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GENERAL

New participant RHP Groen Recycling Twente

Welcome at RHP!

It is RHP a pleasure to let you know that Groenrecycling Twente meets the demand from the product certification scheme RHP quality mark, field RHP Horticulture.

We are looking forward to a long-standing and pleasant cooperation.

6th International Symposium on Peat in Horticulture

On the 11th of October 2010 the 6th International Symposium on 'Peat in Horticulture' will take place in Amsterdam.

This symposium is a joint symposium of Commission II of the International Peat Society (IPS) and the Dutch National Committee of IPS, recognized by the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS).

Traditionally, the Symposium will take place one day before the International Horti Fair (which is held from 12-15 October 2010).

In May or June 2010 the full programm will be released, however, pre-registration is possible from now on. For additional information and pre-registration, surf to http://www.veengenootschap.nl/

Independent and professional supervision increases quality

Reception of the RHP product certification scheme by the Board of Accreditation (in Dutch 'Raad voor Accreditatie, abbreviated 'RvA') has lead to foundation of a Central Board of Experts (in Dutch 'Centraal College van Deskundigen, abbreviated 'CCvD'). Since early 2010 the CCvD is active; with prof. dr. Olaf van Kooten 'at the helm'. Olaf van Kooten is employed at the Wageningen University, chair chains in horticulture.

Accreditation increases the clarity of the value of the RHP quality mark. The work of the RvA has been concentrated to support your confidence in the quality of the quality mark. That happens through independent and professional supervision. The CCvD supports this process. Beside it the CCvD is the highest organ of decision within the diagram of the RHP organisation. Afther the first meeting of the CCvD with Hein Boon (Managing Director RHP) a number of decisions has been taken, including:

• The CCvD of RHP decides with regard to the contents of the RHP quality mark and the RHP organisation fills a facilitating role.
• An application for removing a site for raw materials of site type 2 to site type 3 has to be submitted to the certifying authority (CI). The CI is asked to report about changes in sites every year.
• In the course of the next 2 years, the background, requirements and the contents of the current product certification scheme is treated. The members of the CCvD have unanimously adopted the responsibility for the scheme.

Are you member of the RHP quality mark (and so have a login for the extranet of RHP at your disposal) and you are curious about the complete list of decisions of the CCvD. Then go to extranet of RHP and click on 'documents on behalf of RHP certification'.

Horti Fair 2009

RHP was present at the international trade fair for horticulture; Horti Fair 2009. The topic in the stand was conscious potting.

 

Many visitors have looked and listened with interest at effective potting. Well known is that a loosely filled pot is approximately similar to the density of the European standard method EN-12580. Further the grower defines the density of the soil in the pot. On average we presume that 25% will be densified.

 

More fixed potting leads to:

Higher density, as a result of which pores densifies also. This ensures a higher water content and a lower air content.

As a result of using more soil, also more fertilizers are used. This ensures a higher EC. However, this is not alarming. And however, at the use of CRF (slow-acting coated fertilicers) can lead to large differences.

Another stability.

 

One must pay attention at a change of the working method. For example the way of potting with another machine, another tuning, etc. Or for example at modification of the recipe. Take hereby in consideration that a number of affairs, among which behaviour of potting, can change.

 

 

Substratum 2009; a new substrate platform

LAV, NVG, VPN and RHP gave the kick-off for Substratum, a new substrate platform, with the thought-provoking theme ‘What will tomorrow bring?’. The good attendance and the participants’ enthusiastic reactions show that there is indeed a need for consultation and the exchange of thoughts within the substrate sector.

The first Substratum platform took place on 11 June 2009. It was organised on the initiative of the Vereniging Leveranciers van Aanvulgronden (LAV; Association of Supplementary Soil Suppliers), the Nederlands Veengenootschap (NVG; IPS Dutch National Committee), the Vereniging van Potgrondfabrikanten (VPN; Association of Potting Soil Producers) and RHP, the knowledge centre in the field of substrates. This first sector-wide platform for soil and substrates was a success, judging from the good attendance and the participants’ enthusiastic reactions. With diverse presentations and an information market our sector put Substratum 2009 on the map.

 

Members’ meeting and information market

Just under 80 visitors  attended Substratum. In the morning, LAV, NVG and VPN held their (general) members’ meeting while RHP presented its views on the future under the heading of ‘getting a grip on substrates’. This was followed by group discussions.

