Kwekers Bode UK june 2023

June 27, 2023

• Ecology, sustainability and resilient cultivation

• Interest in technical aspects continues to increase

• Green secondary vocational education offers young people great opportunities

• Long-awaited move GrootGroenPlus is happening in 2023

• Florall plays an important role in dynamic Belgian horticultural industry

• What does the worldwide web think about the developments in the green industry?

COLOPHON: This KwekersBode is a cooperation between Uitgever de Bode and GrootGroenPlus |

Distribution: Municipalities of Halderberge, Etten-Leur, Rucphen, and Zundert | Print: 54,000 copies | Acquisition: John van Aert | Layout: Jan Bastiaenen | Text contributions: Chantal van Kuyck and Frank van Suchtelen

An example of this is Boomkwekerij Duchêne. Boomkwekerij Duchêne, located at the Steenpaal in Essen (B) is finding its way in growing hardy and special ornamental shrubs in an environmentally friendly way. In short, their vision is: ‘a healthy soil as the basis for quality products’. The KwekersBode talked about this with owner Tim Duchêne.

“We are consciously growing a very wide assortment, with currently well over 200 species. Partly because of the biodiversity, partly to prevent us from becoming too dependent on a specific type of cultivation. The starting point for our open ground cultivation is the creation of great soil biology. Instead of thinking in terms of death, such as ‘all that is harmful needs to be fought’, ‘everything needs to be as sterile as possible’, etc., we try to think in terms of life. We see the soil as one, and know that every part of the cultivation process impacts the soil. That is why we allow our plots to ‘rest’ for a year after cultivation, we use specific green manure, ripe

ECOLOGY, SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENT CULTIVATION

Sustainable and organic are keywords if you are talking about a renewed way of nursery stock cultivation. But how to combine those with a profitable business? Plants, trees, and shrubs are essential in making our living environment greener. Yet, sales have been slower, buyers are more hesitant than they were in the past two years. Fortunately, that does not hold growers back in finding a successful way to combine sustainability and a profitable business.

farmyard manure, and green compost, apply non-churning soil tillage, allow for specialised soil sampling, and keep an eye on water management.”

Boomkwekerij Duchêne also applies active soil biology by using good fungi and soil bacteria. Mycorrhiza and soil bacteria are added during the cultivation phase. Mycorrhiza are useful soil fungi that live in symbiosis with roots of plants. Duchêne: “Plants that are grown in these types of circumstances are nicer, stronger, and are sold better.” According to Duchêne, good soil biology means “being less dependent on fertilizer and crop protection products, which is good for the environment, but also for your wallet.”

Controlling weeds instead of fighting them

At Duchêne, they opted for controlling the weeds (manual hoeing), to prevent new seeds from taking shape and make sure that there is no negative impact on the growth and health of the plants. Thanks

to the use of a low volume spreading system, the dosage of product per hectare has been lowered significantly. Soil herbicides are not used for the soil biology. As of this summer, they will start using an electronic hoeing machine, which will allow for efficient weed management.

Working in and with nature

Duchêne feels working on a healthy soil is very important. They also use organic products to strengthen the natural defence mechanisms of the plants. This is a personal and tailor-made cocktail, which contains for instance stone meal, amino acids, bacteria, fulvic and humic acids, trace minerals, etc. During the growth season, this is applied every three weeks. Duchêne: “Chemical crop protection products are only used in exceptional cases, with a focused approach of the pest at hand, and a minimal impact on the natural enemies.”

Between the seedbeds, you can now still find grass corridors. These are now being replaced by varied and native blends of grass and herbs. Field edges are filled with flowers, and species-rich flower mixtures are used as green manure. The selected species in these mixtures creates the ideal habitat for natural enemies. “We really have to treasure these natural enemies”, says Tim Duchêne.

Dynamic water management

Water is of the utmost importance.

Duchêne: “At our nursery, we are very conscious about the use of the precious good we call ‘water’. That is why we try to catch as much of the available water, retain it (buffer), have it infiltrate into the bottom, and reuse it. There are no less than four weirs on the internal canals of our nursery. These are actively managed to keep the water at a maximum level during the dry spells. This way, the water can infiltrate in the soil (addition to the groundwater level), which means that plants need less irrigation.”

Level-controlled drainage

In the past few years, the classic type of irrigation at the nursery has been changed into level-controlled drainage. The advantage of level-controlled drainage is that the water level can be actively controlled in the pit. That means lesser irrigation and a positive effect on the nitrogen balance in the soil and the water. Next fall, the first plots of the nursery will be equipped with drop irrigation. Duchêne: “Of course, we will be at GrootGroenPlus from 4 - 6 October, happy to explain our philosophy.”

Organic forest plants

Faassen Plants from Tegelen mainly focuses on the cultivation and delivery of forest and hedging plants for the public market and governments. This adds up to approximately 70% of the total production. The own cultivation also includes standard and park trees, solitary hedges, and container cultivation. This is done by approximately 30 steady employees, at an area of 75 hectare. An important step in sustainable production has been taken this year; part of the nursery is being prepared for the production of organic forest plants. It is an ambitious step, and not an easy one. The KwekersBode talked about this with Ted Huijbers from Faassen Plants, after being tipped off by Florian Faassen.

“We find sustainability very important”, says Huijbers. “And we want to combine that with progressiveness. Our company has grown for years, following PlanetProof (previously ‘Milieukeur’). By keeping up with the strict requirements of the On the way to PlanetProof certificate, we are frontrunners when it comes to the ‘modernisation’ of the nursery stock industry. Since the requirements of the certification are increased every year (the requirements related to the products that can be applied is one year ahead of the Dutch laws and regulations), we can be certain of an environmentally friendly production in the future. We are also

Duchêne Nursery

Text: Nursery Stock Trade Fair GrootGroenPlus

MPS-A+ certified, the highest possible status when it comes to controlling the use of pesticides.”

Organic cultivation

Huijbers continues: “As a result of our focus on sustainability and innovation, we also want to achieve organic cultivation on our business, specifically when it comes to native forest plants. We now have 3 hectares available to work on that. We are actually very proud of being the first Dutch company that is working on this.”

Available does not mean that it is ready yet. It takes quite a lot for a plot to be suitable for this. Ted Huijbers continues: “Before the plot is organic, we have to grow organically for the first three years, to be able to sell our products as

‘organic’. After those three years, native organic plants are coming from this plot. That will be checked by SKAL Biocontrole. This is an independent administrative body that monitors the organic production, processing, and trading of products that adhere to the organic EU regulation, the Dutch agricultural quality law and the rules and regulations of SKAL Biocontrole itself.”

Huijbers expects that the native organic assortment will include approximately 20 species. In the future, this should be expanded to 40 species at a plot of approximately 20 to 40 hectares. He sees it as a great advantage that all plots on which they grow are actual property and not being leased. “We are sure that they have been free of weeds for years. We

“A healthy soil is the basis for healthy cultivation. Most nurserymen clearly got that message. Some even take it a little further and treat plant and soil as 1 ecosystem. Even in regular cultivation, there is a lot of focus on both the biology of the ground and ecological or logical crop protection. The tree nursery industry might be one of the most sustainable economic industries there is, because we make the world greener.”

are proud to say that in September, we can offer 5,000 square metres of organic planting material in C7.5 pots, mainly of native origins,” says Huijbers.

The first year is the hardest Huijbers indicates that cultivating a seedling is especially hard in the first year. “Cultivation from seed, without interference, is difficult. You have to

continue to monitor, to make sure that every seedling succeeds. It is hard that there is so little data available for this type of cultivation. That makes it a bit like ‘trial and error’; you have to find your own way. Later in September/October, we will have to fight weeds, which will be interesting. But we know it will be all right. At GrootGroenPlus, we will be able to tell you all about it!”

