In the greenhouse of cucumber grower Herman Keijzers in Veldhoven, tests have been carried out with VitalFluid's natural nitrogen. The test involved a 'standard' USDA organic cucumber crop. In his greenhouse, the grower achieved the same productivity in the USDA organic crop as in the traditional crop, which is about 30% higher.
An American grower who visited the test showed enthusiasm, VitalFluid shares. "Plants don't lie," he exclaimed. The American is one of the largest organic cucumber growers in the US and would like to use VitalFluid's natural nitrogen for his organic crop.
Cucumber grower Herman points out that "one of the biggest challenges in USDA organic growing is a lack of nitrogen. The nitrogen component is provided by VitalFluid natural nitrogen."
Better absorption
Sales Manager Mark van Boxtel of VitalFluid: "What we can see is that the nitrate (NO3) levels in the 'gift' water are very good. The plants are able to absorb this nitrate directly, so regulating your fertilizer water is easy. With organic fertilizers, the nutrients must first be converted to NO3, which causes problems in controlling plant growth. Another advantage of natural nitrogen is that it does not block the irrigation system's drippers because it is a clean nutrient source. There are no contaminants or residues in the water, which also makes it possible to recirculate the fertilizer water."
VitalFluid is currently testing tomatoes at WUR in Bleiswijk, lettuce in vertical farming at Botany, and cucumbers at a grower in the south of the Netherlands. Some potential customers are also testing on a small scale with algae and herbs.
For more information:
Mark van Boxtel
Vitalfluid
High Tech Campus 25-5
5656 AE Eindhoven
+31 (0)85 0603 025
[email protected]
www.vitalfluid.nl