Controlling pot worm in an environmentally friendly way when growing Phalaenopsis orchids: with Potweb, it can be done. A consortium of four companies - Levoplant, Ter Laak, Opti-flor, and Solvent Engineering - has won the Greenovation Award 2023 with this unique invention.
Royal FloraHolland CEO Steven van Schilfgaarde congratulated on winning the award for the best sustainable innovation of the year.
Environmentally friendly control with Potweb
For years, potworm has been a serious threat to Phalaenopsis cultivation. This is because the Lyprauta mosquito lays its eggs in the bark, and the larvae (potworms) that hatch from them attack the root tips, leading to significant losses during the growing process.
Potweb counteracts this problem. The material, which is as thin as pantyhose, is mechanically stretched over the pot and is impenetrable to mosquitoes. In this way, no chemical pesticides need to be used: it is a completely ecological control method. An additional advantage is that the chain and the consumer are no longer bothered by bark that can fall out of the pot. The plants can even be transported lying down. In some cases, this results in savings in loading volume and, thus, transport costs.
Judgment of the jury
The professional jury and the public together determine the winners. Both have a 50% share in the final assessment. This year, the professional jury included Quincy von Bannisseht (Glastuinbouw Nederland), Elise Wieringa (Royal Lemkes), and Maarten Bánki (Royal FloraHolland).
According to the jury report, "Potweb is a great example of a practical solution to a cultivation problem, which delivers immediate environmental benefits. Chemical pesticide use is a topical and important issue in the sector. This innovation shows how it can be done differently. It is also another fruitful collaboration of growers and their supplier."
Numbers 2 and 3
For places 2 and 3, choosing from several interesting entries was hard. In place 2 ended Gova BV with their peat-free Laurus Nobilis. The judges thought the peat-free assortment was a great example of a market-oriented solution. "Gova BV explains well how these renewable fibers are obtained from local crops and waste streams and is also willing to share knowledge about peat-free growing with other growers."
Third place went to Eco Flowerbox FECT from Paardekooper Group (Dillewijn Zwapak / Broekhof). The jury said, "This is a beautiful, circular plastic application that reduces one-time packaging in floriculture logistics. The material consists of 100% recycled plastic. This provides an early response to the EU packaging legislation coming into force in 2030, which requires all packaging to consist of at least 35% recycled material."
For more information:
Royal FloraHolland
www.royalfloraholland.com