Tim Duchêne

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

Faassen Plants

www.vraaghetgewoon.nl

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INTEREST IN TECHNICAL ASPECTS CONTINUES TO INCREASE

Technical aspects are not new at trade fair GrootGroenPlus. It starts at the entrance; machines and installations are placed outside, which means that they are the first thing visitors see. In the past years, the number of technical participants has only increased. More smart solutions are found for better growth, more sustainable water use, sustainable weed control, and organic possibilities to strengthen plants. And isn’t the lack of staff often a reason to find a mechanical solution? Increasingly more often GPS driven data is used, and machinery that can be read, controlled and managed remotely. And what about creating task maps through drones? There is so much to see and experience, and the nursery stock industry is right at the heart of that. Often, technical solutions from other industries are turned into tailor-made options for the green industry. That brings along new questions: do we have to move towards a uniform way of growing and packing? Do we have to adjust our education? Do we have to improve the way we promote our industry?

We can ask ourselves a hundred questions, but still have to face the fact that the developments continue, and that the interest for the technical aspects is huge. And that is much more than just ‘people and machines’.

Robots are picking fruit

On Wednesday 24 May, we were present at a GreenTechPort Brabant meeting that was held in cooperation with Coöperatieve Vereniging Treeport at Loon- en grondwerkbedrijf W. Huijbregts in Zundert. The goal was to bring members together and brainstorm. Most types of cultivation do very well if the elementary basic requirements are being met, such as good plant material, good soil, and good water. There’s also more focus on the interest or the necessity of technology in the industry.

“Robots will be picking a lot of our fruits in the future. Those robots are already here today. We only need to use them the right way.” This was said by Harrij Schmeitz, director of the Fruit Tech Campus in Geldermalsen.

Schmeitz was one of the speakers at the meeting that was also frequented by many participants of GrootGroenPlus. Aigro, Boomkwekerij Udenhout, and AgroWizard and Mechanisatiecentrum Gebr. Ezendam offered presentations about their automation and robotisation solutions for the agricultural and

horticultural industries. The attendants were able to see a carousel of these three innovations. The Aigro robot was initially created for weed control. It made the tractor driver redundant. Control and management were done through a simple tablet. This way, the use of the robot is possible for many entrepreneurs.

Crop measurements, such as width and circumference of stems are very valuable for both fruit and standard trees. To be able to take those measurements, AgroWizard uses a stereo camera that measures depth, and a communication unit is built on top of a - mannedvehicle. Based on the measurements, detailed maps can be made per plot, with relevant information per tree. By establishing this growth data, it will be possible to create growth models in the future.

Gebroeders Ezendam has been a loyal participant of trade fair GrootGroenPlus for years. This company developed a trike that can be used for multiple types of crop care activities. The attending entrepreneurs received a demonstration of the drift reduction cover for low-volume spraying from Hens Hinlopen. Currently, the tool carrier has a modular set-up and is controlled through GPS. In the future, robotisation will also be an option. In order to do this, a cooperation with a start-up from Germany is being explored. Ezendam’s goal is to develop light and scalable machines, which is important for the soil structure and flexibility. Some machines are already in use, also in the Zundert area.

Technical Day Arboriculture 13 July 2023

On Thursday 13 July, Treeport Zundert, Project Schoon Water, and trade fair GrootGroenPlus organise the Technical

Hoeing machine for standard tree cultivation, the Weed Profi by OdV Techniek

Text: Nursery Stock Trade Fair GrootGroenPlus

Day Arboriculture. This will be held at the company Boomkwekerij Den Eldert, which has made the plots available for the practical demonstrations. At this Technical Day Arboriculture, attention is paid to the novelties when it comes to mechanisation and robotisation. The themes that will be addressed are tillage, hoeing, (row) spraying techniques, width measurements of standard trees, water, and innovation in general. Applying these complex techniques are a challenge in the nursery stock industry, since the products are so diverse. Every equal product also has varieties in size, pot size, delivery moment, etc. The cooperation and use of the participants helps to speed up these developments.

Hands-on

The project group, with experienced and driven nurserymen, have created a selection of what will actually be presented. This was done under the supervision of Arie Schipper from Delphy.

Arie: “Treeport Zundert is leading the developments in mechanisation in the nursery stock industry. In the past few years, a lot of attention has been paid to further optimisation of the mechanical weed control, to reduce the use of herbicides. Major steps have been taken. Hoeing with compressed air has been put into practice and is now used by multiple

growers and contract workers. On top of that, systems for controlling hoes are becoming increasingly more refined, with cameras and GPS systems.”

This year, Treeport Zundert hosts a Technical Day, with a wider perspective. Different innovative and sustainable techniques for the nursery stock industry are being presented and demonstrated.

Attention is paid to the precision techniques, that can for example be used to monitor the growth of a tree during the season (AgroWizard in practice). Attention will also be paid to autonomous (driver-less) tractors (Nouws Mechanisation BV and De Bruijn Mechanisation BV) and tool carriers (Abemec) for example for weed control.

There is also a machine that can spray weeds with a camera, which saves a lot of product (Abemec).

We see multiple machines for sowing nursery stock crops and mechanical weed control, such as hoeing and weed harrowing (Schrauwen Machinebouw Zundert and Loon- en grondwerkbedrijf W. Huijbregts). Arie: “This shows that the machines are applied increasingly more specific to the circumstances of the nursery, when it comes to cultivation systems, crop height, and crop shape. In

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

“We need to realize that we are only at the beginning when it comes to mechanization and automation. Every day brings more innovations. It’s not for tomorrow, it’s what is happening today. This is another reason why GGP is happy to join demonstration and technology days.”

the future, attention for the right type of spraying technique remains important. With green products, bio stimulants, and leaf fertilizers, a good coverage of the crops remains important. The new spraying techniques can spray with less drift, which improves the result and saves product.”

During the Technical Day, machines are presented that severely limit drift, save product and offer a better result. Examples of this are the lowered boom (De Bruijn Mechanisation BV) and the LVS technique with camera control (Nouws Mechanisation BV). OdV Techniek, one of GGP 2023’s participants, will present its tailor-made products for the agricultural professional.

The Technical Day starts at 13:00, doors open at 12:30. During the day, you can look at guided demonstrations, available for small groups of people at the same time. This allows everyone to look at the products and discuss them.

We asked Wilfried Schrauwen from Schrauwen Machinebouw and Otto de Vree from OdV Techniek why they participate in the Technical Day and what it has to offer to visitors. Wilfried Schrauwen: “Our reason to participate is to be involved with the latest technical innovations in our industry. We also want to show our latest developments to growers, and promote their use.” Otto De Vree is also very keen on sharing new possibilities: “We want to show our possibilities when it comes to hoeing in the standard tree nursery. And as engineers and machine manufacturers, we like to hear about the challenges that growers are faced with when it comes to mechanisation and robotisation.”

Increasing interest in technical aspects

Earlier, we mentioned that the technical aspects continue to draw in more people. That is why GrootGroenPlus has the intention to cooperate with leading parties to host an additional mechanisation day once every few years, to really show off the novelties. GGP is a platform for meeting people, and even though the technical area is growing, it still is a relation ship trade fair, and not the place for demonstrations and technical arena’s.

Schoon Water Project (Clean Water Project)

‘Schoon Water voor Brabant’ (clean water for Brabant) is a special project from the province of Brabant. The use of chemical pesticides has decreased a lot in the 11 areas where ground water was being extracted. That is why the rest of agricultural Brabant has opted for the same approach.

The goal of the project is to put less of a burden on the ground water protection areas, by using pesticides less and smarter. That way, the chance that damaging substances end up in the ground water is much smaller. All users participate, both in the agricultural industry and municipalities and businesses. Inhabitants are being informed about responsible use of pesticides. They get tips on weed control without chemical products, for instance.

Entrance to trade fair GGP 2022

At GGP 2022 there was, among other things, an innovation by the Ezendam brothers at the trade fair entrance

GREEN SECONDARY VOCATIONAL EDUCATION OFFERS YOUNG PEOPLE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES

The green industry is wide; it includes the nursery stock industry, but also gardeners, landscapers, public green and design, and water cultivation, garden centres and DIY markets with a green department. And of course: the automation and robotisation. If you want to get a great green education, there are many pre-vocational, secondary vocational, higher education and university opportunities (WUR). That is important, because in all green industries, there is a lack of well-educated people. In this article, we dive into secondary vocational training; what are the possibilities?

