The Plant Empowerment Foundation is inviting 15 top growers from around the world for the 4th edition of the Summer School. This exclusive five-day masterclass, organized from June 9-14 at Amsterdam, offers a unique program of theoretical insights and hands-on learning, empowering participants to enhance yield, sustainability, and overall crop health.
Meet previous participant Krisztián Czibula, Head Grower and Greenhouse Manager at Agrotrend Kolárovo in Slovakia. After attending the Plant Empowerment Summer School in 2023, Krisztián returned to his tomato greenhouse with a fresh perspective and new strategies that led to remarkable improvements. By refining the heating strategy, he achieved healthier plants, reduced chemical usage, and increased yield.
A transformative learning experience
Krisztián's journey with Plant Empowerment began when he was searching for a solution to the challenges created by the hot and dry summers in southern Slovakia. With temperatures reaching up to 35°C for weeks at a time, his crops often struggled with growth deficiencies and disease sensitivity. Through the Summer School, he discovered the power of an activated heating strategy to maintain climate uniformity, leading to more resilient plants and better production outcomes.
"The Summer School gave me an in-depth understanding of how to create a balanced greenhouse environment," says Krisztián. "The expert-led sessions and interactions with fellow growers helped me translate theory into actionable strategies that have made a real difference."
Beyond climate management, Krisztián explored plant nutrition, screening strategies, and data-driven growing techniques. His team now regularly refers to the Plant Empowerment book for ongoing fine-tuning of their strategies, ensuring continuous improvement and innovation in their greenhouse operations.
Since attending the Summer School, Krisztián has been actively experimenting with various aspects of plant management. "We are happy with our irrigation strategy, which we developed in close collaboration with Cultilene a couple of years ago; it is working very well for us in terms of steering. But since attending the Summer School, I've started to think more about the balance of micronutrients and macronutrients in the feed recipe. I'm interested in gaining more knowledge about how we can tailor the nutrition to the plants' needs, especially during hotter periods."
Another aspect that has captured his attention is screening. "Most of our screens at Kolárovo are shading screens rather than energy screens. However, we have installed new screens in a small part of the greenhouse so I've been able to try out a new approach there, and have already discovered that it works very differently. Using screening to balance light and temperature effectively is a complex topic that I'd like to learn more about in the future – not only for our Kolárovo site, but perhaps also for the other greenhouses in the GreenCoop group."
Summer School 2025
Inspired by Krisztián's story, Plant Empowerment invites 15 leading high-tech growers to join the 2025 edition. During this intensive five-day program, participants will explore the core principles of Plant Empowerment, mastering root zone management, data integration, and advanced climate strategies to optimize greenhouse performance.
Throughout the week, the Plant Empowerment consultants will provide personalized advice to help attendees apply their learnings to their own greenhouse environments. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to network with like-minded professionals and experience the vibrant city of Amsterdam.
For more information:
Plant Empowerment
www.plantempowerment.com