reassembly

about six months now, and he is still as enthusiastic as he was on the first day.

Building with steel and/or concrete for the foundation and lower floor (dry connections) in a way that allows

been program manager of the E&E for

“We can be proud of ourselves, given

CLT walls and floors Wooden I-girders

what we’ve done here when it comes

to tree nurseries”, he says. “There is so

9

IMAGE STANTEC much craftsmanship here, and so much

of research and meeting. The set-up

of arboriculture also faces a lot of issues

They lift each other up, and want to get

lot of expanding on existing experience

account desires of future users, such as

to find a great solution. In that case,

from this, and so do we”, says Broere.

knowledge. Up until now, we’ve done a and knowledge. Existing and new

developments will all come together

of the building is flexible, to take into GrootGroenPlus.”

that require a wider knowledge in order it is important to know what kind of

knowledge you need in your business,

research here, and share knowledge.

Combination of science and practice

are going to realise. And you can write

machines and vehicles, and also active

Continuous process of discovery and learning

Toon Frijters used to live in Zundert, and

watering is very important to agricultural

here at the BCT terrain. We will conduct There are really ambitious plans that we it down: we want to be THE knowledge centre for the nursery stock industry

in Europe, and we want to create the

connection between research, education, and the nursery stock industry.” Berben states that the industry has the wind in

its sails. “We have to move along with the wind, and grab all the opportunities we

see. A lot is to be gained when it comes

to climate adaption and sustainability”, says Berben.

Focus areas for the E&E are, according to him: “vertical growing, a biotech

and pharma lab for tissue culture and

pharmacy, but also things like bio-based building, digitisation, robotisation, and datafication. Innovation will play an important part. We will be an open, outward-facing innovation centre.

This also answers the question of how

important the combination of entrepreneurship, research, and learning is.” The

DiTOIL is supplier of lubricants for

in the nursery stock industry. Director still feels connected to the region. He

very much believes in the combination

of practice and research. “By combining

science and practice, we have achieved the required performances for our

products”, says Frijters. “Of course, this

didn’t come without a fight, and we have done extensive research and applied a lot of trial & error cases.” Would the

same apply to the nursery stock industry?

“Yes, of course. You have to be open to

new developments and innovation, but that sometimes seems to be a tough

task in a traditional industry such as the

nursery stock industry, with a lot of family businesses. I do see a need for renewal

among the higher educated people and young people, who have been able to look beyond the limits of the nursery.”

building that will house the E&E Centre

When asked if knowledge is important

“It will become a true combination

Frijters says: “Of course! The profession

should be ready next summer. Berben:

for countering a problem or a crisis,

On behalf of trade fair GrootGroenPlus: Corianne Oudijk, treasurer.

and that you invest in that.”

During these times of severe drought, and horticultural businesses. The

business want to have some sureties, because if the drought continues,

enough water must be made available

to optimise the germination and growth.

GrootGroenPlus talked about this with Arie-Jan Broere from HortiGreen. This is the wholesaler of Broere Irrigation

the best out of everyone. They all benefit “They are winners in different areas, and

with companies on different types of soil.

During the ambassador days, they also

exchange thoughts with other customers.

The goal is to learn from each other,

and to gather information. We work in

approximately 20 countries, so we have

a great relationship with our clients from these countries, and we can exchange information. Of course, we also talk to

businesses and organisations outside of

the immediate industry. For example with Delphy, the knowledge institute when it

comes to ‘food and flowers’, and with the educational institution Aeres.”

BV, which focuses on drip irrigation for

Broere: “In our management process, we

the combination of entrepreneur-

a process, and how we can lift that client

agriculture and horticulture. Of course, ship, research, and learning plays an

important part here. “We assume that we have to do better this afternoon, and even better tomorrow”, says

Arie-Jan Broere. “Entrepreneurship is a

look at how we can bring a client along in to a next level. We do online coaching,

and we can look at his irrigation settings.

That is very important, especially in the first phase of the cultivation.”

continuous process of researching and

Broere also mentions the importance of

sometimes a few small steps. It’s a wave

problem or crisis. “How you can handle

learning. Sometimes you take big leaps,

motion. You have to continue to develop and take those small steps that all contribute to taking a big one.”

Broere has set up ambassador days

within his company. These ambassadors are ‘top’ clients in different segments of agriculture and horticulture. They

combine approximately eleven different crops. “The great thing about the

“The tree nursery industry is growing with its time in many different ways, from

relations between those ambassadors

and research, in combination with entrepreneurship, to be able to achieve the right

each other, and that they are happy to

mechanisation to soil improvement. In order to do this, it is very important to learn

is that they are not in competition with

applications and working methods.”

speak freely, and to exchange thoughts.

knowledge when it comes to tackling a something like that, of course depends on the issue. You have to be able to

oversee the impact of the problem or

crisis. If you know how to solve parts of

the problem, you are already reducing

it and keeping it acceptable. Take water for instance; if you have defined the

problem, and you notice that taking

away iron or manganese results in an improvement, you’ve taken a step. So dissecting problems and offering a

solution that doesn’t need to cost a lot of money.” 