Focus on practice

In secondary vocational training, practice is most important. There are many types of education, on multiple levels (1-4), where the training can be a preparation for work or another type of education. After 4th level secondary vocation, it is possible to start with higher education. A number of secondary vocational education institutes have green as a focus in their education. We’ve made a list of the opportunities. For example with Curio from Breda, which provides multiple training opportunities regarding garden and landscape, on four levels. Or Aeres, with branches throughout the Netherlands. If you prefer green styling and commerce, you can check out the opportunities at Clusius secondary vocational education, which focuses on agribusiness.

Are you still trying to decide which way to go? In that case, the Zone College could be a great option. It offers education on cultivation and technology, but also in Green retail, Green and Culture technology, and green, soil, and infra. The same applies to Yuverta; with 12 schools throughout the Netherlands, Yuverta will train you to start working as a project leader at a government or an architectural firm, or as a gardener or forester. This institute also offers opportunities to dive into the circular economy.

If you like working with green products, including flowers, Scalda in Goes might be the place to be. Here, you can learn more about Flowers, green, and styling. Belgium also has some great educational institutes for green professionals-to-be.

Vito in Hoogstraten is an educational institute for science and technique, which also offers TSO education (comparable to secondary vocational education in the Netherlands). Here, the focus is mainly on technique, knowledge, and science.

Also for lateral entrants

For lateral entrants, the green industry also offers a lot of possibilities. Even if you have no professional experience in this industry at all. Would you prefer a school-based pathway or lateral entry?

In that case, you will go to school one day per week. The other four days, you will get practical education at a student company.

Training advisor

Does the green industry sound appealing to you, but are you clueless about where to look specifically? Project Scholingsconsulent Talentboom (training advisor) might be helpful. The project Scholingsconsulent Talentboom is an initiative of trade unions and employer organisations, active in the industry. The common goal is to improve working, learning, and developing people in the industry. Talentboom offers advice on education, growth, and development of employees and organisations in the nursery stock industry, perennial and summer flower industries, and helps them find suitable grants and education - free of charge.

Education square at trade fair GrootGroenPlus

At GrootGroenPlus, we have ample space to present the possibilities that green education offers. The educational square at GrootGroenPlus is set up to

find information on different types of education. This is one of the reasons that many schools visit the trade fair. Supply and demand can meet like this. This year, schools requested some guidance, and they will be hosted by Ilse Jochems and GroenZekerDoen. Ilse proposed that idea. She studied at HAS Hogeschool and graduated in Horticulture and Land Cultivation and at ARES Hogeschool, where she graduated her Teacher Green Education. The combination of those two

studies is perfect, because she loves to be surrounded by green plants, but also loves to share her knowledge. It is great to explore and expand young people’s interest in green. She works 3 days a week twice; in a green classroom at Prinsentuin van Cooth, and also at Boomkwekerij Jochems van Opstal. At the nursery, she has a lot of different activities. She also prepares plants to sell, and since the summer of 2018, she is the manager of holiday and Saturday workers.

Perspective for the future

You can be sure of a flourishing career if you enter the green industry, both as a former student and a lateral entrant. The industry is growing and requires new staff. So there are many opportunities to find a great job and to develop your career. In short; with a career in the green industry, you can always count on growth, perspective, and diversity.

Students talking

Erwin Hoorevoorts (20) studies gardening and landscaping in a school-based pathway (level 4) and is in his second year at Yuverta mbo Boxtel. We asked him why he chose this direction. “I was already working at professional landscapers on Saturdays and during holidays. I liked it, which is why I did the study. When I finished level 3, I continued to level 4, which I’m now in the second year of, and I like it. My motivation? As an independent gardener, I like creating

Perry Huisman

Govert Kreuk

Text: Nursery Stock Trade Fair GrootGroenPlus

something nice for the gardens of my principals. And I love to start with nothing. I’m not sure yet what I want to do after I graduate. I might do another study or work at a company to gain more experience, or maybe start my own company. I have another year to think about that. I would also find a teacher training very interesting. That would be a part-time higher education. Let me first gain some experience and later on share that experience with future generations.”

Erwin had his internship at Ketelaars from Moergestel. There, he worked both in private gardens and for institutes and municipalities. “I liked the diversity. I liked gaining experience in public green. That’s really something else. At healthcare institutions I worked at the maintenance of green, and also at adjusting certain things to make it more accessible to handicapped people and more fun for the children that were spending time there. At the municipality of Tilburg, I had very practical tasks, such as planting trees, creating special places, etc. I also liked the fact that I was able to check out what’s done at the office, calculations for instance.” Erwin feels that his education and internships are a great match. He is really looking forward to his green future.

Govert Kreuk (35) is a first year BBL student Tree Care at Yuverta mbo Boxtel. He tells us that he has been working

in the green industry for 15 years now.

“When I had to take my exams for level 3 Horticulturist, I got a great assignment for Dutch. Giving a lecture about my past, present, and future. Well, that future, what did I actually want? When I thought about it, I realised that I was kind of done with the hoeing and trimming hedges, and that I would find tree care much more interesting. When I told my employer that at an assessment interview, I got the opportunity to study tree care.”

Govert works for landscaping company

Vebego Groen in Nederweert. He has been working this job since six months and trims trees in the AWP, performs support pruning and has to climb into trees to cut out branches. He works as a tree surgeon four days a week and goes to school during the fifth day. How does he see his future now? Govert: “I’m very happy where I am now. It is a great company and the working conditions are fine. Of course, I first have to finish this two-year program. After my graduation, I will be a professional tree surgeon. And as far as I can see, my education is a great match with my work. After that, I would be interested in something like European Tree Technician, but let’s first gain some experience.”

Tree Technician as final dream, or more ambitions, maybe your own company one day? “Well,” says Govert, “for now I’m fine. So I’m not really looking that far into the future. However, it would

always be good to strive for a bit more responsibility.” Currently, Vebego Groen has two tree teams, and they want to go to four next year. “Next year, they want me to manage one of these teams. So that would be that additional responsibility,” says a very satisfied Govert Kreuk.

The nursery stock industry is in dire need of (well educated) people. If you can combine your education and work, it works both ways. Perry Huisman (20) from Boskoop works at Hoogeveen Plants. One day a week, he follows the 2-year study Cultivation and Technique, with tree cultivation as a specialty at Yuverta mbo Aalsmeer/Boskoop. Perry has some experience with the nursery stock industry, but made the conscious decision to learn more about the trade through this study. “Even though I like working in the nursery stock industry, I felt that I wanted more depth, and my education can offer me that,” says Perry. “I’m now in my second year of level 3. Here, I learn about cultivation and the technical side of it, but also about management. After that, I can do three more years at level 4 and then I would like to take 2 years of higher education. However, I will continue to combine working and learning. I think that continuing to learn is very important, everything in the industry is changing so fast.” When he’s asked about his plans for the future, he says that he wants to work at Hoogeveen Plants for a long time. “Starting your own business sounds great, but it needs to be feasible financially. I now work with the clematis and take care of climate control, watering, and crop protection for these plants. I can pursue a career here, I might go from assistant team leader to team leader, or become assistant cultivation manager or cultivation manager. This company helps

you to achieve your goals. You are also held accountable for what you do. You are allowed to make mistakes, because that’s how you learn. You can always go back to your manager,” says Perry. “That’s how you grow in this business, and it is also what keeps it fun and what keeps you ambitious.”

Finn Claessens (20) is in his second year of level 3 of the secondary vocational education horticulture apprenticeship training at Yuverta Boxtel. How did he end up here? Finn laughs: “I come from a completely different background; I used to be a personal aid for specific target groups in the wellness industry and I did some jobs for my current boss. I went to his place of work a few times, and I liked what he did so much, that I decided to pursue a career in this field. Now I’m in my second year towards becoming a Horticulturist. When I graduate, I can call myself a professional horticulturist. I would like to pursue the European Tree Worker training after that. I currently work at Meeuwsen B&T in Asten. I’m now still an employee/intern, but I do have a permanent contract and I am managing another intern. I like the freedom that I have, which is combined with great guidance. I also get the opportunity to do harder things and can always ask someone for advice. I feel that the theoretical part of my education is very important, for example gaining more knowledge about plants. At work, you hardly get into that. I want to know what I’m talking about, I have to be able to advise customers in the future.” For now, Finn is happy at the company he is working at and wants to gain as much experience and knowledge as possible, in combination with horticultural work and tree care.” I can always start my own business later on, right?”

