16 october 2026
Since September, Koen van Donk has been an intern at RHP. During his internship, he is analysing the performance of different consumer potting soils. We are happy to introduce him.
“I’m Koen van Donk, 19 years old, and I come from Oudewater in the Netherlands. I am currently in my third year of the Horticulture and Arable Farming (Tuin- en Akkerbouw) programme at HAS Green Academy in ’s-Hertogenbosch. I chose this programme because it offers a great combination of theory and practical experience, which suits me very well. I also find horticulture a fascinating field, with many interesting challenges for the future.”
“For my internship, I was looking for a place where I could explore whether research and advisory work would suit me. Through a LinkedIn post, I came into contact with RHP. After an introductory meeting, it became clear that the internship project matched exactly what I was looking for.”
“During my internship, I am conducting a performance trial with various consumer potting soils from different producers. I am analysing how these potting soils perform when they are freshly produced and after being stored for at least three months. The trial includes growing pansies and lettuce, as well as carrying out several tests, such as the water uptake characteristic (WOK analysis) and the Nitrogen Immobilisation Test (NIT).”
“I find this research very interesting because more and more renewable raw materials are being used in growing media. These materials also bring new challenges, for example in relation to nitrogen availability. So far, I have already learned a great deal about different raw materials and their properties, and I look forward to learning even more.”
“I am really enjoying my internship at RHP. It is a friendly and pleasant working environment, and everyone makes an effort to teach me as much as possible and provide good guidance. By the end of my internship, I hope to deliver a valuable research report that gives the participating companies insight into the performance of their potting soils and helps them identify both strengths and areas for improvement. They can then use these results to further optimise their products where needed.”
We wish Koen success and an enjoyable internship at RHP, which runs until the end of January.
