SUCCESSFULL GROWING ON GRODAN ROCKWOOL IN THE NETHERLANDS

This development in the glasshouse industries started in our country in the grape culture, by building walls. In front of these walls glass was placed to increase the yield. Further development led via the special grape glasshouses to the modern heated Venlo-glasshouses.

To-day the theme of energy saving is more topical than ever. Extensive experience has been gained in the application of bubble foil, double glass and energy screens, and the flue gas condenser also appeared.

The constantly increasing labour costs have forced people to mechanise, automate and even to computerise. Now to-day it is possible to have a fully computerised climate control.

A notable fact is that most of the fundamental changes of the past thirty years have generally taken place above ground level. Drainage, for example, has remained almost unchanged. Fertilisation of the soil has improved, but this does not alter the fact that to-day we are still cultivating in the same soil as thirty years ago, with all the problems involved: structure problems, fungi, bacteria, eelworms and the time consuming, expensive or dangerous soil sterilisation.

It has become more and more difficult to make the soil "healthy" again for a next crop. Therefore, the present strong trend to grow without soil in so-called "substrates" is logical.

Because substrate growing is an excellent answer to the three main goals to-day:

• increase in yield
• automation
• energy saving.

We can state, that the basis of the idea is formed by bringing above ground what has been hidden from our view since time began.

The total control over the plant, including the roots, is within reach.

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