Van der Voort Potplanten takes mindful approach to inputs: ‘As a sector we want to lead the way’

At its site in Honselersdijk, where three greenhouses have been combined into one, Van der Voort Potplanten grows Spathiphyllum plants in various pot sizes ranging from 6.5 to 23 cm. A mindful approach to inputs such as nitrogen, crop protection agents and energy is integral to the grower, says cultivation specialist Anne van der Heijden.

Anne van der Heijden

“We are working on several initiatives to grow more sustainably: from geothermal heat to Next Generation Growing and from saving energy to reducing the use of crop protection agents,” Van der Heijden explains. “Our aim is to become entirely organic, and we’re well on the way to achieving that.”

Nitrogen
The grower is also keen to reduce their nitrogen usage. “We have been taking a critical look at this for a while now, given the developments in this area. We are exploring ways of gradually cutting back, drawing on the experience our fertilisation specialist has gained with other companies. An added benefit: nitrogen attracts thrips, so if you keep nitrogen levels in the plants lower, you should have fewer issues with thrips.”

Van der Heijden would like to see these efforts recognised when it comes to certification, too. “We are keen to switch to organic nitrogen from cow manure. That’s a circular way of using nitrogen. I think it would be a great idea to reward that with points towards MPS-ABC certification.”

Peat-free
Like many other growers, Van der Voort Potplanten is also switching to peat-free cultivation. “We are currently conducting the final trials. If we get good results and tasks like planting run smoothly, we could be peat-free before the end of the year. We’re also taking this one step at a time and are constantly looking at how far we can reduce our usage.”

Investing in research
Making improvements step by step is therefore the guiding principle for Van der Heijden. “We’re not there yet as a sector, but we are making significant strides in the right direction, and we must continue to do so. How can our sector become more energy-efficient and more environmentally friendly? To find out, we need to continue investing in research. It’s great that we’re at the forefront of this as an industry, but we must keep on developing. That’s what we want as a company, that’s what MPS wants, and that’s what the sector wants, too.”