June 2022

SPECIAL

10

Text: Nursery Stock Trade Fair GrootGroenPlus

BIODIVERSITY IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE, BUT THE MOWING POLICY IS A POINT OF DISCUSSION Biodiversity is very important. Growers and governments agree on this. However, when it comes to the mowing policy,

obliged to use weed control products,

municipalities actually aware of the additional biodiversity that the various crops bring, and which crops provide the

weeds. It would be nice if municipalities

major differences of opinion remain. There are also differing views within the growers’ community itself. Are nursery

most biodiversity? And what influence does the ‘let it grow and spread’ policy have on cultivation in the area? GrootGroenPlus discussed this with the Agro Biodiversity Work Group of Treeport and the ‘tree nursery municipalities’ of Zundert and Boskoop.

Last year, many municipalities in West

trees and plants and that sicknesses and

we grow a product that contributes

to mow their roadsides and ditches

ways than only chemical. However, these

I think it is of the utmost importance that

Brabant – including Zundert – decided in a different way. This is done in a

collaboration between 13 municipalities in Western Brabant, the Brabant Delta water board, the State Forestry and

the Bijenlandschap (bee landscape

organisation). The main reason is that all participants want to mow ecologically and bee friendly. The biggest change

brought about by this decision is that the roadsides and ditches are mown

less often. By protecting nature and the

habitat of various insects, biodiversity in the area should be improved.

Growers of nursery stock are the natural partners in the pursuit of biodiversity. In this context, Treeport has created the

Agro Biodiversity Work Group. We spoke with chairwoman Jolanda van Hasselt

about the purpose of this work group and about the way in which you can strive for greater biodiversity in cooperation with

the governments. “Knowledge about agro biodiversity is limited and fragmented

plagues need to be fought in different

growers often lack practical tools to deal with this. We want to use the work group to combine all existing knowledge, both scientific and from experience, and put it into practice. The pursuit of a greater

degree of biodiversity is not new. Jolanda van Hasselt: “Actually, we have been

working on this for many years. A number

of growers started sowing flower mixtures as soil fertilizers in corners or empty pits instead of spraying everything with a

weed control substance or keeping the

soil nice and black with a machine. And we feel that more growers should join

that pursuit, or even better: every resident in Zundert and the surrounding area.

Van Hasselt: “As growers of nursery stock,

pre-eminently to biodiversity. Therefore, the government and local authorities

consider us a partner in this pursuit. And that’s what’s missing sometimes.” The

mowing policy turns out to be a hot topic.

By refraining from mowing, the herbs get the opportunity to spread. That’s nice,

but not if your nursery land also gets the full layer of those scattered herbs. “For

management, that they also have a

spraying license and that they don’t get

paid for weed management.” Van Hasselt notes, however, that some progress has

been made. What used to be absolutely non-negotiable is now becoming

negotiable. “All parties must clearly

indicate where the problem lies and then try to find the best solution. Tree growers

also find biodiversity of great importance and often contribute to this through their cultivation.”

for nurseries with seeds, it’s disastrous

municipalities contribute to increasing

in the spring. The beautiful flowery

roadsides are not the problem, but the many seeds that blow over and end

up between your plants cause a lot of

misery. Buyers still want to receive plants without additional weeds. Sometimes,

we feel like we cannot win. First, we were

On behalf of trade fair GrootGroenPlus: Chantal van Kuyck, trade fair manager.

growers see that a natural balance can

biodiversity. GrootGroenPlus has been an active partner of this foundation for more

will take place in Zundert. This is a unique, massive event, with a lot of attention for than 10 years.

have the expertise when it comes to

The diversity of species and varieties

a problem,” says Van Hasselt, “however,

when it comes to growing nursery stock,”

have a positive effect on the growth of

and water boards realized that growers

growing standard tree, that isn’t much of

“On 16 November, the national celebration of ‘Stichting Nationale Boomfeestdag’

says van Hasselt. Increasingly more

and now we get a fine if we control the

produced in the tree nursery

biodiversity in those municipalities in a

positive way. The shelter, the food supply, the opportunity to migrate and to nest

etc. all differ among crops, but the total picture is overwhelming and of a much

higher value than is often seen now. It is a

combination and teamwork of organisms and plants.

Taking into account all stakeholders

At the time of writing this article, the

new board of mayor and aldermen had not yet taken office in the municipality of Zundert. However, the municipal

organisation considered it to be very

important to reflect the municipality’s

11

have negative consequences for our

as possible with different flowering

find a solution along with ZLTO, Treeport,

to manage 1,000 different species.

growers/farmers. That is why we tried to and Bijenlandschap West-Brabant. It is important that we achieve ecological goals, without much nuisance from

weed seeds blowing in for our growers/ farmers.”

Normally self-management of roadsides

is not allowed, now it has been decided to allow this in some locations. The relevant locations and the conditions attached to them can be found at:

www.bit.ly/zelfbeheer-toegestaan.

How could the municipality, the water board and growers best cooperate in

this area? According to the municipality,

this is: “by remaining in conversation and having (and keeping) an eye on each other’s interests. The Bijenlandschap

West-Brabant is also a partner in this.

In addition, it is important to properly monitor and evaluate the impact of

this policy, including the possibility for

growers to intervene themselves, to do the right thing in the future.”

