"Cucumber flowers are yellow, and the lights in the greenhouse turn purple when there's not enough sunlight. There are bugs in the greenhouse. And you can't go on the bouncy castle with a cucumber in your mouth." Clearly, this four-year-old still has a bit to learn about horticulture—but he certainly had a great time at the Get in the Greenhouse event, which took place this weekend in greenhouses all over Netherlands.
The event 'Kom in de Kas' enjoyed a sun-drenched edition this year. Spread across 16 regions, over 100 greenhouse businesses opened their doors to the public. More than 145,000 visitors took the opportunity to peek behind the glass and learn more about the greenhouse horticulture sector. For many companies, it was a valuable chance to generate positive publicity for a sector that often faces criticism. This weekend, however, visitors were mostly filled with amazement—at the beauty, scale, and innovation of the industry. Everyone brought their A-game.
© Thijmen Tiersma | HortiDaily.com
Our editors hit the road—click here for the photo report.
Strawberry breakfast in Bommelerwaard
In Bommelerwaard, Get in the Greenhouse kicked off for the first time with a breakfast—featuring strawberries, of course. Held in the new greenhouse of Kwekerij van Tuyl, the event welcomed participants, sponsors, the mayor, neighbors, and other guests. The mayor gave an opening speech, followed by Toon van Tuijl, chairman of Get in the Greenhouse, who highlighted the many positive developments in the sector. Host and breakfast initiator Geert-Jan van Tuijl concluded the morning by reading Psalm 65 before officially opening the event.
In total, six companies from Gameren and Zaltbommel took part. For kids, the bouncy castles, prize contests, and fascinating greenhouse technology were a hit. Adults, too, were intrigued—especially by the robotics on display at Kwekerij de Wolvenhoek. Wikotech demonstrated a robot capable of snipping the central bud from a chrysanthemum stem. Cameras were mounted all around the machine. Did it work as promised? The end effector—the part that does the cutting—was kept out of sight at the time, but curious colleagues got a sneak peek, and a video from the Ministry of Agriculture shows it in action. Testing quietly continues in the chrysanthemum greenhouse.
© Thijmen Tiersma | HortiDaily.com Demonstration of the Wikotech chrysanthemum bud cutting robot at Kwekerij de Wolvenhoek
A golden honor in Limburg
The Limburg edition of the event had its own memorable moment. During the networking breakfast, Jean Aerts stepped down as regional chairman and was honored with the Golden LLTB pin—the highest award given by the organization. "This pin is reserved for those who have made extraordinary contributions to our sector," said current chairman Thijs Rompelberg.
© LLTB
Strawberries, cucumbers, and robots in Boekel
In Boekel, greenhouses were bustling right from the start. Visitors could follow the full cycle of cucumber growing at Van Asseldonk, where they also showed off their UV and strawberry harvesting robots. The heating system, water tech area, and packaging lines at Fresh Valley impressed many, as did the purple greenhouse lights. Meanwhile, kids rolled off the bouncy castles, faces painted and red from excitement, heading straight for snack cucumbers, strawberries, ice cream, and other treats.
© https://www.at10.agency/ Rene Tielemans answered visitors' questions continuously from 11 a.m. to well after 4 p.m.
Waddinxveen welcomes visitors again
This location—more precisely, this street—last took part six years ago, before the pandemic. This year, nine companies participated. It was a gorgeous day, and the turnout surpassed expectations. It was already busy by morning. A small train shuttled visitors from the parking area, adding to the festive vibe. There was something for everyone: food, drinks, a bouncy castle, and suppliers presenting themselves with eye-catching banners. Automation attracted much attention, and several growers sold their products directly to visitors.