Trial in 'de Kas'
Social discussions are putting pressure on the use of peat and growers are increasingly facing a demand from the market for peat-free grown kalanchoe. Among others from Great Britain. Reason enough to set up a trial at innovation centre 'de Kas' in which Van der Knaap is growing kalanchoe on substrates without peat.
Four different substrates are being used for the trial. These consist of raw materials, circular and renewable, which have been extensively tested before by Van der Knaap Group. In addition, we are using coco, a renewable raw material already widely used in substrates. The results are compared with a reference substrate based on peat. During the trial, progress is regularly assessed. Not only by Van der Knaap; a number of growers also visit the trial regularly.
Testing the new substrates proves difficult in practice because of the automated cultivation systems. Different cultivation situations can be simulated in the departments of 'de Kas'. Therefore, in addition to crop quality, we also look at developing the optimal watering and fertilisation strategy.
More information
Do you have questions about our substrates for kalanchoe or would you like to visit the trial? Please contact Edwin van Geest at sales@vanderknaap.info or call 0174-296606.
