Muilwijk Snijbloemen is a relatively young nursery. In 2020, owner Hendrik Muilwijk took over an old vegetable nursery in Stolwijk. He installed a new 4,500 m² polytunnel greenhouse there, in which he grows cut hydrangeas in three colours: pink, white, and blue. In 2021, Ilex verticillata was added to the assortment – two crops that complement each other beautifully, Muilwijk says.
“Ilex is harvested in November/December, which follows on nicely from the hydrangea season. This combination of crops means I can work with local on-call workers, which enables me to guarantee quality, as I get to work with people who I know are skilled at what they do.” Muilwijk has deliberately chosen to remain small-scale and to focus on quality.
As organic as possible
This focus on quality also opens the door to growing in the most natural way possible. Muilwijk: “In the greenhouse, we aim to grow as organically as possible throughout the season. After cleaning with mild products to ensure the space is pest-free, I release beneficial insects for crop protection. Using this method, we’ve been able to avoid synthetic inputs for the past three years.”
Muilwijk is also applying these principles more and more to his Ilex cultivation. “We’ve switched to a new method using growing strips, which makes it possible to reach the roots mechanically when needed. From this season onwards, we aim to grow Ilex as organically as possible too. It really helps to have like-minded employees who support this approach. At our scale, it’s manageable – but if you’re growing on four or five hectares, it becomes more challenging to work this way.”
Happy with MPS-Compact
Muilwijk’s nursery is MPS-A+ certified. While he sees value in meeting customer expectations, he believes certification plays an even more important role in tracking sustainability progress.
“I think MPS-GreenerGrown is an even better fit for our way of working, as we try to reduce our use of chemical crop protection products and fertilisers. I expect it will take another few seasons to fully reach that level, but in the meantime, I’m using MPS-GAP, even though it’s a bit cumbersome for a nursery of our size. That’s why I’m pleased MPS has listened to smaller growers and introduced the more accessible MPS-Compact.”
‘Just do it’
Muilwijk observes that some small-scale growers are still hesitant about certification. “But if you’re well organised, the administrative work is really manageable. Plus, by logging your data, you gain valuable insights into areas for improvement. As growers, we all have a responsibility to care for the earth we cultivate. So if you’re still unsure, my advice is: just do it!”
Over 30 years ago, my journey at MPS began after I saw an advertisement in the newspaper. After the birth of my daughter, I was looking to return to work and joined the data entry department. At the time, all data was still entered manually from paper forms. Since then, I have seen the organisation grow and change, and I have grown along with it.Today, I work in the Service & Support department. No two days are the same: one day I help a customer with questions about record-keeping, the next I help them understand requirements from the auction or the UO. It is precisely this variety and the personal contact with customers that make my work interesting every day.
In 2008, I joined MPS through a recruitment agency as a secretary. I then held various positions within MPS and MPS-ECAS, including roles in the Service & Support team and as a planner. In 2018, I left the organisation for a while, but in 2023 I returned to MPS-ECAS as a back-office employee. The people are simply too much fun and the world of ornamental horticulture is so innovative that it kept drawing me back. Shortly afterwards, I started working at MPS as Coordinator Netherlands.
During the final year of my Environmental Sciences degree, I joined MPS for an internship. The internship worked out so well for both sides that I was able to stay afterwards. It felt like a natural next step, because I immediately felt at home here and was given the opportunity to continue developing myself.My work is very varied. I work on different projects and products, carry out research and analyses and contribute to practical solutions. I also manage various systems, support customers with complex technical questions and work with external parties. It is precisely this combination that makes my work interesting and ensures that no two weeks are the same.
I first joined MPS through a friend who worked in MPS’s student team. I continued working here while studying Commercial Economics, and at the end of my studies, in 2004, MPS asked if I wanted to join the organisation permanently. It seemed like a great opportunity, and more than twenty years later, I am still here.No two days are the same, and that is exactly what makes my work so enjoyable. A large part of my week consists of project meetings and translating needs from within the organisation into practical solutions. Thursday afternoon is a regular fixture, which I set aside with a colleague to make MPS 1% better every week. For example, we experiment with AI, build prototypes, improve processes or develop new ideas. The goal is always to work smarter and create more value for colleagues, customers and the organisation.