“The ‘green profession’ is very diverse. Therefore, it makes sense that there’s a wide range in the offered education. The education is in line with the wishes of the companies.”

On behalf of trade fair GrootGroenPlus: David Bömer, chairman

Erwin Horrevoorts (right)

Finn Claessens

VAN

Working at Van Oers Agro means that you are at the kitchen table of nurserymen. You are curious, and ready to listen, which enables you to give a great administrative advice, and take care of what they need. You also help tree nurseries with their development. Would you like to grow along with tree nurseries, by working on your own development and helping them grow? Van Oers offers you the opportunity to grow, with your colleagues and your industry. That is why we challenge you to do your best work every day.

Enthusiastic? Or do you have any questions?

We are looking to expand our team! Multiple job openings

THE BIG SECRET BEHIND CREATING CONNECTIONS WITH SECONDED WORKERS IN THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY

Creating connection with seconded staff in the agricultural industry is a challenge due to language barriers and cultural differences. In this article, we share secret ingredients to build strong connections with seconded staff. By applying these strategies, you can create a close-knit and productive work environment in which temporary employees are motivated to walk the extra mile.

Seconded staff in the agricultural sector may struggle to feel connected to the company due to the temporary nature of the work. Language barriers and cultural differences reinforce this challenge, as many employees come from, for example, Romania, Poland or Bulgaria and do not speak Dutch or English. Building a connection starts with creating a strong corporate culture in which seconded staff feel welcome and valued. An effective way to foster connectivity is to ensure that a large proportion of the seconded staff, including the foreman, come from the same countries as the temporary workers. An important condition is that the foreman speaks sufficient English or Dutch as a second language. This helps to overcome language problems and cultural

differences. The foreman acts as a bridge between the employer and the seconded employees, allowing communication and connections to be built.

In addition to addressing language barriers and cultural differences, fostering teamwork and collaboration is essential to creating a close-knit work environment. Invest time in encouraging teamwork by regularly offering joint activities, such as having lunch together or having a drink together after work. Also give employees the opportunity to participate in decision-making and celebrate jointly achieved successes. Make employees feel comfortable enough to ask questions and express their concerns.

NED Personeel understands the specific

At De Noordhoek vaste planten BV in Schijf, over 2,500 types of perennials in pots are cultivated, for a wide range of clients. Our team currently consists of 16 people, both men and women.

Since we are still expanding, we have a new job opening:

SUPPORT PURCHASING AND SALES 38 hours

You are responsible for:

• Purchase and sales of plants through multiple ERP systems

• Processing of quotations and orders in our administrative system WinTree

• Keeping in touch with customers and suppliers

• Multiple administrative and statistical activities related to purchasing and sales

Your profile:

• Accurately and result-oriented

• At least secondary vocational education level, or higher vocational level of thinking and working

• Familiar with Excel, Word, Outlook, etc.

• Knowledge of WinTree and ERP systems is preferred, but not a requirement

• Fluency in the Dutch language, both written and oral skills

We offer:

• A pleasant, informal working environment with a tight team

• After a training period, you’ll have a very independent job with career options

• Competitive salary pursuant the Open Cultivation collective labour agreement

If you want to know more about this job opening, please contact mr. Sicco de Boer, kantoor@noordhoekschijf.nl of tel.: +31 165 551666

Send your motivational letter and resume to mr. S. de Boer kantoor@noordhoekschijf.nl

De Noordhoek Vaste Planten BV, Schijfsebaan

needs of the agricultural industry and offers agricultural secondment with personal attention. They ensure the right team of workers that meet the needs of your company and your current team. NED Personeel offers support in matters such as collective agreements, correct pay slips and disease control schemes. They ensure that employees have excellent working conditions and offer interpreters in the event of a language

barrier. By working with NED Personeel, you can be sure that a large part of the necessary appreciation and connection is taken care of.

At NED Personeel, personal service is paramount. If you have questions, you don’t have to navigate through an unclear website. For more information or to speak to one of our agri-specialists, please contact NED Personeel via +31 (0)76 596 4668. 

YOUR TASKS:

• Processing orders

• Stock and systems management

• Contact with customers/suppliers

• Offering support and working independently within multiple internal divisions

• Preparing (export) papers for drivers

YOUR QUALITIES:

• Team player

• Social

• Ambitious

• Structured/procedural

• Good with Microsoft Office

• Language wizard (English & German is preferred)

LONG-AWAITED MOVE GROOTGROENPLUS IS HAPPENING IN 2023

A few years ago, the announcement was made that trade fair GrootGroenPlus would be moving to CLTV Zundert as a temporary location. After we hosted the trade fair here for the first time in 2013, the location agreement has been prolonged for a few times. On the one hand because the development of Business Centre Treeport (BCT) in the municipality of Zundert was not ready yet, but also because of the hospitality and flexibility of the host location CLTV.

GrootGroenPlus 2023 would not even fit there.

The GrootGroenPlus accommodation will be removable and will be constructed fully at the main axis of the BCT. The entrance is at the front of the terrain, very recognisable with the tree-shaped advertising column. There is plenty of parking space and an outdoor space for showing machines and installations.

The nursery stock industry in Northern Brabant and the Belgian Noorderkempen has a rich history and is crucial to the employment opportunities and economic development of the region. Through the years, the region has turned into a modern and innovative tree nursery area. In the previous edition of the KwekersBode some facts and figures on the subject were mentioned.

location to combine everything that is involved with the green economy.

This business park has a thematic filter, fully focused on the nursery stock industry. Only businesses that add to improving the nursery stock industry can be found here.

Registrations

And now the moment is here; the development of the BCT is moving at a steady pace, more and more buildings are being constructed, and the terrain is ready for the move of the trade fair. For the first time, trade fair GrootGroenPlus will be hosted at the border crossing at Hazeldonk, from 4 - 6 October. That’s great timing, since CLTV is starting construction as well, and that means that

The area development is in the municipality of Zundert, and was specifically designed to be constructed on the Dutch/Belgian border. At this location alongside the A16/E19, a complete agrologistics centre of 62 hectares in total will be created in the next few years. It will become the largest international connection between Rotterdam and Antwerp; the perfect

Many participants have already registered for GrootGroenPlus. There have been a lot of requests. We can already see that the 2023 edition will become even more international, and that bigger stands are rented out. According to trade fair manager Chantal van Kuyck, that is not specifically related to the change of venue: “The requests for space at GGP were already moving fast in 2022, and we see that this year, it is moving even faster. This is not due to the change of venue, but it does prove that there is an increased need for promotion and working on relationships.”

Chantal is not just the trade fair manager at GrootGroenPlus, she has also been the general director of Business Centre Treeport since 2016. She says about the move: “It is great to see that everything around the nursery stock industry is finally coming together at the BCT. The

crossovers begin to have a positive effect. A trade fair such as GrootGroenPlus is a promotional platform that can be a real addition to the activities at the business terrain. In 2022, we have been able to practice with the National Celebration of the Boomfeestdag, and now we focus on 10,000 square meters of trade fair. A new addition this year is that every route will have its own hall. The closed loops - the obligatory walking route that ensures that every stand will be visited - will remain the same, and all halls will provide sufficient height. Enough space for standard trees. GGP has a full assortment of products. Of course, every move comes with more work and coordination, but thanks to the cooperation with the colleagues of both GGP and BCT and a steady set of suppliers, we always get the job done. Currently, there are no indications that 2023 will be any different. Even though there still is a lot to do.”

Does the location make the difference?