Putting more focus on the planting of new trees

The Dahlia is also common in Zundert. biodiversity policy in the KwekersBode.

We have to take into account all

of the importance of the nursery

biodiversity. In addition to the nursery

“The municipality of Zundert is aware stock industry for biodiversity in the

municipality,” said a spokesperson. “That

is why we are constantly in close contact with this industry. We are looking for the

our stakeholders when it comes to

stock industry, these are, for example, our inhabitants and nature and environmental associations.”

middle ground, something that would be

The municipal biodiversity policy

could be: increasing biodiversity through

with the interests of growers. This is

in the best interest of both parties. This

ecological roadside management and limiting the nuisance caused by weed seeds blowing in at growers/farmers.

PLANTS

GROWING

(mowing policy) may sometimes clash certainly something the municipality is aware of. “We understand that

ecological mowing management can

GRUBBING

We also went to see how another

municipality with a big tree nursery

industry looks at this. Boskoop is one of the nuclei of the municipality of

Alphen aan den Rijn. “The importance of biodiversity is not in question in the municipality of Alphen aan den Rijn,” says alderman Anouk Noordermeer.

“There is a lot of focus on this in our

‘green and trees’ policy. The new college has been instructed to make a firm

commitment when it comes to planting new trees. In addition to a diverse use of as many non-toxic plant species

times, our tree policy sets the ambition Increasing biodiversity is also mentioned in the Environmental Vision and the

Sustainability Implementation Agenda.

In the municipal mowing policy, the

municipal management of rough grass

and bee idyll classes is designed in such a way that the optimum conditions are created for insects”.

Alderman Noordermeer says that

intervening in nature with management or by combating harmful herbs or

unwanted insects or soil life is at odds

with the great importance of biodiversity.

“This interest sometimes clashes with

the importance of the floriculture sector to protect products. At nurseries, we therefore endeavour to coordinate

the mowing policy in consultation with growers in such a way that nuisance is avoided as much as possible. But the overflowing of seeds is not 100% preventable.”

“Biodiversity, and plant diversity in

particular, prevents the occurrence of entire pests,” says Noordermeer.

“By introducing diversity into the plant

world, a balance is created in the insect world. We therefore also want to focus on increasing the number of insect

hotels. This helps the growers, because a plague more often happens at nurseries, since they often have many plants of

one species. Preventing the plague in a natural way is important. In addition to

aligning the mowing policy, it is therefore

very important to focus on plant diversity

and insect hotels, and this is something in which we as a municipality and growers work together.” 

FOIL

Machines for horticulture and nurseries Wildertstraat 4a, 4881 MC Zundert Tel.: +31 (0)76 597 9580 • GSM: +31 (0)6 5129 9417 E-mail: info@jochemsmilbou.nl Watermanseweg 2a | 4891 SZ Rijsbergen | The Netherlands T +31 (0)76 596 1220 | E info@basrijs.nl | www.basrijs.nl

WWW.JOCHEMSMILBOU.NL

June 2022

SPECIAL

12

Text: Arno Engels

THE WAY POTTING SOIL DEVELOPS FROM PEAT For decades, peat has been the most important raw material for potting soil, but in recent years, the use of alternatives

also decided to check the quality. This

example. And whatever raw material is mixed, it requires an adjustment in fertilisation and irrigation.

Potgronden, abbreviated to the RHP

has also increased. Potting soil manufacturers participating in GrootGroenPlus are now focusing more on wood fibre, for

Even before potting soil even existed,

later, in 1913, Klasmann in Germany set

grown in a substrate of low moorland.

cultivation, peat was already popular

extraction in 1920 between Groningen

van Nierop van Klasmann-Deilmann,

prior to the potting and container

among users. As fuel, which had been

discovered centuries ago. Peatlands that were not suitable for agriculture due to the wetness were excavated, the peat was laid to dry until it could be use to

start up a fire. The excavations created the Reeuwijkse Plassen, for example.

The peatlands in the Boskoop area have always remained unspoiled, allowing

the tree and ornamental cultivation to

flourish. Peat also proved to be excellent for cultivation. It can quickly absorb

moisture, and it also retains it for a long time.

Several of today’s potting soil

manufacturers have started out with

peat extraction for energy supply. For example, Pindstrup Mosebrug was

founded in Denmark in 1905. Some years

up a peat factory. Deilmann began peat and Oldenburg, and later on the two

merged to form Klasmann-Deilmann.

The transition from peat for firing, to peat for use as a growing medium, began

after the Second World War. Back then,

horticulture had to grow as an industry, to be able to feed the population. This was for example when the first large-scale tomato cultivation started. They were

“But they soon discovered,” says Fons

“that the quality of low moorland wasn’t

the same everywhere and could contain pathogens. Then they switched to a clearer high moorland.

The varying quality was also the reason for setting up a quality control system for potting soil. The testing station in Naaldwijk suggested this, and after

that, the testing station in Aalsmeer

On behalf of trade fair GrootGroenPlus: David Bömer, chairman.

resulted in the national Regeling Handels (regulations on trading in potting soil).

