Bell pepper grower scales up with coir substrate
Source: HD.com
The results were so positive that the company plans to grow in a second greenhouse using this coir slab next season. The Frisian bell pepper grower operates 111,000 m² of greenhouse space, producing approximately 250,000 plants per crop and over 20 million bell peppers per year.
That's why we decided to use the coir slab in one of our three greenhouses, each covering an area of four hectares." The choice fell on Klasmann-Deilmann's Growbag COCO. Vink Sion chose to use the mats without pre-made drainage holes and to cut these themselves later.
'In the beginning, we saw clearly different values through leaf samples and drain water analyses, and we see that reflected in good plant resilience.' Making the right decision faster In addition to the substrate, data also plays an important role in the cultivation strategy. "We already had moisture meters ourselves, but Log & Solve's sensors give us a much more complete picture," explains Van der Ziel.
Why this matters: For operators, this is a water-management story. The useful signal is that direct substrate measurements can help cut drain loss materially without giving up yield or fruit quality, which is exactly the kind of controllable efficiency gain a facility can build on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does substrate sensing matter in free-drain strawberry systems?
Because drain percentage tells a grower what already happened, while substrate moisture and EC data show root-zone conditions directly. That makes it easier to cut water loss without guessing.
What is the operator takeaway from this trial?
If the thresholds are understood well enough, growers can reduce drain water materially while protecting yield and fruit quality, which makes sensing an operational tool instead of a reporting tool.
