NL: New state of the art greenhouse for white Astilbe

“The greenhouse is finished, the screens are installed now and within four weeks the first plants will go in the greenhouse,” explains Arjan Kok, owner of the Nursery Kok. The nursery is now building around 2000 metres on-site in Westwoud. “For the Westland this may not be much, but in our crop this is considerable.”

More photos of the new development can be seen on the Twitter account of Nursery Kok

White Astilbe
Nursery Kok is specialised in growing Hostas and Astilbe. The new greenhouse is meant to generate additional capacity for the latter category, especially for the white Astilbe. “This is our specialty! The Astilbe is not an easy plant to develop a uniform colouring, and the white Astilbe, is in a class of its own. It is a challenge to get the flowers completely white, because you get to see brown very quickly.''

Not to warm, not too cold
To nonetheless guarantee the highest possible quality, it is advisable that the greenhouse is not too cold during the winter, but mainly that it is not too hot during the summer. “It should be cool in the greenhouse, it won't work otherwise. Because we want to deliver the white Astilbe all-year-round, the greenhouse should be high (post-heights 6 metres), equipped with the latest technology, air-conditioning systems, diffused glass, the right screens and the aim is to grow according to the principles of the Cultivation New Style.”

Jan and Arjan Kok

All-year-round production
All-year-round production of white Astilbe is unique in the Netherlands and Nursery Kok would be the first. With the new greenhouse this will be possible and in addition it also takes a step forward towards a sustainable, energy-efficient cultivation. Soon, Arjan explains, another, older part of the greenhouse, which does not meet the modern requirements in the field of cultivation and sustainability, will also be converted to a new, modern greenhouse.

The Astilbe is an exclusive flower that is only cultivated by a handful of growers - “and with all-year-round production there are only two of us.“ This relates to the nature of the beast: growing of Astilbe is long, labour intensive and for varying reasons not easy which reduces the number of growers who choose only to produce in the summer during just a few weeks. At Nursery Kok moreover, the Astilbe is cultivated with an ebb and flow system, which in the Astilbe, is also unique.

For more information:
Kwekerij Kok
Arjan Kok
Oudijk 2B
1617 KR Westwoud
T: 0229-262170
F: 0229-260616
M:0629174230
E: info@kwekerijkok.nl
www.kwekerijkok.nl