Research into raw , safe , renewable , and circular resources is becoming increasingly crucial . For this reason , we have been running test with circular resources for many years at our own innovation center , ‘ de Kas . ’ In other parole , materials that are reused . The ability of these materials to produce good plants has been proven by various successful glasshouse trials we perform in recent years .
Development of circular resourcesThe develop media , in particular potting dirt used for ornamental crop and at Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree nurseries , are have a bun in the oven to interchange significantly in the years ahead . The use of peat in these growing media will diminish . By using peat - free option , the composition of potting filth will change , and along with it , the physical properties of the growing medium . When using new forms of growing medium , it is important to take into account prophylactic , pH , nutritional economic value , and strong-arm properties . substratum producers and agriculturist must both pay close attention to these scene . rise craw on novel growing media may mean adapt the growing strategy , for representative , in terms of fertilization and irrigation .
In Holy Order to assess whether a new raw material has potential difference , Van der Knaap conducts growing trials and forcible and chemical analysis . Once a raw textile has successfully passed these trial run , we sic up a nursery trial with a crop to inquire how the substrate performs during culture . In recent months , we have perform trials in the greenhouse using substrate that partially dwell of circular unsanded material for crops , including tree , bedding works , and ornamentals .
Trials in and outside the greenhouseIn 2022 , a pilot was place up to take the possibility of using circular raw materials in substrate for tree diagram nurseries . Prunus was grown in 19 cm pots on the field outside our innovation center ‘ de Kas ’ . We trialed no few than seven different substrates with smaller fraction of peat and even a substratum that contained rotary resource only .
At the same sentence , an extensive trial with bedding plant and flowering houseplant was also extend in one of the sections in ‘ de Kas . ’ New round in the buff materials were put through their pace in this trial . We have also startle to ‘ stack ’ different raw materials to study their force on the harvest .
Results and conclusionsThe trial demonstrate that growing good quality plant is possible on substratum partially made of circular raw material . However , a different cultivation scheme is necessary , as using orbitual resource in potting soils alters the structure and properties of the growing medium . Peat is a stable sore material with a heavy nutrient and pH buffering electrical capacity , contrary to the alternatives that we have trialed so far , which have a small moisture polisher , for instance . This logically implies modifying the irrigation strategy . But , all matter considered , we can close that there is wad of potential for the use of round imagination . We will be starting new trials again this twelvemonth found on the datum and insights obtained from previous trials .
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