More coir growbags in Dutch greenhouses?

Growers have been successfully growing on substrates for decades. From the nineties onwards, coir-based growbags were introduced in Holland by several manufacturers, with varying success. At first, there were issues with the lifespan of the plastic, and the coir bags were considered too wet. However, the Sri Lankan and Indian plastics industry improved the quality of the plastic and increased its reliability. It is now possible to guarantee the lifespan of the plastic for years to come. Recent product developments have also made growbags coarser and airier.

Between 2008 and 2011, Dutch Plantin developed a new generation of Double Layer growbags, with coarse coco pith on top (for fast taking of the crop and a perfect horizontal rooting) and coco chips on the bottom (for uniform and easy drainage). They are now able to ensure even more air (or ‘less water’) at the bottom of the bag than at the top. Plants perform better on such generative substrate, and the other way around.

Dutch Plantin have noticed increased interest in their growbags in the Netherlands, and several trials have been started. These are some reactions from Dutch growers to the growbags:

‘There is almost no difference in irrigation compared to our usual rock wool’
‘The plants take faster on coir and carry fruit earlier’
‘Compared to rock wool, the irrigation is much more manageable; rewetting is very easy after getting some dry, over and over again’
‘If I want an increase in growth, I can simply water the plants more or add more fertilizer without the bag going soggy at the bottom; it’s perfect!’
‘My sweet peppers give fruits earlier and more weight per piece, I like the coir bags!’

For more information

Dutch Plantin

T: +91-422 25 62 501

T: +31-492 74 75 60

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