Hartog Palmen nursery is to relocate soon. It will be moving to a former Gerbera nursery. This is close to its current location in the Netherlands. The main reason is their desire to grow their Kentia palms more sustainably. That isn't easy in the existing greenhouse, which is 45 years old. At 2.8 hectares, the new site is also slightly larger.
No turning back now. Jeroen van Capel (r) and his partner Dirk van Rijn signed the saes contract last week.
"We should soon be saving 25% on energy," says owner Jeroen van Capel. "Over the years, we've spent a lot on more sustainable cultivation in our current greenhouse. We've also started to work with the New Cultivation principles as much as we can. For example, we have a double screen. And we've optimized processes as much as possible. But a 45-year-old greenhouse simply doesn't seal well. It's not built to meet modern demands."
April 2022
They will have to wait a while, though. The new greenhouse will be raised by 1.3m. Pipes must be laid, as will a concrete floor. It must be suitable for an ebb and flow system. Also, they have to install a high-pressure mist system. And new energy screens will be hung. This will all take time. The nursery hopes to be able to place its first plants in April next year.
Plenty of room
Jeroen is not concerned that this expansion will disrupt the market. "Twenty years ago, there were maybe three times as many nurseries as now. Over the years, that number has diminished considerably. Many growers have stopped too. Given the current market, there's certainly room for more products. Besides, you can't cultivate these trees in large numbers. Farming is intensive. It takes, on average, three years from cutting to mature plant," he concludes.
There are no definite plans for the old greenhouse yet. Someone with a cold-weather crop plant could probably make good use of it. Or it could be sold, which is something nobody needs to worry about in the current market. Hertog Palmen new address will be 82-86 Achterweg, De Kwakel.
For more information:
Jeroen van Capel
Hartog Palmen
Email: info@hartogpalmen.nl
Website: www.hartogpalmen.nl