These weeks, growers all over the world are putting young plants in their greenhouses. The freshly cleaned greenhouse, filled with sparkling young plants and clean white growbags look radiant. That could be a very different sight in a few years. "Black growbags could provide improved earliness," says Wim Roosen of Dutch Plantin. The company is starting trials with them.
Dutch Plantin supplies growers and the potting compost industry with various coco products. "Because of the light reflection, we usually use white plastic for vegetable growbags," Wim explains. "With the current energy prices, things have changed, and we're looking into different colors."
Black growbags are often used in strawberry cultivation, so it's not completely new. "Almost all strawberry plants are planted in black growbags. The black plastic heats up faster, which is convenient for the crop. Also, in vegetable cultivation, it might give a little more earliness."
Since numbers tell the tale, Dutch Plantin is starting a trial in vegetables. Currently, pepper plants are being grown on black and white grow bags. "This way, we hope to find out what brings the most benefit: reflection or heath."
Dutch Plantin