The attendees were able to visit the stands of the information market in the foyer. The stands were staffed by  employees of the platform’s sponsors: Bord na Móna, BPI – Indupac, BTH – Bag Treatment Holland bv, ECOstyle bv, Haifa Chemicals Ltd., Klasmann Deilmann Benelux bv, Oerlemans Plastics bv, RVC Industriële Verpakkingen bv, Scotts International bv, Slootweg Machinefabriek bv, Tref-Jiffy and Yara Benelux bv. Without these sponsors Substratum could not have been organised, so a big thank-you to them all!

 

Presentations

After lunch, the visitors attended various presentations focusing on a wide diversity of themes. The speakers all started with a short presentation of their organisation, after which they gave their views on the sector, ending with their views on the sector’s future in relation to the theme of Substratum 2009 - ‘What will tomorrow bring?’. The presentations varied in subject matter from ‘developments in tomorrow’s fertiliser market’ to ‘a survey of peat exploitation in Germany’. If you are interested in the contents of the six presentations, go to www.rhp.nl, where you will find a link to the presentations under ‘news’. The afternoon programme was professionally and enthusiastically led by the day’s chairman, Ron Bleijswijk, certification director of the Dutch certification organisation MPS-ECAS. Before the informal aperitifs and dinner, the cabaret artist Marcel Harmsen ended the day with a performance in which he gave his personal interpretation of the afternoon and brought the attendees onto firm ground with a lot of laughs.

 

 

 

RHP warns against self-sown willow

Reports of self-sown willow seedlings prompted RHP to send out a press release with a warning against this problem. The press release is intended to facilitate discussions between growers and substrate suppliers.

 

The unexpected appearance of willow seedlings among other plants grown in pots and containers is a problem encountered mostly in the east of the Netherlands, in Germany and in Belgium. The problem occurs both in outdoor cultivation and in greenhouses. Wind-borne willow pappus is a familiar sight every year. The intensity may vary considerably from one region to another. In the event of high wind speeds, willow seeds and their pappus may be dispersed across several kilometres. It is known that willow seeds are capable of germination for only a short period. In that short period - from one to two days - a willow seed must find the right conditions for it to germinate. Such conditions are for example a moist substrate, a favourable temperature, light spectrum, etc. When such conditions are not optimum, the seed will not germinate, and will soon die. That's the reason why we don't see any mass germination of willow every year.

 

Journals

RHP's press release, which has been sent to Dutch, Belgian and German journals, is intended mainly to facilitate discussions between growers and substrate suppliers. Such discussions may ensue when a grower observes willow seedlings and suspects that they derive from seeds contained in the substrate. The risk of willow seeds capable of germination being contained in a substrate and subsequently germinating among other plants is indeed very small. Almost all cases of self-sown willow will have arisen in a nursery's own surroundings. There are around twelve willow species in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium, but the problems are caused mostly by grey willow, white willow and crack willow. Remarkable this year is that the first reports of cases of self-sown willow came two weeks earlier than in previous years.

 

If you have any questions about self-sown willow, please contact Marco Zevenhoven, RHP's technical adviser, e-mail: zevenhoven@rhp.nl

RHP shares know-how with growers

Hans Verhagen and Marco Zevenhoven provided information at two strawberry meetings and a gerberasymposium. Besides sharing their know-how with growers they also calles attention to the advantages of the RHP Horticulture quality mark.

On the strawberry day that took place on 22 January and the Haasnoot seminar (BvB Substrates) of 6 February, Hans Verhagen informed growers about the possibilities of substrates for strawberries and their influence on production.

And at the request of the Van der Knaap Group, Marco Zevenhoven discussed the chemical and physical properties of coir products in the cultivation of gerberas at the gerbera symposium that was held on 28 January. Hans and Marco both explained the advantages of the RHP Horticulture quality mark for users.

 

RHP present at De Groene Sector Vakbeurs 2009

'De Groene Sector Vakbeurs' (Green Sector Fair) has taken place for the 10th time. RHP was present and has promoted RAG Landscaping. RAG Landscaping is the quality mark for substrates for municipal green areas.