When asked if the location makes the difference, she indicates: “The location does make a difference, but not the difference. Every location has advantages and disadvantages, and there are always challenges and insecurities. And we also cannot control the circumstances related to traffic and weather. Probably some things will go wrong, every year something goes according to a different plan, but we are here to fix them. GrootGroenPlus is here for participants and visitors. They need to

Chantal van Kuyck

Text: Nursery Stock Trade Fair GrootGroenPlus

meet each other, and gain and transfer knowledge related to the offer and needs. It is not about is. The art of organising is making sure that no-one notices it. That looks easy, but it isn’t. Which is actually the point. If a participant books a stand, we have to make sure it’s there. We shouldn’t bother the participant with that, the participant is busy presenting their product and themselves. As soon as you’re on the trade fair, it doesn’t really matter where you are. 100% satisfaction of visitors and participants is an utopian dream, but we do focus on getting the best results possible. Personal attention for the participants and suppliers creates involvement. A warm welcome and the hospitality that both Brabant and Flanders are known for results in a positive and warm atmosphere.”

No conflict

Do the different jobs ever lead to conflict or conflict of interest? Van Kuyck:

“Absolutely not. I’ve been involved with GrootGroenPlus since 2008, and when I was asked as a general director for BCT, I made sure to tell them that GGP is my main activity. As soon as any conflict of interest would arise, I would return my focus to GGP. Of course, there is a system of checks and balances, and even though the board of GGP and the representation of shareholders of BCT give me a lot of trust and freedom, I always get permission first and if that’s not necessary, make sure that I offer an extensive justification. That is how we keep things clean and clear. This way

of working gives me a lot of energy, and helps me navigate through the periods of extra work. We are here 24/7 and are in service of the industry.”

CLTV Zundert

In 2012, Erik Bastiaensen of CLTV and also owner of the location, was named member of the board of GGP. At the time, Erik was very happy with the (temporary) arrival of GGP at the Molenstraat. The three-year agreement eventually turned into a nine-year agreement. Years during which the trade fair could become more professional, with a board with members related to the industry. People who know what is going on and what is important. During four weeks a year, GGP has been laying quite a claim on the strawberry warehouse that was built in 2013. During those years, it has been a great host location, and we were lucky to be able to count on a great host. Erik - with whom we celebrated his 25th anniversarywill remain a member of the board, but we will miss the location. Erik about the move: ”CLTV Zundert has been hosting trade fair GrootGroenPlus for years. It was a great honour to have this green trade fair at our location, and it does hurt me a bit to know that we won’t be able to facilitate the trade fair. However, GrootGroenPlus will get new possibilities at the BCT, and it will also have the chance to grow there.”

Promotion and marketing

If you look up ‘trade fair’ in the encyclopedia, you will get: “A trade and/

or relationship fair is an exhibition that allows businesses from a specific industry to present and demonstrate their new products and services. When the only attendants are from that industry, it is called a trade fair.”

That is exactly what GGP will create in 2023 for the 33rd time, but this time at a new and innovative location, a great match for the trade fair theme ‘Dynamic and Digital’. Matching the vision and the concept of Business Centre Treeport. The trade fair is already created in the digital twin, now it has to be constructed in real life! Between 4 and 6 October, GrootGroenPlus can be visited at Business Centre Treeport, at the border crossing of Belgium and the Netherlands, at the A16/E19, exit De Mosten, entrance through the main axis, at the advertising column. The municipality of Zundert will announce the house number soon, as of that moment we will communicate the entire address.

Didier Hermans, member of the board GGP: “Trade fair GrootGroenPlus moves to the BCT.

After having been a guest at CLTV in the centre of Zundert for years, we are moving to the BCT, next to the highway A16/E19. This industrial zone for the nursery stock industry gives us all the space we need to expand trade fair GGP, and we will fit right in with all the developments going on at the terrain. Many businesses related to the nursery stock industry have moved there or will move there soon. As a green trade fair, that is where we belong, and we have a great opportunity to fit the trade fair into it all.”

Arno Zagers, member of the board of EPS: “The nursery stock industry is of course Zundert and surroundings, and the middle part of Brabant is becoming a part of it as well. This great green industry has worked on the development of BCT for years. The final step in that process is creating a knowledge centre in cooperation with multiple studies. EPS is very happy to have the trade fair at a central, practical location, where it is possible to bring knowledge and commerce together. This is good for the wider region and the image of this great green industry.”

“Being present from 4 to 6 October is easy! Visitors can book their tickets via www.grootgroenplus.nl . Participants can register via the registration form on the website. The number of places available is limited, be on time!”

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

Location GGP 2023 in the digital twin. Source: Stantec

WHAT

Ben jij die eerste monteur mobiele werktuigen die op zoek is naar een nieuwe uitdaging? Dan zijn wij met spoed op zoek naar jou!

your specialist for:

EERSTE MONTEUR LANDBOUWMECHANISATIE

Als eerste monteur ben je verantwoordelijk voor de voorkomende service, reparatieen onderhoudswerkzaamheden aan tractoren en landbouwmachines. Daarnaast valt onder de werkzaamheden het keuren van diverse machines, het maken van werkorders en het invoeren van (werk)bonnen.

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Wij zoeken iemand:

• Met technische opleiding MBO-niveau 3

• Affiniteit met de agrarische sector

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• Goede communicatieve vaardigheden en een klantvriendelijk

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• Teamspeler

Wij bieden jou:

Weidemann

shovels

• Een uitdagende, zelfstandige baan met veel verantwoordelijk

• Een prettige werksfeer

• Goede salariëring en secundaire arbeidsvoorwaarden

• Eventuele doorgroeimogelijkheden tot chef-werkplaats

Voel jij je aangesproken of denk je aan onze verwachtingen te kunnen voldoen?

Dan liggen er voldoende uitdagingen in een jong en dynamis

Reactie: Heb je interesse stuur dan je sollicicatie en CV binnen twee weken naar info@nouws-mechanisatie.nl t.n.v. Frank Nouws. Voor meer informatie en de volledige vacature neem een kijkje op onze website: www.nouws-mechanisatie.nl

MACHINES FROM TTS ARE ALL OVER THE WORLD

Rob Tolenaars, owner, founder and sales manager of TTS, has been involved in agricultural automation for years. He makes automatic planting machines for horticulture and tree cultivation. TTS machines can be found on fields all over the world.

These machines are basically intended for everything that is planted per unit, such as leek and cabbage, but also flowers and tree floriculture. So mostly what is grown in a tray or tray for cuttings. As mentioned before, TTS machines can be found on fields all over the world. In Israel, a machine has recently been put into operation that TTS developed for planting chrysanthemums. Rob and his fellow partners Peter van Rijckevorsel and Martin Goos develop the machines, themselves from A to Z and often in-house.

Behind the scenes

Rob began his adventure in 2003 when he was asked to go to Australia to develop a fully automatic planting machine. The intention was that he would stay there for five years, and then continue his development in Europe as a salaried manager for Europe. Unfortunately, there was a crisis in 2008-2009. A large number of companies were forced out of business, while the company he was working at was starting to grow. But even the company in Australia did not sell enough machines during those years. Which meant that it was no longer profitable to continue. After five years, the company stopped selling in Europe. However, they continued to develop in the background, in the meantime maintaining contacts with customers and end users. “Behind the scenes I continued to create a business plan,” says Rob Tolenaars. “After a few years, I started implementing the plan. With Van Oers Agro as financial advisor, I registered as a company with the Chamber of Commerce in 2017.”

Job openings

TTS has a great need for new, experienced staff for the production of the simplest automatic planters. There are currently three permanent employees, including Rob himself. The company also employs a number of freelancers. “Since the company is experiencing strong growth, we would like to

hire ten more employees. Unfortunately, as with many technical companies, the problem is that good and qualified staff is difficult to find.” TTS is looking for multiple assembly workers, one or more construction and welding workers, and a service technician. But there is also room for a computer programmer and an administrative employee on a part-time basis. Because TTS belongs to the top, the bar is set quite high. “A six is certainly not enough, an eight sounds a lot better,” says Rob. “Whatever TTS sells must be functional. TTS believes it is important to listen to the requests of its customers, their requirements and take into account their budget.”

In addition to Rob, Peter van Rijckevorsel is also very important for the company. He is the main engineer, designs the machines and takes care of the final assemblies and puts the finishing touches on the final product. Martin Goos is also an engineer and Martin arranges the internal ICT, the layout of rooms and takes care of the planning. He is also responsible for making manufacturing and assembly easier in the future, in order to be able to refine and further develop the machines. This process never stops at TTS!