For decades, peat was the main raw

material for potting soil. The increasing

demand from the potting and container cultivation also resulted in an increase in production areas. Over the years, Pindstrup began to extract more

peat outside of Denmark, from other

Scandinavian countries, Germany, Ireland and later also from the Baltic States.

The extraction of Danish peat decreased.

“That extraction had always been

limited”, says Feico van der Schaaf of

Pindstrup. “It became even more limited

when green parties wanted to protect the peatlands and the government bought off permits. Something that happened

in Germany as well. There was a reason

“Phasing out peat in potting soil brings along new questions. It is great that

we moved to the Baltic states.” It’s not

together. The conversation that is held on the trade fair floor, is of great value for

in Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, but the

suppliers and growers share their experiences and are trying to find solutions

just that there is more peat available

that.”

climate is also different, according to

Van Nierop. “Baltic peat does not need to

Peat alternatives make fertilisation even more challenging Fertilisation of potting and container

cultivation process.”

we’ve been used to for years: mainly

means that the potting soil can retain

because the quality of the irrigation

nutrients. A manufacturer can measure

The pH of peat alternatives is also

buffer. You are moving in the direction of

cultivation has always been customised, water, the crop and the nutritional requirements can differ for every

company. That already was a big challenge. Developments in the

potting soil have only made this more complicated. “In fact,” argues Lowie

Weerts of Haifa North West Europe, “if we cannot coordinate this well with

the potting soil producer, this might

have negative consequences for the

Peat substitutes in potting soil release this according to Weerts, so he knows how to adjust the fertiliser to this. For

example, wood fibre and bark extract nitrogen from the potting soil during digestion and release manganese

during cultivation. And compost releases potassium. “You have to know all that,”

says Weerts. “It allows us to help think of a fertilisation strategy that works for the grower. This will be different than what

peat dominated potting soil.”

higher than that of peat. As a result,

less calcification is required to achieve the desired pH of the mixture. “But less calcification means less calcium and magnesium for the plants.”

According to Weerts, growers are only partly aware of the effect of using a

peat alternative in the potting soil. “They might know that al alternative retains

less moisture, for example. But this also

fewer fertilisers. That limits the nutritients rock wool cultivation.”

Wood fibre is similar to peat in terms of various properties, but the buffer

capacity of wood fibre is smaller. The

smaller the buffer, the more fluctuations you can get in the potting soil. “And

when it comes to cultivation, similarities and rules are more convenient, since

they will help increase the growth of the crop.” 

Schrauwen Machinebouw Zundert

De Ambachten 21, Zundert, Gsm: +31 (0)6 51 835 957 E-mail: info@s-m-z.nl, Internet: www.s-m-z.nl

info@roelandskwekerij.nl

+31 (0) 76 59 72 756

13

Potting. PHOTO ARNO ENGELS freeze to be used in potting soil, German

years ago, Pindstrup started using

fibre as potting soil component, and

mann-Deilmann, we have six composting

In Russia, the availability of peat is much

product that we use from the Baltic

tension in our market,” says Van Nierop.

we can have 100.000 cubic metres of

peat does.”

better than in the Baltic States. That’s

why Pindstrup invested in Russian peat

extraction a few years ago. “We thought that was going to be future”, says Van der Schaaf, “but the war with Ukraine presents an additional problem.”

The biggest problem is the phasing out of peat in recent years, under pressure from governments, retailers and

environmental movements. This requires growers and potting soil manufacturers

to look for alternative raw materials. The availability of peat is not the issue. Van

der Schaaf: “Every year, more peat grows

in the moors, additional millimeters every year, more than we excavate.”

By 2025, at least 35% of potting soil for professional users (such as growers) must be made up of renewable raw

materials, i.e. peat alternatives. Many

wood fibre as an alternative. “A residual timber industry, from fine to coarse

fractions. Wood fibre has proven itself

to us; many growers are already mixing

30%. We will achieve the 35% target with wood fibre,” says Van der Schaaf. For

now, compost is not interesting to the producer. “Because it is heavy, which

makes transport even more expensive.

Wood fibre is light.”

Other manufacturers focus for example

on coconut fibre, which increasingly more growers also use in their potting soil.

However, for Pindstrup the possibilities with coconut fibre are limited. “A few

percent of our raw materials are coconut fibre. It is quite expensive, partly because it has to come all the way from Asia.”

Increasing energy prices also increases

the demand for wood fibre as fuel, which results in increased prices for wood

also limited availability. “It is a source of Klasmann-Deilmann is trying to look at

the availability of peat alternatives from a geographic point of view. This also

includes coconut fibre. “We really need

coconut fibre, but when it has to come all the way from Africa, you can hardly call it sustainable.”

Some potting soil producers already

do this, but eventually all producers will create an overview of the impact of all

raw materials on the environment, using a lifecycle analysis, an LCA. In the long run, that might mean that certain raw

materials no longer come from far, but from locations nearby.

Some growers are currently conducting

trials with locally grown peat alternatives to potting soil, including the Miscanthus.

“Will this be available in large volumes?” wonders Van Nierop. “Within Klas-

businesses, but that doesn’t mean that

compost available whenever someone wants it.”

