Sensiplant at Strijbisverbeek

Strijbisverbeek was created in 2006 when the ‘Strijbis Potplanten’ and ‘Sander Verbeek’ organisations joined forces.
Strijbisverbeek is a company operating at 3 sites, in De Lier (2) and Maasdijk. They are growing Pot Chrysanthemums, Kalanchoes and Poinsettias on 12 ha. This grower has blossomed into the market leader in the pot chrysanthemum growing sector in the Netherlands
in recent years.

Strijbisverbeek started measuring soil humidity using the Sensiplant on site at their Oranjepolderweg operation in Maasdijk at the end of September. We spoke to their crop supervisor Jeroen.

What was the reason for your purchase of this system?
“As in our organisation, the decision about the correct irrigation is decided by different people, there was some discussion about whether the plant was okay, or not wet or dry. We have a large number of different plants, so that this is somewhat difficult to determine. The Sensiplant system now offers us more insight into this, so that we can follow fixed guidelines for irrigation. We have a Priva climate computer, but as the system does not depend on any one brand of climate computer to work, it is a suitable product for us to use.”

“There are 110 rolling tables with different varieties and colours of Poinsettia. These tables are all watered at the same time, which has varying consequences for the different varieties, as one type produces roots more quickly and therefore also evaporates and absorbs more water than another. It therefore sometimes occurred that one variety was dry while the other was still very wet. Sensiplant makes any such differences quickly visible. The system is currently used in 6 cm pots, as the substrate (potting compost) in such small pots dries out quickly.”

How do you use the Sensiplant system?
“The Sensiplant system is used to support the crop supervisors’ thoughts. Whenever I see in the greenhouse that the plants need water, I have this confirmed by the Sensiplant system, and vice versa. “

“The Sensiplant system enables us to prevent quality impairments, as the uniform measurements make differences (between varieties) better visible, and the correct moment for irrigation is much easier to determine,” says Jeroen.