Operation of the TTS transplants

The basic operation of the automatic

planting technique is a gripper with four fingers. This is pressed into the lump, after which the fingers pick up the plant and carefully remove it from the tray. These grippers drop the plant into a plant tube, after which the plant ends up in the plant coulter. This prevents the plant from being released several times. This is the success behind a beautiful plant image: the TTS machine drops the plant as little as possible and ensures smooth movement, without the plant having to stop too much. Flexibility means that Tolenaars calls the machine ‘narrow, fast and smart’. He uses more short descriptions for his machines: ‘Built to last’ is one of them. All machines are built slightly stronger than one would expect for their intended purpose. This means that frames, carriers, plant coulters and so on are all a bit heavier than necessary. This makes the machine robust.

“The moment that needs to be planted, you have to be able to handle the machine, no doubt, and reduce the chance of issues as much as possible,” says Tolenaars. As an example, he mentions the fact that the plant coulters are made of hardened material.

Worldwide

Nieuw: TTS automatische plantmachines voor boomteelt

New: TTS automatic transplanter for tree cultivation

Do you want to save time when planting your materials?

The automatic transplanter from TTS makes planting much faster and easier.

Onze plantmachines zijn volautomatisch en geschikt voor vrijwel iedere tray voor de boomteelt

TTS biedt de automatische oplossing voor iedere plantbehoefte Ons laatste model Hoge dichtheid/Multirijer heeft een uniek design, waardoor het mogelijk is om met een hoge dichtheid plantgoed uit te planten Deze machine is beschikbaar voor het planten van 3 tot 8 rijen tegelijk Ook de benodigde plastic trays zijn bij ons verkrijgbaar

Our transplanters are fully automated and suitable for practically every tray for the tree cultivation. TTS offers the automatic solution for every plant requirement. Our latest model High density/multi driver has a unique design, which makes it possible to plant materials with high density. This machine is available for planting 3 to 8 rows at a time. We also sell the required plastic trays.

Dankzij de plantmachines van TTS verloopt het complete plantproces simpeler en sneller, waarbij nog maar één machinebestuurder nodig is Automatisch planten, tijd én geld besparen met TTS!

The TTS transplanters make the entire planting process much easier and faster, requiring only one driver. Planting automatically, saving time and money with TTS!

TTS receives orders from all over the world: from Australia, Scandinavia, England, Spain, Brazil, Israel, Scotland, Sweden and many more countries. “At the moment, half of the orders come from the Netherlands. This is something we’re very proud of. So it is very important to make sure that our planning is executed very well, so that the customer can count on the machine being ready in time. It is also important that the orders are received on time, as we make everything in-house (from design to aftersales) and according to the requirements of the customer. So we do not have a large warehouse or warehouses where ready-made machines are located. That’s why planning is so important.”

And TTS does not avoid special requests, as long as it is feasible for them to make it.

“At the moment, TTS is working for a regional company to develop a machine to stack crates. Something completely different, but a nice challenge!”

Tijd besparen bij het uitplanten van plantgoed?

Met de automatische plantmachines van TTS gaat planten sneller en makkelijker

FLORALL PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN DYNAMIC BELGIAN HORTICULTURAL INDUSTRY

Florall is the Belgian horticultural trade fair that is organised in Waregem Expo. Even though the Belgian horticulture often seems to be overshadowed by the Netherlands, it still has many interesting companies that should not be overlooked. At Florall, it is possible to meet these businesses.

The Belgian horticultural industry adds up to 6.5 thousand hectares of soil and a production value of approximately 600 million Euros. The industry exports to France, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and other EU and non-EU countries. The most important companies from the Belgian industry present their full assortment of ornamental and tree nursery products to an international public at Florall. Besides the production companies, important trade and export companies and suppliers (e.g. potting soil, fertiliser, automation, and climate control) participate in both Florall and GrootGroenPlus.

Trade fair GrootGroenPlus has been working with the Belgian trade fair Florall since 2012. Recently, delegations from both fairs met to explore areas in which they could further strengthen each other. A collaboration does not only positively impact both fairs, but also ensures that the ornamental and tree cultivation region of the Netherlands/Belgium is put on the map even more powerfully within Europe.

At the moment, both trade fairs cooperate in multiple ways. Both trade fairs present each other’s novelties, they exchange presentations and advertisements, and both the participants from Florall and GrootGroenPlus are invited to present the partner trade fair to their network.

Although it concerns two different trade fairs in two different countries, both relationship fairs are really complementary to each other. They both have their own identity, a large number of regular participants and feel both accessible and professional.

Florall is organised twice a year, in the spring and in the fall. During this fair, a complete overview of the spring and autumn range of floriculture and tree nursery products will be presented. Florall is a 1-day trade fair and the next edition takes place on 22 August 2023.

GrootGroenPlus is a 3-day event and organised once a year. Traditionally, GrootGroenPlus is seen as the kick-off of the nursery stock season and therefore the meeting place for

everyone who is professionally involved with green products. The next edition of the GrootGroenPlus trade fair will take place on 4-6 October. Every year, approximately 15% of the GGP participants are from Belgium.

Key figures Belgian horticulture

(Source: AVBS, federation for horticulture and green products)

- Acreage (Belgium, 2022) 6513 hectares

- Production value (Belgium, 2019): 592 million Euros

- Production value (Flanders, 2019): 535 million Euros

- Production value (Wallonia, 2019): 57 million Euros

Of which:

- Nursery stock nurseries total (Flanders, 2019): 326 million Euros, including fruit trees (10), ornamental trees (277), forest trees (37), and Christmas trees (2).

- Horticulture total (Flanders, 2019): 209 million Euros, including flower bulbs and flower tubers (6), cut flowers (26), seeds and planting material (21), and ornamental plants (157). Ornamental plants include Azalea, pot chrysanthemums, bedding plants and balcony plants, but also houseplants.

- Employment production industries (Belgium, 2019): ± 3600 FTE

- Export data (Belgium, 2022): 599 million Euros

- The most important export countries in order of importance: France, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and other EU and non-EU countries.

As opposed to Flanders, Wallonia is not a horticultural area. The data for this type of growth has been relatively stable for a long time. The value included in the ‘Strategic Horticulture plan 2019-2028’ amounts to approximately 52 million Euros, which is approximately 10% of the total value of the Belgian horticulture and 3% of the Walloon agricultural production. The Flemish horticulture adds up to approximately 32% of the value of the Flemish agricultural production.

Wallonia has approximately 110 horticultural companies working with

annual crops, blossoming plants, and chrysanthemums, approximately 65 horticultural companies (trees and hedges, fruit trees, standard and ornamental plants, etc.) and approximately 200 garden centres. 10,000 people work in the horticultural industry, edible and non-edible (including garden centres and parks and gardens).

A cultivation that is very important to Wallonia is the cultivation of Christmas trees. Every year, approximately two million Christmas trees are grown in Wallonia. They are sold to the wholesaler and almost 85 per cent is being exported. With approximately 1,000 full-time jobs and an estimated turnover of 35 million Euros, the professional Christmas tree industry is important to the Walloon region. The cultivation of Christmas trees covers approximately 3,100 hectares, which is about 0,42 per cent of the useful agricultural acreage. The almost 50 Walloon companies in the industry are mainly located in the province of Luxembourg and the south of Namen.

(Data 2021, source: Belga)

At both trade fairs, visitors find a lot of plants and planting materials, including woodlands and hedge plants, fruit trees, nursery stock products in pot and container, perennials, chrysanthemums, laurels, roses, ornamental trees and shrubs, bedding plants, and young plants. At Florall, attention is also paid to the blossoming and green houseplants, at GGP one can also find standard trees

and technical innovations. For many growers, the trade fairs are a way to meet their most important customers and the international trade.

A look behind the scenes of young plants

Besides the diverse character when it comes to assortment, the Belgian industry also offers a lot of variation in cultivation, with open ground cultivation, container cultivation, and young plants. One of the Belgian young plant companies is Plant Select, a worldwide supplier of in vitro planting materials. The company recently opened up a new laboratory. Production manager Joren De Wachter and commercial manager Feico Smit like to give a look behind the scenes.

