The chrysanthemum is hotter than ever! In October we celebrate autumn and of course the chrysanthemum is not missing. Arjan and Richard from nursery Voort Chrysanten are actively trying to make a positive contribution to the image of the chrysanthemum. The two brothers live next to the nursery and close to their parents, who owned the business before them. Both brothers focus on a different part of the crop but help each other where necessary. On 3.6 hectares of land, the men grow both the disbudded chrysanthemum and the spray chrysanthemum in beautiful colors. For us a reason to visit Arjan and Richard, who specialize in growing the PIP Chrysanthemum.

Trendy colors

The chrysanthemum is a strong crop with long-lasting cut flowers that are very popular in funeral arrangements. Because of the connection with funerals, they were not very popular as garden plants or in bouquets. Nowadays, chrysanthemums are available in all colors and we are no longer restricted to the white or yellow chrysanthemums.  Chrysanthemums are starting to lose their old-fashioned reputation!

There are an awful lot of beautiful chrysanthemums on the market with trendy colors and crazy shapes, so they are widely used within the current trend of handpicked bouquets. The product is also suitable for modern arrangements. Because of the good vase life, the flowers are also very suitable for modern buildings with air conditioning or in a hotel lobby with drafts. Arjan and Richard actively search for new varieties and interesting colors, so that they can offer a nice assortment that fits within every style.

In the spotlights

The Chrysanthemum PIP is in this week’s spotlight and is exclusively grown at Voort Chrysanthemums. It is a disbudded chrysanthemum and the sister of the spray Chrysanthemum VIP. They also have the same color scheme. In the PIP Chrysanthemum you can see dark lines in the petals that give this flower an exclusive character.

The PIP comes in five different colors, all of which can be seen on the photos. PIP Salmon, PIP Pretty, PIP Purple, PIP Sunny and the regular Pip, each have a different color. For Arjan and Richard, it remains the challenge to create a unique assortment in which they offer something exclusive. In consultation with Deliflor, a breeder of chrysanthemums, they get new varieties that they test. If the product is good enough and meets the quality requirements, they can include the product in the assortment.

Since 2002 the Zembla variety has been grown at the nursery, later supplemented with the varieties VIP and PIP. Approximately 10 million branches are produced per year on an area of ​​36,000 m2. The aim is to produce in a way that is as environmentally safe as possible.

Own specialism

Richard and Arjan each have their own specialism in the nursery. Where Arjan is mainly concerned with the cultivation of the spray chrysanthemums, Richard knows everything about the cultivation of the disbudded chrysanthemums. Both crops are in a different greenhouse. Disbudded chrysanthemums are grown differently than the spray chrysanthemums. This has to do with the disbudding; the side branches are removed, so that one beautiful full flower remains. The spray chrysanthemum, on the other hand, is knotted. This means that the largest flower is removed, so that the small side branches get more space and are stimulated to bloom.

Good cooperation

The cuttings of the PIP Chrysanthemums are purchased from Deliflor, after consultation they provide a unique range for the growers. The cuttings need 10 weeks’ time to grow into a full-fledged flower. It therefore always remains a challenge to tailor the cultivation schedule to the wishes of the customer!

MPS GAP as an aspiration

The company tries to grow as sustainably as possible. Everything is supplied under the MPS label. The environment plays a major role in combatting insects. In the greenhouses, therefore, various natural enemies are used for the extermination of harmful insects.

In order to be able to illuminate the chrysanthemums, a heat-power coupling (CHP) is used. This installation ensures that electricity is generated from natural gas itself. The CO2 released by the combustion is blown into the greenhouse, allowing the chrysanthemums to grow better. In addition, the company also uses solar energy generated by their own solar panels.

The goal of Arjan and Richard is to become fully MPS GAP certified. It is the next step with new requirements, with which you can raise the bar for yourself. The duo thinks it's important to keep up!

FloraPodium, 10 October 2018