15
THECOMMERCIAL GREENHOUSEGROWER • MAY 2018
HORTICONTACT •
WVsi[iVU ¸;Oe fiUal 2 is [OeIiNNes[ JOalleUNeI\[
wewant to achieve it andbe in a goldmedal winning
position.”Mildew control is the challenge. Currently
controlledby aweekly dose of chemicals, they are
workingon abiological solution, which for now is under
wraps. “Five years fromnowwe shouldbe able to
increasebiological control to 95%.”
Finally, the combined effects of competition fromKenyan
producers and the economic crisis has seen theDutch
area of glasshouse roses plummet from around1,000ha
in 2000 to just 250ha today. The focuswith the survivors
is onproducing the highest quality product for the lowest
cost price. TheHPS lights in the current glasshouse
provide 17,000lux (265mmol). Generating amaximum
temperature of 13-14degreesC, they usually burn at full
power for 20hours aday fromNovember toFebruary and
MVY fi]e OV\Ys ada` d\YiUN [Oe s\TTeY a[
iU[eUsi[`
He reckons LEDswill come in 5-10 years, and that
pricewill be themost important reason to invest in
them, providing it comes down. Half of the nursery’s
current electricity requirements for lighting and heating
is generatedby a 2.7MwCropHeat processor, with the
other half bought in, and the grower supplies hot water to
his neighbours. This year’s gas price is currently running
at an average of around€0.25 cents/m³, andC02 is
also supplied from local industry andpumped into the
glasshouse at 800-1,000ppm.
The temperature of the harvested rose stems is reduced to2ºC
after 24 hours in cold storage, after which they are collected.
AadFransen (left) hopes tobe able to control all pests and
diseases \siUN IiVlVNiJal JVU[YVl iU fi]e `eaYs
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