FromBoer and Gardin: a case study in plant driven growing

Pioneers Since 1968

FromBoer, a Dutch family-owned business established in 1968 and currently led by brothers Arjan and Leonard Boer, has flourished through continuous innovation. Their current 4ha facility in Dinteloord (Netherlands) is widely appreciated in the industry as a benchmark for innovation and sustainable practices.

FromBoer grows seven different lettuce varieties directly from seed and supplies fresh produce to supermarkets across Europe. However, this diversity presents a unique challenge for Leonard as each lettuce variety has its own specific needs regarding temperature, light, humidity, and nutrients. Balancing these requirements to optimise productivity for all varieties throughout the year is a complex task, even for growers like FromBoer with extensive horticultural knowledge, demanding a nuanced understanding of each plant's preferences.

Image Credit: Gardin Sensor

The Boer brothers realised that a significant hurdle to enhancing their farm's potential was the lack of direct feedback from the plants after changes to their climate strategy, which delayed their ability to fine-tune for each lettuce variety effectively. Eager to maintain their pioneering status in lettuce cultivation and bridge this gap, they turned to Gardin and its groundbreaking plant photosynthesis sensor.

Plant Driven Growing

Since Summer 2023, FromBoer and Gardin have embarked on a journey to implement the practices of plant driven growing - driving greenhouse management decisions based on direct measurements of plant physiology. Using Gardin's sensor, Leonard has been able to get real-time feedback on how his lettuce plants are responding to the environment. This advancement has enabled FromBoer to transition from relying on intuition to making decisions based on quantified plant photosynthesis activity.

"Before I used Gardin, I mainly focused on the climate conditions in the greenhouse. I tried to set this as optimally as possible for the plants. With Gardin I can measure the effect of those climate conditions based on the plants themselves. This allows me to control the greenhouse climate more specifically and I can also measure the effect of the changes much faster." - Leonard Boer

Image Credit: FromBoer Brothers Leonard Boer & Arjan Boer

Plant-driven growing enables growers to quickly respond to changes in the growing environment and assess the effectiveness of their decisions. FromBoer's collaboration with Gardin has led to improvements in vital areas such as VPD (Vapor Pressure Deficit) control, lighting efficiency, and irrigation strategies. This data-driven approach to plant optimisation helps growers to refine their practices over time, leading to progressively better outcomes in terms of both yield and resource efficiency.

The story of FromBoer and Gardin unveils an exciting step change for the future of agriculture. It presents a future where growers can directly interact with and respond to their crops, continuously refining their cultivation strategies based on plant feedback. FromBoer is not just using pioneering technology; in collaboration with Gardin, they are setting a precedent for the future of food production, showcasing the immense potential of plant-driven growing in modern agriculture.

If you would like to speak to a member of the Gardin team to understand more about how we can specifically help your farm, please reach out at www.gardin.co.uk

About Gardin:

Gardin is a UK, VC backed, pioneering company specializing in advanced sensor technology for greenhouse farming, vertical farming and seed-breeders. Our innovative solutions provide precise monitoring and data-driven insights to optimize indoor farming agricultural operations and drive sustainable practices.

About FromBoer:

FromBoer specialise in cultivating a diverse range of high-quality produce through inovative techniques. Committed to sustainable farming practices with a passion for delivering fresh, locally sourced produce.

For more information about FromBoer and their dedication to delivering exceptional agricultural products, please visit https://www.fromboer.com