In the last year, many practical tests have been carried out by various growers in the Netherlands on foil on cultivation gutters. On approximately 4 hectares, foil was introduced in hanging cultivation gutters for tomato, pepper and aubergine cultivation. At the start of cultivation, the foil was placed on the still dry gutters, under the substrate mats. This means that diseases and pests couldn't remain in the gutter.
Because of the smooth foil, moulds, bacteria and viruses had less chance of continuing to grow in the cultivation gutter. Also, gutter foil prevents roots from growing past the substrate mat and possibly infecting other plants. The practical testing (from November to July) is going well and the growers have clearly had less problems with various root diseases.
An important second advantage of the use of foil is the cleaning of the gutter during change of cultivation. After removal of the foil, the gutter is still 95% clean. Only the drainage gutters still need to be washed out. That saves a lot of time and labour! Above all, the gutter foil increases the life expectancy of the cultivation gutter.
For more information:
Royal Brinkman
Woutersweg 10
2691 PR 'S-Gravenzande
T: +31 (174) 44 61 00
F: +31 (174) 44 61 50
E: info@brinkman.nl
www.brinkman.nl