Time will tell if it is possible to end the

use of peat and only use alternative raw

materials. The global demand for potting soil and substrate continues to grow

significantly. Wageningen University &

Research calculated that the demand

will quadruple between 2017 and 2050: for peat from 40 million to 80 million cubic

metres, for coconut fibre from 10 million

to 45 million cubic metres, for wood fibre from 3 million to 30 million cubic metres, for compost from 1 to 4 million cubic

metres. And the demand for new raw

materials (such as Miscanthus) started with zero in 2017 and will increase to 65 million by 2050. This presents a huge challenge on the side of supply. 

w w w . v r a a g h e t g e w o o n . n l WWW.LOONBEDRIJFKUSTERMANS.NL | T. +31 WWW.LOONBEDRIJFKUSTERMANS.NL | T.(0)76-5976755 076-5976755

June 2022

SPECIAL

14

Bargam zelfrijdendeand/or en/ofcarried gedragen Bargam self-propelled field veldspuit - VAMIL / MIA mogelijk! sprayer machine - VAMIL/MIA possibility!

DO YOU HAVE CONSTRUCTION OR RENOVATION PLANS? We are ready to help you.

Tailor-made mechanisation Mechanisatie op maat • 22 werkplaatsen voor professionele service

• 23 workshops for professional service • Dealer/ importeur van Hermeler, Bargam, • Dealer/importer of Hermeler, Bargam, Fedele, Fedele en Ortomec and Ortomec keuringen van •• Onderhoud Maintenanceen and inspection of tuinbouwmachines agricultural machines •• Meer More info information at: www.abemec.nl op: www.abemec.nl

VestigingRijsbergen Rijsbergen Location 076 (0) 59 620 59620 59 TT+31 76 59

+31 (0)76 - 5974254 info@demeijerstaalbouw.nl www.demeijerstaalbouw.nl

Verkoop Tim Tim Hurks Sales Hurks M 06 29 02 29 53 62 02 M 53 +3162(0)6

EXPERIENCE OUR ADDED VALUE

FOR AGRICULTURAL ADVICE, PLEASE CONTACT VAN OERS AGRO The most important decisions are made at the kitchen table. We experience that every day.

Therefore, we’d love to visit you to discuss your annual figures, scale advice, or to offer our input regarding strategic decisions. Our account managers are familiar with your industry and speak your language. They understand that you have a lot going on and would like to help you bring your plans to fruition. Of course, professional advice is always our main goal. Your account manager suits you, because of his interest and knowledge, but also as a person. We feel that a genuine connection is really a prerequisite to be able to help you best. Are you interested in a pleasant cooperation and high-quality output? Call us at +31 (0) 76 - 597 88 00. We’d love to visit you.

Van Oers Agro Hofdreef 24, 4881 DR Zundert | Phone +31 (0) 76 597 88 00 | E. agro@vanoers.nl

Grote Heistraat 22C 4884 JC Wernhout tel: +31 (0) 6 13847291 - info@leenaerts-halters.nl

VANOERS-AGRO.NL

www.leenaerts-halters.nl

AMBITION • ENTREPRENEURSHIP • RESULT VOE21098 Adv Kwekersbode 130x195mm.indd 1

ROSES AND ORNAMENTAL SHRUBS

11-06-21 13:39

15

PARTNERSHIP VARB AND GGP; ALSO GROUNDED WELL IN 2022!

The cooperation between Varb and trade fair GrootGroenPlus - the platforms for outdoor green - has become very

grounded in the past few years. Continuous innovations have resulted in the current stock being visible in participant profiles, a general search engine with the full current stock, an overview of the top 5 of updated profiles and multilingual accessibility through both the website and the quadrilingual trade fair app.

webpage with additional information.

Are you unable to set everything the

Exclusive benefit for participants of trade fair GrootGroenPlus 2022

of the website, full search engine will

pages, and the trade fair app of

the trade fair, which will be hosted from

participants with their current stock. The

search engine can be used to search per

and both photos and pages with more

We are very proud of this grounded

Even though the six weeks haven’t

it offers to both our participants, so make

Only participants in the 32nd edition of

5 - 7 October 2022, will be able to show their full current stock during a period of six weeks. They are able to enter

their stock two weeks prior to that, so

be included, which will present all

participant, but also on (part of) plant

names. This significantly increases the findability of the offer.

that everything will be visible from the

Worldwide and freely accessible

not (yet) members of Varb will get a free

Dutch and English. It is not necessary

moment we go live. Participants who are demo account to do this.

Of course, one can also use the sorting and search options this year. This

creates a very interactive experience.

In addition to that, on the landingspage

The system is worldwide available, in

GrootGroenPlus are visited very well,

details can count on a lot of attention. started yet, we do want to call upon

everyone to make sure their participant

information, and their favourite plant.

registration form at www.grootgroenplus.

visitors and participants a unique

optimum use of free additional company

Both the landingspage, the participant

stekcultures

sure to use them well!

Are you not yet participating in

including photos, social media

The link with Varb allows participants

opportunity.

cooperation and the unique advantages

page is up to date as much as possible,

for visitors to create an account or to register. This easy access offers both

right way? Feel free to contact us.

of GrootGroenPlus and Varb to make

and product promotion. Suppliers do not get a Varb connection, but they do have other opportunities to expand their

GrootGroenPlus 2022? You can find the

nl. Upon registration, you will receive the login data for your personal participant profile right away, which will also be

visible right away. Do you want to join Varb and not wait for your free demo

account through GrootGroenPlus? Please check out www.varb.nl 

Supplier open soil planting materials of approximately 60 types predominantly evergreen shrubs, such as: Prunus laur. - Ilex - Osmathus - Elaeagnus - Magnolia Photinia - Thuja etc.

