Virtual study clubs offer more crop insights

Look into the PC of your colleague

Site comparisons by computer are winning ground: an increasing number of growers take a digital look into their colleagues’ kitchens. If you ask growers, these virtual study clubs clearly have added value. Comparison systems provide a better insight into the crop, because two always do know more than one.

The Internet opened up a world of possibilities, and it also did this for businessmen in the horticultural sector. For instance, you can now follow climate and energy consumption on five growers’ sites via www.kijkindekas.nl. There are however some computer programs which go even further and offer the option to compare site data with your colleagues, made possible by linking computers on different organisations’ sites with each other. The various data obtained are sorted by special programs, and any differences in units and periods are standardised.

LetsGrow is the online comparison system most in use.

Several times a day

Wooning Orchids in Bleiswijk has been working with LetsGrow for about a year now. “LetsGrow only records our climate data; that’s what’s most beneficial to us”, explains Herbert Wooning. To compare their data, the site takes part in various study groups. In Wooning’s opinion, looking into a colleague’s kitchen provides added value. “We can look at all climate-technical data on our colleagues’ sites: light penetrability, humidity, temperature, CO2 level, measurements by Plantivity plant sensors, etc.
Our crop staff consult LetsGrow several times a day and take this information into account when determining the ideal greenhouse climate. By comparing, we have obtained more insights into the crop and have undertaken all kinds of crop-technical adjustments. For instance, we now leave the screens open for longer than before, as we noticed that this had no detrimental effects on a colleague’s site.”

Motivation is essential

Rose growers Porta Nova in Waddinxveen also work with LetsGrow. As Stefan van Vuuren says, they mainly do this because data are stored well and can be retrieved easily. They currently don’t compare data with their colleagues, but set figures obtained from their three different sites against each other. “We have been growing a new variety since last year – Red Naomi. We are the only grower with this variety of rose, so that comparing with our colleagues is not possible at the moment, although we hope this will change. We did have good experiences though; when we grew “Passion” in the past, we compared our production, work and energy figures with our colleagues.”
Van Vuuren thinks the chance to look over other growers’ shoulders provides  large added value. “You can see what is happening from one minute to the next, and you learn a lot from this. Horticulture has always grown due to co-operation.”

The grower has adjusted various crop-technical items as a result of comparisons in the past. “Often these were only small, but still relevant adjustments. For instance, we are now working with a lower minimum temperature. Data from one of our colleagues showed that a further reduction was no problem.”

Climate figures are automatically input into LetsGrow, but production and work figures have to be entered manually. If sites wish to look into each other’s kitchens, it is therefore important that everyone who is part of a certain group makes sure they do input these data. And there is something left to be desired in this area, in the experience of Van Vuuren. “Some people neglect this, and that’s frustrating, especially if you are very busy yourself.”

Comparing via computer: LetsGrow

The LetsGrow management information system by LetsGrow.com runs on a central server, and data are available via a special website. Growers can look at climate data, but also production, energy and work figures, and compare them with their colleagues via a program using graphs and tables. All measured data are available “live”. The program calculates forecasts, and this way, it can for instance be established what the climatological and economic consequences will be of a lower or higher greenhouse temperature.
Growers can also subscribe to LetsGrow Teleview, providing images to complement data. LetsGrow has some 500 users.