Batist Gerbera’s
Grower profile:
Ruud Batist
Co-Owner
Crop: Mini Gerbera’s
Location: Maasdijk, Netherlands
Greenhouse: Venlo, 50.000 m2
Climate Needs: A cooler climate that provides correct light levels during spring and summer. Regulation of day length.
Svensson Solutions: Harmony 2315 O FR, Obscura 10070 FR WB+BW
Faster Cultivation with New Harmony
The sun is shining brightly. The New Harmony diffuse screen is completely closed. While walking around Batist Gerbera's gerbera greenhouse, one enjoys the beautiful, brightly colored sea of flowers Inside the greenhouse it feels good, it isn’t too hot and unlike outside, sunglasses aren't necessary. Last spring, the nursery installed the New Harmony 2315 O FR, light diffusing climate screen.
We’re looking for Ruud Batiste. They say he's walking around at the back of the greenhouse. Batiste Gerbera’s is a true family business, Ruud and Roy's father started growing gerberas about 40 years ago. Ruud joined the company nine years ago and is responsible for cultivation.
The Harmony 2315 O FR screen that’s used primarily as a summer screen, was installed on the same wireframe as the operations current blackout screen. Previously, a layer of paint which provided 30% shade was applied to the greenhouse cover. Compared to previous years, the gerberas (cumulatively) receive more light with the mobile Harmony screen. This results in more generative growth, explains Ruud. We are also applying slightly less shading, which also results in extra light for the crop. "The cultivation is clearly faster with my new Harmony screen" Ruud adds.
The Harmony is closed when the outside sun radiation hits 500 [W/m2]. In the greenhouse, the light levels shouldn’t exceed 1000 [µmol] PAR light. The gerberas cannot endure higher light levels; they get stressed and stop growing. When reviewing the climate computer, Ruud notes that the maximum light level under the screen over the last few sunny days peaked at precisely 1000 [µmol], which is perfect. The summer has yet to begin, but the grower is confident that the maximum light level will not be exceeded.
While planting of young plants over the coming summer, during the few extreme tropical days that the Netherlands experiences these days, he will partly close the blackout screen cloth beside the Harmony screen cloth if desired. "Because Harmony diffuses the light, the sunlight is well distributed , even under the strips of the blackout screen" says Ruud. In summary, the New Harmony ensures higher yields.