Also multiple types of Prunus laur. in C20.

Beekweg 27 7887 TN Erica Tel.(0)6-52631987 06-52631987 Tel. +31 www.weberstekcultures.com

BOOMKWEKERIJ BV

Maalbergenstraat 12 • 4884 MT Wernhout T +31 (0) 76 597 2920 • M +31 (0) 6 22 11 71 25 info@boomkwekerijhuijbregts.nl www.boomkwekerijhuijbregts.nl

NURSERY FOR PERENNIALS

A.M. MARIJNISSEN

SPECIALISES IN: Eldertstraat 8 - 4882 JH Zundert Tel. +31 (0) 76 - 5973026 info@marijnissenvasteplanten.nl

SHRUBS IN OPEN SOIL PLANTING MATERIAL PRUNUS LAUROCERASUS IN OPEN SOIL AND P.9

+31(0)651 426 755 info@boomkwekerijwillemsenbv.nl www.boomkwekerijwillemsenbv.nl

June 2022

SPECIAL

Elco-machinebouw B.V. Kraaiheuvelstraat 1d 4885 KZ Achtmaal (NL)

16

Tel. +31 (0)76-5985713 info@elco-machinebouw.nl

Plant Market B.V. info@plant-market.com +31 (0)76-5990590

www.elco-machinebouw.nl

RENTAL

ACCOUNTANTS

'Robuust, Betrouwbaar' ‘Robust,Efficiënt, Efficient, Reliable’

• CONSULTANTS

KESTEREN

Doing construction work?

We also rent out!

What do we have to offer?

Transport/means of transportations Climbing and scaffolding materials Heating-drying-cleaning Electrical hand tools Electronics Air tools Garden and park Lifting and hoisting gear Construction machines/earth movement

Agricultural roots

Rooted in SMB

WEA DELTALAND ACCOUNTANTS & CONSULTANTS

Ulicoten +31 (0)13-5199501 +31 13-5199501 Ulicoten www.spapensmachinehandel.nl +31 13-5199501 www.spapensverhuur.nl www.spapensmachinehandel.nl spapens verhuur / spapens machinehandel www.spapensverhuur.nl spapensmachinehandel spapens verhuur / spapens machinehandel spapensmachinehandel

• OUD-BEIJERLAND • BRIELLE • DORDRECHT • DRUTEN • • GROOT-AMMERS • KESTEREN • MIDDELHARNIS •

info@weadeltaland.nl +31 88 133 73 00

WWW.WEADELTALAND.NL

We are l ooking for new colleagu es!

17 ADVERTORIAL

Text: Addo Sprangers

‘NEW COLD STORE BUSINESS CENTRE TREEPORT (BCT) IS READY FOR USE’

André ‘t Lam. Considering the advantages of the new cold store at Business Centre Treeport (BCT), one has to be crazy to not take advantage of it. If someone knows more about this, it’s André ‘t Lam.

He is a very experienced cool guy. He

service as magic words.” Eighteen

cold storage and freezing company

cold store at Business Centre Treeport

started out when he was 18 and sold his J. t Lam & Zn. BV in Veen forty years later, since he had no successor. Through an old client, he got into contact with BCT,

which really wanted to use his expertise and experience to guide the realisation

of the so-called BCT Treehub Cold Store BV.

Flexibility and service

“The tree nursery industry saw an

increased demand for cold storage,”

says André ‘t Lam. “That is why it wanted its own cold store, with flexibility and

months later, he can say that the new is ready for use. It has a strategic

position at Hazeldonk, along the highway near Breda, between Rotterdam and Antwerp. A modern building with a

surface of approximately 10,000 square metres, equipped with fifteen cold

stores, a reception hall, and a space

for truck drivers. A building that uses a

sustainable CO2 installation to cool, and

Sophisticated storage device

Own transport service

with modern measure and control

entire agricultural industry, and which

will be added to the building, which

of which the cold stores are equipped

technologies, which allows for cooling of up to a tenth of a degree.

A cold store that is accessible for the is mainly set up for the members of Coöperatieve Vereniging Treeport

Zundert e.o. U.A. Moreover, being a

service licensor who has the desired flexibility and service as a standard.

André ’t Lam: “We have an extremely sophisticated storage device with in total 5,500 pallet places. We know

exactly where every pallet with products is. One phone call or app of the

customer, and the requested pallet can be ready for transport in the loading

dock within five minutes. As soon as the order is placed, the computer prints a packing slip, with - if applicable

- requirements from the customer,

and the entire process will start. Our customer is king, and we try to help them as fast as possible.”

As of September 2022, seven cold stores provides another 2,500 pallet places.

And it doesn’t stop there, says André

‘t Lam. “We consider creating our own transportation service, in order to get products to clients even faster. We

want to have at least one truck that will

drive around all the time with deliveries, whether the customer requests five

pallets or one crate. Of course, we will have a lot of customers that want to

stop by to get their products. But if you don’t have to, why would you want to?

