Batist Gerberas
Grower profile:
Ruud Batist
Co-owner
Crop: Mini Gerberas
Location: Maasdijk, The Netherlands
Greenhouse: Venlo, 50.000 m2
Climate Needs: Cooling and creating the right level of light in spring and summer. Adjusting day length.
Svensson Solutions:
HARMONY 2315 O FR ǀ OBSCURA 10070 FR WB+BW
Harmony performed excellent throughout the summer
In the spring of 2017 Ruud Batist was one of the first gerbera growers to install the new HARMONY 2315 O FR. The unique feature of this screen is its high diffusivity, which means that a lower degree of screening can suffice. After more than a year and a half of experience Ruud can say that this was an excellent step that led to more speed in the cultivation and higher production.
Batist gerberas is a real family business. The father of Ruud and Roy started growing gerberas over 40 years ago. Ruud joined the company 10 years ago, and he is responsible for the cultivation.
The new HARMONY 2315 O FR summer screen has been installed on the same wirebed as the existing blackout screen. Previously, 30% would be chalked in the spring, which is now unnecessary. The gerberas get cumulatively more light with the new movable HARMONY screen. "This results in more generative growth" explains Ruud. "We had to darken a bit less, which also provides extra light for the crop. There is clearly more speed in the cultivation with my new HARMONY climate screen".
During the summer of 2018, the screen performed excellently. This summer was extremely sunny and warm - the warmest summer in over 200 years. And yet Ruud was able to do without chalk with this screen, except for a compartment with a very sensitive species. Partly thanks to the very high light distribution of HARMONY and the beautiful open structure, the temperature remained at the desired level.
The HARMONY is closed at an outdoor solar radiation of 500 W/m2. In the greenhouse, the light level should not exceed 1000 µmol PAR light. The gerberas cannot tolerate higher light levels, they become stressed and do not grow any further. During the planting of young plants in early 2018, Ruud partially closed the blackout curtain next to the HARMONY for the first two days. "Because HARMONY diffuses the light, the sunlight is well spread, including under the strips of the blackout cloth" says Ruud. After these two days, the HARMONY climate screen was once again alone.
In summary: you can get more out of your crops with HARMONY!
