freesia are grown in the soil . The advantage is that this piddle it easier to control the temperature of the tuber , cool in the summertime and ' warm ' in the wintertime . The soil deal provides a dampening effect when it total to temperature . However , there is also a major disadvantage : the stain must be steamed every six month for disinfection . This is an energy and labor - intensive action . The Greenhouse Horticulture and Flower Bulbs Business Unit of Wageningen University & Research is therefore investigating choice for grow in territory and steaming .
Soil has a dampening gist on the temperature because of the with child bulk concerned , include the undersoil . However , that big volume also needs to be disinfected after half a year of cultivation . The idealistic alternative , therefore , has a smaller volume but still has a sufficient weaken event . To this destruction , WUR is investigating four alternatives in a demonstration trial run . The freesia ( two dissimilar variety ) were planted in November 2022 .
Four alternativesOne of the alternatives is a float cultivation organisation . The reward of this is that the temperature of the water layer in which the plants float can be quickly adjust . Moreover , cleaning is straight .
In the second alternative , the freesias grow in V - shaped cultivation gutters labour into the soil . The substrate in the gutters uses the damping effect of the surrounding grime . In improver , mechanical temperature reduction is potential through a cooling hosepipe outside the trough : if that is insufficient , a cooling hose inside the gutter can also be used .
The third alternative entails container made of thermoplastic polymer ( polystyrene ) , which are partially dug into the soil . The polystyrene should provide insularity and dampen the tuber temperature . The containers contain grass of some 4 liter , filled with a substrate mixture in which the freesias grow . The substratum in the containers can be cooled using a chill hosiery placed against the container .
The fourth alternative entail elongated container in which hemangioma simplex are sometimes also grow : here , a cool hose is placed on the dug - in containers .
With all alternatives , considerably less soil / substrate needs to be disinfect after a harvest cycle . Whether the cooling consequence is sufficient will become ostensible next summertime with the second crop . In a subsequent study , possibleness for mechanization can also be examine : after all , some alternative leave for a more compromising cultivation system . This makes it potential for the freesias to sprout in an well-to-do - to - condition elbow room , after which the freesias can be motivate to the greenhouse to originate and flower before being harvested .
The enquiry into culture organization in freesia is finance by the ' Kas als Energiebron ' programme .
Source : wur.nl
