Pot plant growers Robert and Walter van den Berg left nothing to chance with the recent construction of a 4.3 hectare greenhouse. Only the best systems were good enough. For that reason, the brothers opted for the PARperfect screen solution from Svensson. The screen level can be adjusted continuously and there is an optimal light distribution throughout the greenhouse. Every plant always gets the same amount of light, regardless of the outside conditions. This strategy has paid off: the product quality and uniformity improved significantly.
Cyclamen, campanulas and geraniums; these are the crops that are central to Kwekerij Bergcamp in De Lier, Netherlands. The company currently comprises of three locations, with a total surface area of 9.5 hectares. “My grandfather and grandmother once started the company at the Westerlee in De Lier”, says Robert van den Berg. “They focused on growing grapes and various field crops. Later, my father and his brothers started to focus on growing lettuce plants. Potted plants have been grown there for fifty years. Today, I am at the helm of the company, together with my brother Walter. Spring is reserved for growing Campanula Addenda and Long Life geraniums, the rest of the year we focus on cyclamen. We have also recently started to focus more on growing Fresh & Fruity scented geraniums; a product group that we have started to expand in collaboration with Pedro Plant.”
Expansion of 4.3 hectares
The company is developing rapidly. “Under the name 'Bergcamp 3.0' we are working on growth in the areas of cultivation, personnel, automation, marketing and sales on a daily basis.” The location on the Hoogweg in De Lier was recently expanded considerably, from 2.2 to 6.5 hectares. The new construction was the result of increasing market demand, says Robert van den Berg. “We have always been strong in supplying the high-quality green trade. However, there were also increasing requests from the retail sector. Expansion was necessary to better serve this segment.” The entrepreneurs did not rush into investing in the new greenhouse. The entire process - from the initial preparations to the commissioning of the new construction - took around four years. “We did not want to do anything because that was how we had always done it. We really started to look critically at how we could organize every aspect of the new construction as optimally and well as possible.”
The right shade levels
The aspect of 'screening' was also examined. In the growers' other greenhouses, a single climate screen was hung to screen out the brightness of direct sunlight when necessary. "With this screen, we can screen out 50% the sunlight. This is especially important for cyclamen; this crop reacts strongly to bright sunlight. This can lead to burning, yellow leaves, compact growth, etc. In addition to screening out direct sunlight, the screen helps to save energy. But we are not intensive energy users." According to Van den Berg, a disadvantage of using a single screen is that - when pulling a gap to dehumidify - some of the plants still receive direct sunlight. "When working with a single screen, shadow bands are created at crop level. This causes unevenness in the crop and also leads to uneven growth. This is of course undesirable."
“It works like a light dimmer”
To tackle the problem outlined, the growers chose the PARperfect screen solution from Svensson for the new construction - partly on the advice of installer A1 Tuinbouwtechniek and a few colleagues. "This solution consists of two screens," says Bart Bakker, Greenhouse Climate Consultant at Svensson. "The bottom screen is the standard Harmony 2047 FR climate screen. This climate screen blocks out 20% of the sunlight and has a unique Hortiscatter of 85%. The incoming sunlight is therefore very diffused, which ensures an even light distribution over the crop."
The top screen of the PARperfect screen solution is tailored to the grower's needs. The Van den Berg brothers opted for the Harmony 5747 FR climate screen: a slightly darker screen that can screen out 57% of the light. "With this screen, you can continuously control the light level in the greenhouse. By closing the top screen more or less, it is possible to screen out 20% - 60% of the sunlight, depending on the outside conditions. Your degree of screening is therefore variable, it works like a light dimmer. In this way, you can keep the light level in the greenhouse at the same level and ensure that plants are always guaranteed the same amount of light, regardless of the weather outside. In addition, you can allow more natural light than when you work with a single screen and always have to screen out the same amount of light," Bakker explains.
The growers pull a gap in the bottom screen to dehumidify. To prevent direct sunlight from falling on the plants at this location, the top screen is closed in the opposite direction. The air can then escape via the lattice distance between the screens. "The top screen covers the gap in the bottom screen, as it were," Van den Berg explains. "And due to the diffusion of the bottom screen, there is always a uniform light distribution and an equal light level for every plant."
'A project without bumps'
Kevin Kuivenhoven, Commercial Manager at A1 Tuinbouwtechniek in 's-Gravenzande, drew the attention of the Van den Berg brothers to the PARperfect screen solution. “They were looking for a way to achieve variable shading throughout the day,” says Kuivenhoven. “I knew the PARperfect screen solution from other companies, so this was a 'one-two punch' for me. With PARperfect you can control the shade levels because you actually have multiple types of cloth in one.”
A1 Tuinbouwtechniek installed the screens. According to Kuivenhoven, this went extremely smoothly. “I have never experienced a new construction project that went so smoothly. It was a project without bumps; that doesn't happen often. That was thanks to the greenhouse builders and the entrepreneurs, who were on top of things. There was open and clear communication and no beating around the bush. As a result, everyone knew what to do and there was no confusion. That was extremely pleasant.”
Better quality and uniformity
Because each plant always receives the same light level, the crop quality is better. Van den Berg: “After all, the plants are less exposed to extremes, which means we see less yellow leaves, for example. And because we can now achieve the same light level for the plant at any time of the season, the uniformity is better. Regardless of the weather conditions, we can always supply the same product to our customers. That is worth a lot. And the fact that we can allow more natural light benefits crop development.” In addition, the PARperfect screen solution helps to save extra energy in the winter months. “Then both screens are closed,” says Bakker. “With one screen you save an average of 47% on energy, with a second screen another 17%.” That is also an important asset, according to the grower. “The PARperfect screen solution helps us to work more sustainably.”
The goal of Bercamp
Van den Berg does indicate that it is a goal to determine the right light level for each type of crop. “I think we have come a long way, certainly with cyclamen, but this issue has certainly not yet been fully resolved.” The grower is satisfied with the collaboration with Svensson. “We were well advised in the preliminary phase and were given the opportunity to visit various other growers who already work with PARperfect. And we are still being guided now, in optimizing the settings and fine-tuning the installation.”
Published in Kas Magazine - June - 2024
