Plants are usually on a cultivation surface. This surface greatly influences the health and resilience of a crop, and thus also on the balances that keep the plant in balance. This relationship is quite often underestimated. It is time to share four critical points of attention regarding the situation at the bottom of the greenhouse.
- Want to read more about what balances mean for the basis of a healthy plant? Download the Whitepaper here. -
Imagine: it is a warm, sunny day. You take off your shoes and walk barefoot on concrete or a thin layer of sand on which the sun is shining. Most likely, this is not a pleasant sensation since the concrete or sand is too hot. The heat that you feel at that moment is the same heat that the plant experiences during warm periods. In short: cool soil is then of crucial importance!
This was one of the reasons that ErfGoed developed a floor with a grey surface cloth. This color reflects light in the summer and attracts it in the winter. In addition, water can be pumped into the floor to cool the potting soil (and plant). The water first cools the rock, and then the coolness radiates through to the soil and plant's roots.
You can provide the crop with sufficient moisture in various ways. It is possible to water from above, choose to water from below or use both.
The problem with overhead irrigation is that the crop gets wet, and the relative humidity can get too high. The wet leaf surface gives a greater chance of disease in the fall, winter and spring. Another disadvantage that is often overlooked is that both biological and chemical crop protection agents wash off the crop.
For this reason, bottom watering is preferred. Various systems are available for this: roller tables, concrete floors and other cultivation floors. With cultivation floors supplied by ErfGoed, even watering (i.e. the presence of water and fertilizer for plants for the same amount of time) is guaranteed. There is also creates a remarkable microclimate that benefits the quality, growth rate and health of the plants. You can read more about this on our website.
A misting system is also an important instrument to keep the humidity in check. It is advisable to use it when humidity levels are low. A layer of water in the floor is also a solution to combat low humidity in the greenhouse (see the previous paragraph). This humidity helps to deliver high-quality plants.
ErfGoed has done extensive testing and research on this. For example, in an experiment with cyclamen on different floors were deliberately infected with Fusarium. It turned out that the cyclamen on an ErfGoedFloor remained beautiful the longest.
Research by the WUR (Wagening University Research) showed that this was due to the presence of antagonists (a microorganism that protects plants against diseases) in the stones of the subsurface. These reacted to the Fusarium, giving it less chance of attacking the plants. As a result, it lasted longer, and the adverse effects were less severe. And other antagonists also developed well in the ErfGoedFloor, ensuring that the development of harmful fungi was inhibited.
Of course, you want to prevent 'disease attacks' at all times, even if the plants are healthy. After all, prevention is better than a cure. Good subsoil hygiene is, therefore, a high priority for us. This hygiene prevents a breeding ground for harmful organisms. Ensure that the floor is kept clean and stays clean, even between crops. ErfGoed supports its customers with this with a recommended hygiene protocol. Watch the video on the right.
More information about plant health?