NL: "Real-time insights have changed the way we approach pest control"

At Flower Harmony, everything revolves around growing beautiful gerberas in a sustainable way. What started as three independent growers within Colours of Nature grew into one collective in January 2024. By joining forces, they've been able to specialize more, scale up reliably, and build a company culture focused on collaboration, respect, and continuous learning.

Sustainability runs through everything they do, from energy use to employee wellbeing and that mindset extends to pest management too. In February 2021, Flower Harmony started working with PATS-C, looking for a smarter, more precise way to monitor moth activity without disrupting biological control. In gerbera, balancing the biological eco-system is crucial to achieve a high quality product year round.

From first tests to daily use
The first systems were installed at two Maasdijk locations back in 2021. From the start, the growers were curious to see how the technology would fit into their day-to-day work. Those early experiences quickly proved their value: PATS-C spotted moth activity before it showed up in traditional traps, giving the team more time to act and prevent potential damage.

What began as an experiment soon became part of their daily routine. Today, Flower Harmony runs PATS-C across their four greenhouses, keeping an eye out at nine hectares of gerbera production. The insights the system continuously provides now plays an important role in their integrated pest management (IPM) strategy.

"The predictions from PATS are incredibly valuable. Their early warning for a caterpillar wave allowed us to intervene biologically at exactly the right moment, stopping the pest population before it could develop. It's great to have this level of foresight, it helps us plan materials and labor with confidence," said Twan Breugem, Director.

© Flower HarmonyTwan Breugem

Turning data into confidence
Real-time insights have changed the way the team approaches pest control. When PATS-C detects flight activity, they can adjust their biological treatments quickly and with confidence. And when the data shows calm nights, they know their current strategy is working, saving time and effort in scouting.

The result is a more balanced growing environment, where decisions are driven by facts instead of assumptions. A shift that brings back control to the grower, and that enhances biological control with the right technology.

A shared goal: growing sustainably
The collaboration between Flower Harmony and PATS is built on the values of innovation, sustainability, and collaboration to move the industry forward. By combining automated monitoring with biological control, Flower Harmony can keep pesticide usage to a minimum, and only as a last resort, while maintaining a healthy crop and ecosystem.

Looking ahead
The partnership continues to evolve. Together, Flower Harmony and PATS are exploring new ways to make insect data even more useful. A first step is the roll-out of PATS-Vinder, earlier this season. The team now knows when adult moths appear, but even better, they now know when the tiniest caterpillars are hatching. A perfect tool when you need to plan your intervention and the manpower for execution.

For more information:
Flower Harmony
Email: [email protected]
https://flowerharmony.nl/