Climate screens crucial in cucumber cultivation

On a sunny Friday this fall we were at home with Dion and Rosalie van Mullekom of Multigrow Grashoek. They grow nearly 17 million cucumbers a year in their 5.75 ha greenhouse with a "high wire" system and lighting. Multigrow is a modern nursery with the latest cultivation techniques. We took a look behind the scenes.

Climate screens are crucial

Dion is proud of his cucumbers. They are a healthy product with a natural taste. And crucial to the cultivation of his cucumbers are climate screens, which can be used to make or break the climate.

The point of attention in his cucumber cultivation is the use of lighting in the greenhouse. To comply with Dutch light emission regulations, an Obscura screen, designed specifically for light abatement control, was installed. Transparent Luxous screens with high moisture permeability are also used to maximize energy savings.

When Dion Mullekom started his operation 30 years ago, he didn't originally have screens. Today, for proper climate control and energy savings Mullekom can't get by without screens. With climate screens, he can optimally control the climate and ultimately harvest more cucumbers. The Nursery's Luxous screen, which was installed 6 years ago, is still as bright today, as it was in the beginning.

NEN-standard

If you opt for a new energy screen, you naturally opt to select a climate screen with the highest light transmission properties. Finding out which energy screen has the highest light transmission may sound like a difficult task, but it's actually a very simple one. Ask for the NEN standard that has been implemented by WUR (Wageningen University & Research). WUR's NEN standard provides a direct comparison of the light transmission levels of climate screens, making it easy to select the optimal screen solution.