One phone call, and we can do it faster

and more effectively. However, that has to grow. Flexibility also means that the

entire process should be right. The new

cold store at Business Centre Treeport is ready for use.”

BCT Treehub Coldstore BV www.bct-coldstore.eu 

Partner Nursery Stock Trade Fair GrootGroenPlus

Belgian trade fair for ornamental plants and nursery stock

9.00u - 18.00 u | Waregem Expo | Belgium Growers, suppliers, and traders from the ornamental horticulture industry present their assortment to an international trade fair public.

Besides the production companies, important trading and export companies are also participating in FLORALL.

• Free access for professionals

Online registration is obligatory via www.florall.be

• Free parking

Check out the plan at www.florall.be

• Free catalogue

with an overview of the full assortment

• Corona safe concept

pursuant the applicable guidelines

Kom ons team versterken?

Will jij you join our team?

BootBoot & Dart Boomkwekerijen is een boomkwekerijbedrijf gericht op het on leveren van een totaalpakket & Dart Boomkwekerijen is dynamisch a dynamic nursery stock company that focuses providing a full package ofbeplanting, plants, voor toepassing ingreen grootschalige in areas stedelijke enEurope. landschappelijke gebieden binnenlocations heel Europa. eigen for application in large projects groenprojecten in urban and rural within With our own production withMet a total surface productie locaties met oppervlakte circa 130 in zowelwe Zundert alstoBoskoop, zijn wij in staat een of groot deel van de producten of approximately 130een hectares in bothvan Zundert andha Boskoop, are able develop and produce much the products ourselves. zelf te ontwikkelen te produceren.

Boot & Dart is groeiend en daarom zijn wij voor onze locatie Zundert Boot &en Dart is growing, and that is why we are looking to expand our location in Zundert with:op zoek naar:

VOORMAN FOREMAN VERLADING SHIPMENT LAANBOMEN STANDARD TREES

LOODSMEDEWERKER WAREHOUSE EMPLOYEE

hetcoordinating leuk om werkzaamheden • •DoVind youje like work? coördineren?

• Doteyou know a thing or two about standard •trees?

Heb je kennis van laanbomen?

Heb je kwaliteit hoog in vaandel staan?

• •Is quality very important tohet you?

• • Will you surezendingen that our shipments Zorg jij make dat onze compleet are shipped out in full? in één keer worden verstuurd?

• • Do youjelike working with plants?

Haal plezier uit het werken met planten?

• • Do you know how to work with a mobile Heb je gevoel om te werken met een crane and tractors? mobiele kraan en trekkers?

het afleverseizoen zorgwill je ervoor dat de In In the delivery season, you make sure that verlading van laanbomen rolletjes the shipment of de standard trees op goes well. You loopt. zorgt met het team dat de laanand yourJe team will take care of a correct and bomen correctofenthe tijdig verladen worden. timely shipment standard trees.

You are Jeconnection bent de verbindende schakel tussen de the between planning and your planning jouw hetshipment. (over) laden team, whichen will taketeam carewat of the You van de laanbomen Je houdt will keep an overview,verzorgt. even when thingshet are overzicht, getting busy.ook in drukke situaties.

Are you able to in a teammaar and solo?

Kun je goed in work teamverband, ook We offer a great job in an enthusiastic, motivated zelfstandig werken? Wij bieden een leuke team, renowned dynamic company, with baan at in aeen enthousiast en gemotiveerd team many opportunities for development and bij een gerenommeerd dynamisch bedrijf training. met de mogelijkheid om je zelf verder te ontwikkelen en opleidingen te volgen.

POT / CONTAINEREMPLOYEE FOR POT/ TEELTMEDEWERKER CONTAINER CULTIVATION • •Would you like toinwork in a great team?

Wil je werken een gezellig team?

• •DoWeet you know how to get things done? je van aanpakken?

• •AreHeb youjepassionate about plants? passie voor planten?

At this department, work a team Op deze afdelingyou werk je inineen teamand en are involved with the entire process, from potting to ben je betrokken bij de gehele teelt supply. van oppotten tot afleveren.

In zijn thatwij case, looking Check out www.bootendart.nl/vacature for the full job descriptions.

Dan op we’re zoek naar jou!for Kijkyou! op www.bootendart.nl/vacature/ voor de volledige functiebeschrijvingen.

www.nouwsYour specialist for: mechanisatie.nl

EERSTE MONTEUR LANDBOUWMECHANISATIE

Groei met Grow with Groenvision Groenvision

Wij zoeken iemand:

Garford hoe technology Wij bieden jou:

Weidemann loaders

Reactie:

Hardi spraying technology

Claas tractors

For all your agricultural and horticultural machines, tractors, garden and park machines.

Service and maintenance.

