5. Providing food for the gerberas

Water forms the foundation of operations at Kwekerij de Zuidplas. Without water, there is no growth and no production of the gerberas.

The enriched water is precisely directed to the plants via a drip system. Each plant receives exactly the right amount of water and nutrients through its own dripper. In this process, slightly more water is deliberately given than the plant immediately needs.

This extra water ensures that excess salts are flushed away and do not accumulate around the roots. This is essential for healthy plant development. The process is comparable to "flushing" in humans. Just as we drink water to remove waste products, the same happens with a plant to keep everything in balance. By thoroughly flushing a plant, fewer harmful and expensive products are needed. This keeps the plant in top condition and makes it less susceptible to disease. Our customers benefit from this through longer-lasting gerberas.

At Kwekerij de Zuidplas, water usage is continuously monitored. Plants are even weighed to determine how much water they actually need. This prevents the provision of too much or too little nutrition.

This method differs from traditional open-field cultivation, where water is more difficult to control and reuse. By working with substrate and collection systems, water can be used and recovered in a fully controlled manner.