Founded in 2008, Equinox Horticulture Ltd., nestled in the heart of Nanyuki town, Kenya, has grown into a leading producer of premium cut roses for the European market. With 25.5 hectares under greenhouse production and a team of over 450 employees, most of them women, the farm has built a strong reputation for consistency, quality, and innovation.
At the heart of the farm's progress is Harrison Ndegwa Kirimi, the Crop Technical Manager, who joined Equinox more than eight years ago. With over 14 years of experience in agronomy and crop protection, Harrison's focus has been on strengthening production systems and unlocking the full potential of the farm's perennial rose crops.
By 2018, Equinox faced a strategic challenge. Although roses are perennial crops with an expected productive life of up to 15 years, the farm began to see signs of premature aging, with some plants declining as early as eight to nine years. This led to falling yields, reduced stem length and bud size, increased vulnerability to disease, costly replanting cycles, and growing pressure to consider a shift toward hydroponic or soilless systems.
However, Equinox believed the solution lay beneath their feet, in the soil itself. "Soil health became a strategic objective, not only for the agronomy team but for the entire management," Harrison explains. This realization marked a turning point and deepened the farm's partnership with Koppert.
© Koppert Biological System
Equinox had already been working with Koppert for years on integrated pest management and biological crop protection, so when the NatuGro program was introduced, the timing aligned perfectly with the farm's needs. Equinox was looking for a way to rejuvenate aging crops, restore soil balance across its biological, physical, and chemical aspects, and adopt a program supported by solid data, field trials, and reliable technical support.
In 2018, the farm began trials with Koppert's NatuGro program, which combines plant-based biostimulants such as Vidi Parva, Vidi Terrum, and Vidi Fortum with complementary products including Vidi Funda, Trianum-P, and others. The evaluation was deliberately cautious and scientific, involving two years of data collection, close monitoring, and season-by-season assessment to fully understand the program's impact.
Throughout the trial period, Harrison and his team tracked clear, measurable indicators in both the crop and the soil. Crop performance was assessed through parameters such as stem length, bud size, and overall yield. The results proved transformative. Sustained yield increases were recorded, along with stronger crop resilience across the farm as use of the NatuGro program continued.
The trials also revealed consistent improvements in stem length across all size categories, indicating a clear gain in yield quality. From a qualitative perspective, rose crops under the program showed greater resilience, fewer fungal infections, and faster recovery from stress, reinforcing the long-term benefits of the approach.
Equinox had already been working with Koppert for years on integrated pest management and biological crop protection, so when the NatuGro program was introduced, the timing aligned perfectly with the farm's needs. Equinox was looking for a way to rejuvenate aging crops, restore soil balance across its biological, physical, and chemical aspects, and adopt a program supported by solid data, field trials, and reliable technical support.
In 2018, the farm began trials with Koppert's NatuGro program, which combines plant-based biostimulants such as Vidi Parva, Vidi Terrum, and Vidi Fortum with complementary products including Vidi Funda, Trianum-P, and others. The evaluation was deliberately cautious and scientific, involving two years of data collection, close monitoring, and season-by-season assessment to fully understand the program's impact.
Throughout the trial period, Harrison and his team tracked clear, measurable indicators in both the crop and the soil. Crop performance was assessed through parameters such as stem length, bud size, and overall yield. The results proved transformative. Sustained yield increases were recorded, along with stronger crop resilience across the farm as use of the NatuGro program continued.
The trials also revealed consistent improvements in stem length across all size categories, indicating a clear gain in yield quality. From a qualitative perspective, rose crops under the program showed greater resilience, fewer fungal infections, and faster recovery from stress, reinforcing the long-term benefits of the approach.
Why NatuGro worked for Equinox
According to Harrison, the NatuGro system aligned perfectly with the farm's philosophy: "NatuGro rejuvenates the soil so that the soil can rejuvenate the crop. It's a holistic system where each product depends on the other". Rather than treating symptoms, Natugro addressed the root cause: Soil fatigue.
NatuGro stands for Natural Growing and is a system approach that enables you to cultivate your crop in a more natural manner. As a result, the input of chemical pesticides and fertilizers can be kept to a minimum. Part of the NatuGro system is a series of products that can be used on their own or in combination with other products. These products are micro-organisms and natural agents. The result is a healthy crop with a superior performance.
Together, these products ensure a strong and resilient crop that grows well. This is either achieved directly, with help from disease suppressing substances, or indirectly, by strengthening the plant both above ground and underground. A stronger crop will, after all, be more resistant to diseases and pests above ground as well.
© Koppert Biological System
Looking ahead
Today, Equinox Farm stands as a great example of how strategic soil health management can transform productivity in perennial crops. Their partnership with Koppert has not only extended crop life but strengthened resilience, stabilized yields, and improved long-term sustainability.
For Koppert, Equinox's success reinforces a simple rationale, that Healthy soil is the foundation of sustainable farming, and when growers invest in their soil, the results speak for themselves!
For more information:
Koppert
[email protected]
www.koppert.com