Brand new in vitro lab

In the next few years, Plant Select is consciously opting for keeping the in vitro production of young plants close-by, in-house. The opening of a modern and much bigger laboratory shows the ambitions of the company, to be on the leading edge for different types of cultivation, and to find new markets and applications. On behalf of AVBS, the federation for horticulture and green products and the KwekersBode, Ivan de Clerq visited the opening.

Fargesia and Hydrangea

Every year, Plant Select produces approximately 1,25 million young plants. The company focuses mainly on non-invasive bamboo (Fargesia), grown

“If you read the figures about Belgium, you will see that the language border is also a marker for the tree cultivation companies as we know them in the Netherlands and Flanders. It is nice to see that both Florall and GGP are good relationship fairs. Participation in both fairs is of course an option and in fact not even exceptional!”

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

Feico Smit (left) and Joren De Wachter see a lot of possible applications for bamboo

Text: Nursery Stock Trade Fair GrootGroenPlus

Belgische vakbeurs voor

Belgian trade fair for ornamental and nursery stock products

22.08.2023

22.08.2023

9.00 - 18.00

9.00 - 18.00

Waregem Expo | België

Waregem Expo | Belgium

Partner van vakbeurs GrootGroenPlus

Belgische vakbeurs voor sierteelt- en boomkwekerijproducten

Partner van vakbeurs GrootGroenPlus

Free access for professionals, register online via www.florall.be. Free parking, check out the overview at www.florall.be Free catalogue, with overview of the full assortment.

Partner van vakbeurs GrootGroenPlus

sierteelt- en boomkwekerijproducten

in pots. Besides the production of young plants, Plant Select also grows Fargesia, Hydrangea, ornamental grasses, and Sarcococca for the retail, and also Hydrangea (mainly types of quercifolia and aspera) in plug. The company has been active in the in vitro world for 30 years, since the start of the company by bamboo expert Jan Oprins. It has gained a lot of expertise. That mainly shows in the production of non-invasive bamboo (Fargesia). “In Europe, we are the leader in in vitro propagation of bamboo at this scale. And that mainly has to do with the technical difficulty of it,” says De Wachter. “Bamboo contains a lot of wood fibres, which makes it challenging to keep the starting material free from viruses and bacteria. As easy as bamboo can propagate in nature, as difficult it can be to do this in vitro. The fact that we succeeded has to do with the experience we gained throughout the years and the development of knowledge in cooperation with for example the practical research centre ILVO and Flemish universities.”

Logistics short

22.08.2023

With a surface of 1300 m2, the new laboratory is four times the old one, and it offers space to over 40 employees. There is also a Research & Development department, anchored into the laboratory. “That is how we optimise the development of new plants and production processes, both in the lab and in the nursery”, says De Wachter.

9.00 - 18.00

Florall, the Belgian trade fair for ornamental plants and nursery stock products

Waregem Expo | België

22.08.2023

Bamboo for dashboards

Belgische vakbeurs voor sierteelt- en boomkwekerijproducten

9.00 - 18.00

Gratis toegang voor professionelen, registreer online via www.florall.be.

Gratis parking, bekijk het plan op www.florall.be

Gratis catalogus, met overzicht van het volledige assortiment.

Waregem Expo | België

On Tuesday 22 August 2023, over 80 ornamental plant and nursery stock companies and suppliers will present their products at the FLORALL fall fair. Professional growers will present their assortment to an international audience.

22.08.2023

The goal is organic growth. The new infrastructure offers new capacity to scale up, and to propagate in vitro for other parties. Plant Select is working on further propagation and the propagation of plant species, but also sees a lot of potential when it comes to bamboo growth. De Wachter: “We currently still focus on ornamental growth, but we could also do something for industrial purposes. Bamboo can be an option for biomass plants, but also for clothing, environmentally friendly cutlery, parquet, or even car dashboards.”

FLORALL FAIR @FLORALLFAIR INFO@FLORALL.BE

Gratis toegang voor professionelen, registreer online via www.florall.be.

Importance of meeting people

9.00 - 18.00

What’s striking is that the company does not opt for in vitro in faraway countries, where labour is much cheaper. Smit: “Our customers find reliability and quality materials very important. They think it is worth the little bit of extra money. By using short logistics, we keep the quality at a maximum, and the transport costs acceptable.”

Besides the production companies, important trade and export companies and suppliers (potting soil, fertiliser, automation, climate control…) also participate in FLORALL. All companies and their products can be found in the free trade fair catalogue, and in the plant register on the website. The FLORALL trade fair takes place in the trade fair hall of Waregem Expo, with ample free parking near the trade fair buildings. The reachability and accessibility of FLORALL give you the opportunity to get an overview of the Flemish fall offer in just one day.

Gratis parking, bekijk het plan op www.florall.be

Gratis catalogus, met overzicht van het volledige assortiment.

Belgische vakbeurs voor sierteelt- en boomkwekerijproducten

As a commercial man, Smit knows the importance of good customer relations and visiting growers and companies. He also believes in being present at trade fairs such as Florall in Waregem in Belgium and GrootGroenPlus in Zundert in the Netherlands. “Of course, a trade fair is always a meeting point with existing customers”, he says. “But at almost every trade fair, you will meet someone you never heard of. If you are not there, you won’t meet them.” 

FLORALL AWARDS

Waregem Expo | België

Of course, during the trade fair also the FLORALL AWARDS are presented. A professional jury awards a Gold, Silver or Bronze Floral Award to companies that present a novelty in the form of a new variety, sales or presentation concept.

Registration is necessary

The trade fair offers free access to professionals in the ornamental plant industry, from wholesalers and garden centers to representatives of public green. To guarantee a smooth entry process, please register through the website www.florall.be

Gratis toegang voor professionelen, registreer online via www.florall.be.

Gratis parking, bekijk het plan op www.florall.be

WHAT DOES THE WORLDWIDE WEB THINK ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE GREEN INDUSTRY?

Developments in the green industry are happening at a rapid pace. It is interesting to see how these developments are experiences. Therefore, prior to the release of this edition of the KwekersBode, we shared three statements on social media. One a bit more controversial than the other…:

1) The desire for biodiversity in garden and public green is being taken too far.

2) In vitro cultivation can replace traditional propagation in all cultivations in the nursery stock sector

3) In the near future, data-driven decisions are indispensable for a good cultivation and entrepreneurial policy.

The responses were fascinating. But before we get into that; what are we actually talking about when it comes to these statements?

What exactly is biodiversity?

Wageningen University & Research WUR describes ‘biodiversity’ as the variety of life - from a drop of ditch water to a complete forest, an ocean, or even the earth as a whole. Biodiversity includes all types of plants, animals, and micro organisms, but also a huge genetic variation within those species and the variation in ecosystems they are a part of, pasture to wetland, river to estuary, and forest to residential area. It is about more than flowers, trees, corals, and fuzzy animals. It is the total package of living organisms and systems - and all the interactions.

What is in vitro cultivation?

In vitro cultivation is growing plants in sterile and controlled circumstances, in laboratories and at nurseries. The term

‘in vitro’ stands for conducting scientific research with micro-organisms, cells, and biomolecules outside of an intact organism. The term vitro refers to the glass test tubes that are used for this. These are now often replaced by plastic tubes. In vitro cultivation is the opposite of ‘in vivo’ (alive) cultivation, where cultivation happens under non-sterile circumstances, in open ground, in greenhouses, in pot and container, on substrates.

It has taken a while before in vitro cultivation was recognised. For a long time, there were many ghost stories about it, but the pioneers were proven right. In the nursery stock sector in vitro cultivation has also proven to be very fruitful.

What do we see as ‘data-driven’?

The time that (nursery stock) companies based their operations only on a feeling and ‘we’ve always done it this way’ is gone, or should be gone. We

want to know how to play into future developments. We can do that without a crystal ball.

