In the spotlights
"Those colors, the quantity, such cheerfulness, this is like a candy store for all florists, for all tastes ..." When the door of the greenhouse opened all this was going through my head. Greenhouses full of gerberas in all sizes, shapes and colors; it was so amazing! Among all these impressive colors stood a number of rows of large-flowered Gerponi varieties. This variety is new to the range of Holstein Flowers and introduced under the name Gerponi Big. Paul van Holstein told us more about this new line.
All under one roof
Kwekerij Holstein is a modern family business. Paul's grandfather founded the company, leaving it to his four children. Paul is now the third generation in the company with his brother. The men have about 11 hectares of land, divided over 2 locations. The company employs more than 100 people and together they produce 70 to 80 million stems a year.
Holstein Flowers has more than 140 varieties of gerberas, 85% of which derive from their own breeding. This breeding takes place in their own laboratory. This way they keep the entire process, from breeding to production, in their own hands, they can quickly and sharply respond to market demand and they can offer an exclusive range. The company focuses primarily on exclusive products with a high quality.
Incidentally, Holstein Flowers recently changed the names of the gerbera groups. "As Holstein Flowers, we want customers to be able to easily identify our gerberas by name," explains Paul. “So that they can be sure that they are buying a top-quality Holstein Flowers gerbera. That is why our gerbera groups have now been given recognizable names: the classic Germini and large-flowered Gerbera, the freckled Gerspider Mini and Gerspider Large, the spherical Gerponi and Gerponi Big and the tiny Germicro, ”
In the spotlights
Gerponi Big is the larger version of the spherical Gerbera and comes from our own breeding program. Paul showed the seven colors that they now offer. The Gerponi is characterized by the multiple layers of petals. Damage is less likely to occur with these varieties than with single-flowered gerberas. The flower itself is a bit spherical, resembling a Dahlia.
One of these eye catchers is the Gerponi Big ‘Big Lion’. We immediately noticed it among the other Gerponi varieties. The Big Lion has a very nice warm orange autumn color, which makes it very suitable for the coming season. The Big Lion is a great addition to a beautiful autumn bouquet, but it is also very suitable in a warm bridal bouquet.
To the question why Paul has included this variety in the cultivation, he answers; “Big Lion is a beautiful flower and the quality is extraordinary. If you buy Big Lion, you really get value for money.” The Big Lion is avaible now, but only in somewhat smaller numbers.
The Cultivation
A gerbera plant will last two to three years. Some growers allow a plant to stand longer, but there is a possibility that the quality of the stems will decrease, the diameter of the flower may decrease and production may also decrease. This is race dependent.
Breeding
It takes around four to five years to put a new variety on the market. A cross is made, producing new seeds. These seeds are then taken into production and this is what we call seedlings. These are all different varieties and only time will tell what they will turn into.
As soon as the first flower blooms, a first selection is made. The plant structure, the exclusivity, the shape and color and the quality of the flower and stem are all taken into account. If one of these new types has potential, it is used in the laboratory for propagation. This results in test plants that are then tested on all kinds of criteria that a new species must meet in their opinion.
When the flower has passed all tests, a production box is made. Holstein Flowers sets the bar high when it comes to breeding. Only a product that in their view is going to make a real difference will be put on the market. Holstein Flowers has a good cooperation with breeding company Florist, but also with designers and exporters. This allows them to respond better to demand and the upcoming trends.
Sustainable cultivation
During our tour we saw staff installing extra lighting. New LED lamps were installed that are more energy efficient. This allows them to guarantee the consistent quality even more in the winter months. Solar panels are also used. The plants receive rainwater with food. The water that the plant does not use is collected and recycled. The crop is sensitive to all kinds of insects and these are biologically controlled as much as possible.
Iron wire or not?
"No iron wire," Paul says without a doubt. “The quality of the stem and flower is so good nowadays that it is no longer necessary to use wire to strengthen the stems. The limpness of gerberas is mainly due to the composition of products in a bouquet. There may be products in a bouquet that make the water turbid more quickly and as a result the vessels of the stem clog up so that the stem can no longer absorb water and the gerbera starts to droop. ”
It is important to use a clean vase with clean water. A few drops of bleach in the water prevents bacterial growth and improves vase life.
Innovative company
Holstein Flowers is a progressive, innovative company. Where automation is possible, this is also applied. But a lot of work remains that just has to be done by hand. A human eye is really needed for cutting and sorting. The company stands for customization and has a high priority for the wishes of the customer. This does not make automation easy. They supply 140 varieties of gerberas in 10 different options in terms of packaging and numbers. This amounts to 1400 different articles, costing lots of labor, but resulting in many satisfied customers.
Paul is having a good time in the company. No year is the same, the company never rests and is always on the move, looking for innovations.
FloraPodium, 17 October 2019
Video
The nursery
Inspiration
