Last year, Foamplant introduced the horticultural substrate Growfoam. Growfoam is a patent pending biodegradable plant substrate for seedling germination and plant cultivation. The dimensionally stable, peat-free and clean plant foam-substrate is produced from biodegradable biopolymers and natural additives. Depending on specific crop requirements Growfoam can be tuned in composition, foam morphology and foam cell size. By tuning the foam substrate to the requirements of young plant growers, Foamplant is able to deliver a defined water capacity and air capacity suited to every crop.
Biodegradation in 3-6 months (under regular greenhouse conditions)
OK Compost certificate
During December 2019 Growfoam passed all required tests on biodegradation in order to acquire the OK Compost certificate from TÜV Austria. Growfoam substrate plugs are therefore available with certified biodegradation, conform EN 13432:2000 norms, from January 2020 onward. “Passing the required biodegradation tests for the OK Compost certificate is an important milestone for Growfoam”, says Martin Tietema, CEO of Foamplant. “We are now able to offer certainty towards growers regarding our claim on biodegradability, which can be communicated clearly from grower, towards retailers and consumers. Crops grown on Growfoam can now be discarded in the green bin together with its Growfoam substrate”.
IPM Essen
Foamplant will be launching its range of Growfoam substrate plugs including OK Compost certificate for the first time on IPM Essen (stand 4D33). From 28-31 January, the team of Foamplant will be present to explain the potential of clean Growfoam substrates with certified biodegradability. “Growfoam biodegradation is a natural and microbial process. This process can be accelerated or delayed depending on your cultivation process”, says martijn Beljaars, CSO of Foamplant. “In clean cultivation processes biodegradation of Growfoam proceeds relatively slow, or is even inhibited in the case of sterile plant tissue culture. When cultivating tropical (young) plants at increased greenhouse temperatures on the other hand, the microbial biodegradation process will be accelerated”.
Foamplant will be presenting Growfoam on IPM Essen in stand 4D33.
For more information:
Foamplant
Martin Tietema
+31 6 4487 4093
m.tietema@foamplant.nl
www.foamplant.nl