Watermanseweg 2b 4891 SZ Rijsbergen + 31(0)76-5968705

www.nouws-mechanisatie.nl National celebration Boomfeestdag

Wednesday 16 November 2022 Nationale Boomfeestdag (national day for celebration of trees) is a national holiday during which 100,000 elementary school pupils will plant 200,000 trees and hedges in the Netherlands. This year, this national celebration will take place on Wednesday 16 November 2022 at the Business Centre Treeport (BCT) terrain. Its theme is ‘working (with) trees!’ and the pupils will have a challenging, and active program for the day. They will go on a tour with a forester, get acquainted with the work on tree nurseries, and they will plant a lot of trees at the BCT terrain.

Besides the joint program with the pupils, the invited adults will attend multiple workshops and lectures of interesting speakers from the green industry.

A unique aspect this year is the international character of the Boomfeestdag. The development crosses borders and the terrain is located in both the Netherlands and Belgium.

To enforce the cooperation between both countries, the Dutch and Belgian pupils will also plant some trees together on the border.

�

�GEMEENTE

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Tel. +31 (0)172 23 54 44 www.groenvision.com

Powered by

Juni 2022 June 2022

SPECIAL

20 ADVERTORIAL

Text: Addo Sprangers

‘MAKE THE TREE NURSERY INDUSTRY IN ZUNDERT AND SURROUNDING AREA EVEN MORE ATTRACTIVE’ “Through education, research

and innovation, the Experience &

Excellence Centre (E&E), part of the

Business Centre Treeport (BCT), aims to make the tree nursery sector in

Zundert and the surrounding area even more attractive,” says Peter

Berben, programme manager at the E&E Centre.

The bar is set high. “The E&E Centre has

the ambition to become the knowledge centre for the tree nursery in the wide

surrounding area,” he explains. “In fact, we have European ambitions.”

Versatility

The E&E Centre is characterised by its

versatility. “We create a building that is

great to look at, and that uses technology related to the tree nursery. In terms of

content, the building is also functional:

it can host fairs, lectures, and meetings, and it will also get a restaurant. But

above all, it will be a place with space

Peter Berben

for education and research. Knowledge

Agreements

its existing green education programmes

lead’.” The tree nursery industry has

for example into ‘virtual growing’, and the

intention to connect with lecturers

their specific expertise to the industry

want to innovate, but they also want to

institutions can conduct research there,

use of LED lights. We will also be working on robotics.”

‘Applied geo information’

The HAS Den Bosch is one of the parties with which the E&E Centre has already made agreements. “They will mainly focus on ‘applied geo information’,

combined with data-driven processes.

With a drone above the land, for example, you can analyse an entire area and then use this information to launch another study. In addition, there is a link with

the Environmental Studies programme.

Soil, water and sustainable energy;

they are all connected. Using the drone

mentioned before, you can observe that the product does not grow on a specific

type of soil. You can work on that. Is it the soil? The irrigation?”

Adding value

“Tree cultivation has a huge potential,” he continues. “There is a lot of hard

work going on in this industry. You can add applied scientific research to the knowledge and expertise of the tree

growers via the E&E Centre. In this way, you can add value to the tree nursery industry and its products. Here in

Zundert, we are the European heart of a wonderfully beautiful green sector with a great deal of knowledge. That is how people see us internationally. We can

be proud of that, and we can show that more often.”

Peter Berben explains that it is E&E’s from HAS Den Bosch. There is a similar agreement with Avans. “Avans will develop activities in and from the

from Breda to Zundert and thus link

with which it has been collaborating for years.”

knowledge centre. For example, she is

Hip and interesting

and smart farming. Avans has some

with the various knowledge institutes not

very good at matters such as digitisation current projects that she wants to

transfer to Zundert and develop further here, for example when it comes to

artificial intelligence. The Aeres training

institute, with MBO and HBO programmes in the middle and east of the country, is

also very interested and wants to start a so-called ‘associate degree’ in Zundert: a programme between MBO and HBO,

with a link between theory and practice.

Aeres also has a new Applied Biology

programme, which focuses on nature

and biodiversity. Finally, Curio will connect

According to Peter Berben, joining forces only ensures innovation that benefits

the industry, but also encourages young people to choose a career in the tree nursery industry. “If you think about

quite a lot of small entrepreneurs. They make money today and tomorrow. Time and money for real innovation is usually lacking. The E&E Centre facilitates this

kind of innovation. Ideally, we will conduct a lot of research specifically for the tree nursery industry in Zundert. The results will also be owned by the industry. The E&E Centre is and will remain a direct extension of the growers.”

the tree nursery industry, you don’t

Lobby

data. By making education hip and

of the pillars of the E&E Centre. “On the

automatically think about drones and interesting, young people will become

interested, and the industry will get more future employees.”

Facilitating

He continues: “Businesses are ‘in the

‘Last, but not least’, promotion is one

one hand, in the sense of showing the beautiful products the Zundert tree

nursery industry has to offer, and the specifications of those products. For

example, a plant is often sold on the

basis of the idea that it is beautiful, while this could also be done on the basis of

the carbon-fixing property of that plant.

On the other hand, promotion is more

in the lobbying part. In the Netherlands, for example, 400 municipalities want

to become greener. They should think of Zundert for that immediately. That

is not self-evident at the moment. So

there is certainly something to be gained there. We should be proud of what we

do and tell a lot more about it. The tree

nursery sector here is amazing. The E&E

Centre will hopefully make it even more attractive.”

More information? peter@treeport.eu 