"The weather conditions might still be extreme, but we are able to overcome the challenges"
Source: HD.com
This follows the lifting of the 4.8-hectare greenhouse by 1.7 metres during the past winter, carried out by TC van den Dool. "Before the lifting, at this time of year, the plant heads were only about 50 centimetres from the roof.
Inside the greenhouse, the temperature is around 28 degrees, compared to 34 degrees last year." The greenhouse structure was raised from 4.5 metres to 6.2 metres. You want the grower back into production as soon as possible, and ensure all work is done neatly." And they managed to: the greenhouse was raised and closed again within seven weeks.
Aartsdijkweg 55 2676 LE Maasdijk +31 (0)174 513094 [email protected] www.tcvddool.nl Publication date: Thu 25 Jun 2026 © HortiDaily.com / Arlette Sijmonsma Related Articles → See More "The weather conditions might still be extreme, but we are able to overcome the challenges" “The most successful coaching relationships combine horticultural expertise with analytical thinking” Grafting of pepper plants makes a comeback Taking a bet on hydroponic farming with 8,000 linear meters of ECO system “Our new gutter is more than a carrier of plants” Will you be the new owner of RedStar and Hessing machinery? Indoor farm CAPEX as low as €650/m2 How to use a grow light calculator to stop guessing and start growing Water quality, root health and operational excellence as a focus in successful leafy greens production Knowing what the plant is actually experiencing Related Articles "The weather conditions might still be extreme, but we are able to overcome the challenges" “The most successful coaching relationships combine horticultural expertise with analytical thinking” Grafting of pepper plants makes a comeback Taking a bet on hydroponic farming with 8,000 linear meters of ECO system “Our new gutter is more than a carrier of plants” Related Articles Will you be the new owner of RedStar and Hessing machinery?
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.
