“We want to do things a little better every day, both for the roses as for the environment.” That is how crop specialist Glenn van der Burg describes Porta Nova’s continuous improvement process, with which they commit themselves every day to growing roses of the highest possible quality. Porta Nova is the result of a merger of three rose nurseries, bringing together over 100 years of knowledge, experience and passion for rose cultivation. In 2018, Porta Nova expanded considerably and almost doubled its greenhouse acreage. In addition to red roses, the company since then also offers white roses.
Plant central for sustainable growth
Next to quality, innovation and sustainability are two other important aspects in Porta Nova’s rose cultivation. “We try to grow biologically as much as possible. With this the plant is always central.” Biological pest control creates a better balance in the greenhouse, due to which fewer pesticides are used.
Next to this, no gas or fossil fuels are used in the new greenhouse. Green electricity is used and the greenhouse is heated and cooled by hot and cold underground sources. “We make use of “the Climator” (OPAC system), with which we can harvest cold in wintertime and heat in summertime. This cold and heat is stored underground, and is used to heat the greenhouse during winter and cool the greenhouse during summer. This way we keep our greenhouse climate stable at all times and we can deliver the same high quality roses all year long.”
The innovative systems used at Porta Nova complicate the control of these systems. This is why they use a Hoogendoorn process computer. “I really like the ViP settings. These allow you to create different settings and link everything together. This makes it a nice and dynamic system. When you know how it works, you can do everything you want with it. In the beginning I did not know the process computer at all and I followed some online courses via the Hoogendoorn AcadeMe. This helped me a lot. I also recommend growers with years of experience to follow some courses. It will cost time, but you will learn tricks that help you do things quicker and more efficient, which will also save you time.”
#SayItWithFlowers
The world has been under the spell of the Corona virus for several months. The floriculture sector has been hit hard by the Corona crisis and Porta Nova is no exception. The demand for flowers had largely disappeared overnight. “Corona has had a significant impact, but fortunately prices are good again.”
To support ornamental growers, the #FlowerBoostChallenge was launched online, which challenged companies to buy flowers directly from the grower, and to give them to their staff or care institutions. For example, Hoogendoorn has distributed Porta Nova roses to the staff of a local hospital and a care home.
A very nice initiative, but not enough according to Porta Nova. Building on the #FlowerBoostChallenge, they set up the international florist campaign #SayItWithFlowers. With this campaign, Porta Nova calls on companies and consumers to buy flowers from their local florist, in order to support the entire chain from greenhouse to florist.
Do you want to help too? Buy a nice bouquet of roses or other flowers at your local florist, give them to someone who deserves them, and post a picture online with hashtag #SayItWithFlowers!
Care tips
To enjoy your roses as long as possible, Porta Nova has a few tips: cut the stems at an angle, and put the roses in a vase with fresh, clean water as soon as possible. Place the roses in a draught-free, not too warm location, and never in direct sunlight.