During 3 days the Green Sector Fair has been the meeting point where entrepeneurs and relations meet each other.

The theme at the fair was the stability of tree soil. One of the distinguishing standards of RAG Landscaping products, beside granulaire properties and chemical standards, is the stability of tree soil. Stability is an important property of tree soil. At insufficient stability the oxygen quality in the ground will decrease. The organic material which is used in tree soil is responsible for this stability. Poorly stabilized compost is susceptible for decomposition. During this process oxygen is withdrawn to the ground. A tree needs oxygen (minimum 10 volumes %) to be able to grow. Materials which uses much oxygen, is not suitable for the application in tree soil.

Oxygen lack and growth inhibition belongs to the past if you use products with RAG Landscaping.

 

RHP awards prize to GroenRijk Tilburg employee

At the 2008 GardenBusiness fair visitors were invited to take part in RHP's knowledge quiz. The quiz was intended to test the visitor's knowledge of various quality aspects of substrates. By answering ten questions, the participants had an oppurtunity to show who is currently most knowledgeable in this field. Marc de Jong, departmental head/salesman at GroenRijk Tilburg, achieved the highest score, winning him the first prize. Marc was presented an impressive 'Arena' Barbecook with an associated Barbecook set. The prize was made available by Barbecook.

Congratulations for BVB Substrates

RHP congratulate BVB Substrates with the 'Best Participant Award' during the Horti Fair 2008.

This award is given to BVB Substrates, because they has made the best use of the Horti Fair as a medium. What was decisive for the jury was the accessible and attractive presentation at the fair and the segmented approach.

Horti Fair 2008

RHP was present during Horti Fair 2008 Amsterdam. The theme was: 'WOK gives grip on water uptake'.

WOK analysis offers insight! A known problem in relatively dry crops is the rewetting of the substrate. Basically, this applies to all growing media, from potting soil to rockwool slabs. RHP has developed a standard analysing methodology which offers a clear insight into the water-uptake-characteristics (WOK) of substrates. The WOK analysis is a practical parameter to forecast the water balance of substrates under practical circumstances. It is a tool for growers and substrate suppliers to define a substrate.

Annual report 2007; communication en continuity.

'Sector is responsible for continuity'.
'To convince retail of the meaning of safe potting soil'.
'WOK-analysis offers help to right choice'.

Up here you read some statements from the RHP annual report 2007. Do you want to read the complete RHP annual report? Download here.

Specifications in spotlight at RHP technology day

Functional specifications have a major influence on business processes in the daily horticulture practice. No matter whether it involves potting soil, a watering system of a food safety. The RHP technology day was dedicated to this subject.

The annual RHP technology day was held on 5 June 2008 at Demo Nursery Metazet in Honselersdijk. The presentations all focused on 'functional specifications'. RHP described the current state of affairs in the potting soil industry, with an explanation on how specifications for growing media are defined, and looked ahead to future developments. In this respect analysing the situation regarding a cultivation system at a certain nursery is essential. That includes the watering system, the cultivation method and the fertilisation strategy observed. It is the task of the growing medium producer to identify and define the resulting specifications. Then this is converted into a certain formula. Communication between grower and growing media supplier remains important.

Grower's wishes
Hoogendoorn presented the Sensiplant system. This system must make watering easier for the grower. At various locations in the growing medium sensors are placed that measure the humidity. The grower can take cultivation actions on the basis of the measuring data. This system was developed on the basis of in-house research, but also on extensive analyses in practice. Data from both sources have been used to compile the Sensiplant specifications. The grower's wishes have clearly been converted into specifications, after which the product was developed further.

Supermarket requirements
In his presentation, Arie van der Linden explained that The Greenery continuously has to deal with farreaching client wishes that lead to requirements or specifications. Clients such as supermarket chains come up with requirements that, moreover, may differ considerably for each organisation. Van der Linden explained how The Greenery handles specifications on the basis of the example of crop protection agent residues that may be present in vegetables and fruit. The company performs large numbers of analyses, because food safety, a serious matter, is at stake. He also remarked that in some cases absurd wishes are uttered. Yet the customer is always right and the wish is complied with.

The RHP technology day was completed by a lunch and a visit to the demo nursery with its tests, guided by the Van Adrichems. The programme was up to expectations. Another technology day has been scheduled for 2009.