Data-driven work is used to predict future developments. By using data, it is possible to create all possible processes as efficient as possible, which means that decisions can be taken faster, better,

and more accurately. It comes with a comment. In data-driven decisions, data is leading, and determines everything, which means that the opinion of experts within the company is no longer included. You can also opt for data-informed decision making, in which personal experience is combined with the data, to come to a decision Data-driven work is based on facts, which are the result of frequent (daily or weekly) analyses of raw data.

To come to a valuable type of data driven or data-informed information, specialised knowledge and expertise is required. Specialists in different roles are required. From policy makers and other employees, it is often expected that they can get value from data.

Management decisions include the entire cultivation process. You optimise the cultivation process based on predictive models and data-analysis. Think for example about issues such as optimal cultivation planning and creating an optimal balance between cultivation costs, production, and quality.

How did people receive the statements?

One of the statements that was put on social media prior to the release of this edition was: the desire for biodiversity in garden and public green is being taken too far. Not all agreed with this statement, far from it. 11% agreed with the statement, 56% disagreed, and 33% took a neutral stance. We also asked Ronald Brand for his opinion on this statement. He works at GGP participant Leuveld Boomkwekerijen BV in Denekamp, which specialises in

“What would you find a good modern slogan to encourage consumers, governments and businesses to plant more green and increase biodiversity? Inform GGP via info@grootgroenplus.nl!”

Oudijk, treasurer

Plant Select in Vitro

Peter Vanlaerhoven (standing) in action during the inspection of the Green Grand Prix

Text: Nursery Stock Trade Fair GrootGroenPlus

growing and selling hedge plants: “First of all, I think a good biodiversity is very important, but especially in private gardens, I feel that people are putting too much emphasis on it. Let’s first just replace some pavement and tiles by a good assortment of plants. If I look across the border, I see that biodiversity

seems to go hand in hand with a focus on the application of native materials. That happens a lot in Scandinavia for instance. But that’s another discussion. Striving for biodiversity offers opportunities, not just for nature, and the living environment, but also for our trade, especially in public green. There, you can see a very structured setup. There are more nicely planted borders, and different types of trees and hedges. The mowing policy in urban green differs; sometimes the roadsides show lovely mixtures, and sometimes the mowing policy is going a bit far. It should not become a mess.”

The statement that in vitro cultivation can replace traditional propagation in all cultivations in the nursery stock sector showed a balanced response. Half of the respondents felt this way, the other half did not agree.

The KwekersBode talked to some people from the industry. We asked Peter Vanlaerhoven from Lowgardens Nurseries from Wernhout, specialist in special plants, his opinion regarding this statement. Peter was hesitant. “Currently, tissue cultivation plays a large role in propagation. But still, everything, I feel that’s still a bridge too far. Some products cannot be cut; they need to be grafted.

Some products have a weaker root system. And there’s something else: there are plants that are valued by a small group of people. In case of a small target group, the costs for tissue cultivation are too high. There are some things to figure out, but as a method, it certainly has potential. And the technique continues to innovate, right? If the government will limit the use of hormones, new opportunities will follow.

86% agreed with the statement that in the near future, data-driven decisions are indispensable for a good cultivation and entrepreneurial policy. 14% of the respondents did not agree.

Nursery Wilbert Stek is located in Gendt (NL), and specialises in the propagation of nursery stock products form cuttings. Every year, they participate in nursery stock trade fair GrootGroenPlus. A big part of the assortment consists of Buxus,

Ilex, Euonymus, Osmanthus, Photinia, Thuja, and Taxus. We asked owner Wilbert van Luenen if he bases his management decisions on data. He responds with care to the statement that in the near future, data-driven decisions are indispensable for a good cultivation and entrepreneurial policy. “Let’s say that data needs to be the basis. We do use it, but we see it as an important tool. We also use our feeling and our experience. Not every year is the same, a lot depends on the weather and other circumstances. Even though we use data, we have noticed that we do have to make quite a lot of adjustments every year.”

Have you wanted to respond to the three statements, but did you not have the time or the opportunity? You can share your opinion with us in ca. 200 words by sending it to info@grootgroenplus. nl, so we can use it in a follow-up article regarding the polling!

Wilbert Stek

Ronald Brand

KNOWLEDGE CENTRE ROOTZ TAKES SHAPE IN ALL AREAS

Rootz. That is the name of the innovation and knowledge centre of the tree nursery that is currently taking shape at the Business Centre Treeport (BCT) in Zundert. Starting in October, the Business Centre will also be the backdrop for nursery stock trade fair GrootGroenPlus.

BY ADDO SPRANGERS

“I think Rootz is an appropriate and beautiful name,” says program manager Peter Berben. “It says a lot about innovation and refers to our roots. We are rooted in the region. Roots also literally and figuratively form the lifelines of the tree nursery industry, which we can still do a lot of research on.”

GrootGroenPlus

He says that, in parallel to the physical construction of the knowledge centre that has now started, a programme is being built. “In addition, we are working on attracting tenants. So this knowledge centre is taking shape in every way. It should be ready in a year.” Although the building will not be fully completed in October, the GrootGroenPlus trade fair will take place at the Business Centre at that time, with this year’s theme being Dynamic & Digital. Peter Berben: “Organising the trade fair at the BCT ensures an even better connection within the nursery stock industry and promotes both initiatives. It also offers the opportunity to demonstrate a number of innovations at the trade floor. The entire tree cultivation industry will come together at the BCT in 2023, it is the right time for everyone.”

Innovation

In doing so, he immediately creates a

link to innovation, one of the pillars of the knowledge centre. “Digitalization plays an important role in innovation. Think of precision agriculture, data processing and drone technology. The classic saying ‘measuring is knowing’ certainly applies to this. In this way, we can focus even more on quantity and quality. The nursery stock industry is a beautiful industry that is large enough to do its own research. This will be done through the Rootz knowledge centre.” He continues: “By conducting research, we can also substantiate all kinds of things, which can be useful in view of all the regulations that come up in the industry. In addition, new things can be further developed and shared. And that brings you to another important pillar: promotion.”

Green chemistry

There is news in the field of education and training: within the Rootz knowledge centre, a training centre for green chemists will be realised in order to accelerate the transition to green chemistry within the tree nurseries of the future. “We are the first organisation in the South of the Netherlands to offer this study in this form,” says Peter Berben. “The expectation is that the current chemical sector will have to deal with increasingly more pressure: there will be a transition from fossil chemistry to green chemistry. Together with our partners Van Aalsburg, Gova and

Groeibalans, we will play a role in this with the new training centre.” According to him, the training of green chemists is in line with the ambition to attract more young people to work in the nursery stock industry. “Although this training is expressly also intended and suitable for lateral entrants.”

Added Value

Under the name Power to the Plants, the knowledge centre, together with Avans and companies, is investigating how added value can be created in plants. “And then it’s not about the beauty of a plant,” explains Peter Berben. “Every plant has energy in it, even if it’s very limited. We are already able to extract energy from a plant and use it to light a lamp. With the partners, we are now trying to scale this, which would result in sourcing

more energy. It is our goal to have the name ‘Rootz’ being lit up by plant energy. A very challenging and innovative project. We don’t know if we will succeed. But if it succeeds, we have managed to achieve a nice breakthrough.”

Agroforestry

Another theme is agroforestry, an agricultural method in which trees and shrubs are deliberately combined with livestock farming, arable farming and/or vegetable cultivation on the same plot. In addition, agroforestry can be used to respond to forced cultivation-free zones. “Agroforestry is about how best to add value to the soil,” explains Peter Berben. “Especially the young generation of tree growers sees opportunities here. This innovation comes from the youth who are putting effort in it. I think that is encouraging, and I like experiencing that.”

Pharmaceutical

‘Last but not least’, there is also a focus on pharmaceutical research. Peter Berben: “About 150 years ago, all medicine came from plants and herbs, and currently it is not even a third. We have, so to speak, perfected and synthesized medicines so that they are easy to take. However, we only know of seven per cent of the plants if they actually have a medicinal effect. That is why we need to get back to the basics. This can be done through research. We will partner up with those who already know a thing or two about it. 

If you would like more information about the developments or if you have any questions, please contact Peter Berben: peter@treeport.eu or +31 (0) 6 51 788

IMAGE STANTEC