Belgium: Strawberries under LED lighting: early ripe and summery sweet

The purpose of the test was to get ahead of the competition by supplying the first ripe strawberries. Despite the fact that according to Frank Royen from Welroy Fruit there was no question of a severe winter, the planned early delivery was achieved. Whether the test with LED also has effects for the production of strawberries Royen cannot say yet, since the greenhouse strawberry season has only just begun and will still be running until sometime in April.

Royen is satisfied with the early ripeness and the good, sweet taste of the first strawberries. The strawberries under LED are sweeter than the strawberries from the classic, unlighted greenhouse. Whether the strawberries are sweeter than strawberries from under SON-T lighting, Royen does not dare to say yet, because he has not yet tasted comparative material from the region around Wellen.

Although the first results of the test are positive, Royen does not immediately expect that the test with LED lighting will be extended at Welroy Fruit. Royen: "The market for early greenhouse strawberries is relatively limited. Too much supply from under LED would have a negative effect on the price."

In addition to strawberries from under LED, the first strawberries from the unlighted greenhouses from Welroy should also be ripe for sale by the end of March. Next, from mid-April, 2 hectares open field cultivation, will have to start supplying strawberries. At the end of October, beginning of November, cultivation is then switched back to the greenhouse. Only in January and February, people will have to do without (greenhouse) strawberries from Welroy.