'Naturally Stronger': no judgment about chemistry, but an emphasis on healthy cultivation methods

The Naturally Stronger label is an initiative of three growers. They grow without chemical pesticides and fertilizers. The difference with organic quality marks such as Skal is that no exemption needs to be applied for if no organic starting material is available. “Naturally Stronger comes from an inner motivation to grow as naturally as possible, not to follow rules,” says one of the initiators, Johan Vreugdenhil.

 

Kwekerij Vreugdenhil-Mooimakers is an 8-hectare nursery with a garden center and construction service in Eldersloo. Vreugdenhil supplies the entire market, from consumers to exporters and everything in between. Since 2014, the nursery has been working without chemicals and fertilizers. In 2018, the Naturally Stronger label was founded by Vreugdenhil-Mooimakers together with Decohof Kwekerij in Overgoor and Boomkwekerij H. Veldhuis in Dalfsen.

Method
Johan Vreugdenhil explains: 'Natural cycles are leading in cultivation under this label. The plants grown under the Naturally Stronger label come from healthy, disease-resistant soil. They have a strong and extensive root system with soil life. As a result, these plants take off better than plants that have not been grown naturally. The leaves are thicker, greener and sturdier, which provides resistance to diseases, pests and other external stresses. He continues: 'The plants are placed further apart so that the wind and cold can get around them. As a result, the plants make themselves strong in a natural way. They also have to deal with diseases and pests at the nursery, so that they develop defenses in a natural way.'

Naturally Stronger uses undergrowth, such as herbaceous plants. Raw materials are also used circularly by using organic residual flows such as leaves, wood and grass clippings. Processed materials are used as compost, mulch and fertilizers. Naturally Stronger certified growers do not use chemical pesticides or fertilizers and have their cultivation checked once a year by an independent lab. Companies that are Skal certified also meet the membership requirements for Naturally Stronger.

 

 

We grow organically, but it is not called that because the cultivation is not Skal certified'

 

Organic, but not official
Vreugdenhil is very positive about the Skal label and also praises Skal's objectives. Yet he and the two other initiators wanted to give their label a slightly different approach. The difference between the organic Skal label and the Naturally Stronger label is that no exemption is requested for starting material for the latter label.

'As a grower, you sometimes have to buy a cutting that is not organically grown, because organic starting material for some product groups is scarce. Then I don't have to apply for a special exemption for that product group and I can simply work with that starting material. That is also allowed under the Skal label, but you have to pay for it first.'
Vreugdenhil summarizes: 'Natural Stronger does not want to have any cost-increasing effect. If you grow under the Naturally Stronger label, you do not compromise on Skal's rules, but you do not have to pay for exemptions. So we grow organically, but we are not allowed to call it that because the cultivation is not Skal certified.'

As a Naturally Stronger certified company, you can also be Skal certified. 'But we still pretend to be unique, because Naturally Stronger says much more about the added value of the product than the "organic" certificate. “Organic” actually only means that your product is checked. It indicates what the grower is not allowed to do. Naturally Stronger does not proclaim that chemistry is bad for nature, but explains as much as possible about a healthy and natural way of growing, which is an advantage for plants. By placing as little emphasis as possible on rules, the label tries to give the grower's inner motivation a platform.'

 

Another difference with Skal is that the Naturally Stronger label only applies if the entire company grows in the required manner. If some product groups are not grown naturally, the certification will lapse. 'Of course Stronger is a company vision. Otherwise it won't work. That is second proof that the motivation for natural cultivation comes from ourselves, not from the market.'

Mix of organic fertilizers and fungi
Johan Vreugdenhil grows in the open ground and also grows in pots. 'Then you need a little more fertilizer than just organic fertilizer. We do not use artificial fertilizers, but we do use soil improvers and organic fertilizers. Initially we only applied animal organic fertilizer, but in the spring it took too long for it to get going. We are now working with the vegetable fertilizer OPF granules from Plant Health Cure, which is released at low temperatures. We are now looking for a combination of animal and vegetable fertilizers, because animal fertilizers also stimulate part of the growth chain. They complement each other. We also use various soil improvers, rhizosphere products and mycorrhizas from this supplier in the potting soil, which we compose and mix ourselves. These fit in with the natural environment of the plant, to rebuild soil life in places where it was once broken down. We also work with products from EcoStyle.'

 

'Of course Stronger is a company vision.'

 

Stefan Even, tree nursery cultivation advisor at Plant Health Cure, tells us more about the effect of a natural soil on the plant. 'As a producer and supplier of soil improvers, vegetable fertilizers, rhizosphere bacteria, mycorrhizas and plant enhancers, we visit many growers and guide them in greening and crop optimization. The starting point is: working from soil and plant resilience, with the aim of growing a naturally strong plant. A resilient soil is characterized by a good structure, sufficient nutrients and good soil life, consisting of, among other things, the right bacteria, fungi and worms. The right balance is necessary for a resilient soil. The soil bacteria release and convert minerals into nutrients that can be absorbed by the plant. In addition, the rhizosphere bacteria and fungi provide protection against external attackers.

In a resilient soil, this natural protection of the root is an indispensable link. The mycorrhizal fungi increase the absorption capacity for water and minerals by up to about 700 percent. This means that the reach of the roots is many times greater and water and nutrients that are located further from the root are used more efficiently. The plant will therefore experience stress less quickly and be less sensitive to drought and nutrient shortages in the immediate vicinity of the roots. In cultivation we see that the application of mycorrhizas visibly increases the root intensity. But it is equally important that the plant's chances of attack and survival in the sales chain are greatly increased, so that waste is reduced to a minimum.'

 

According to Even, the limited absorption capacity of the (transplanted) plant in combination with poor root penetration and a lack of soil biology often leads to problems with growth and growth: 'Proper plant preparation, in which the correct biology is introduced into the root environment, is crucial. importance for good growth. By adding mycorrhiza products when planting, the growth of the plant is greatly improved and loss is reduced. This naturally makes the plant stronger.

Sales
Although, according to Vreugdenhil, the Naturally Stronger growers are mainly motivated internally and not by the market, Vreugdenhil can keep up well in the trade. 'There are probably enough growers with a lower cost price, but perhaps they are in a different market. That also makes a difference. Ultimately, we simply supply a portion to the regular market.'

Investment in the future
All in all, the grower is more concerned with his working method than with the pecunia. 'Afterwards you may realize that you could have earned more in a different way. But I decided on this method and wouldn't have wanted it any other way. Other than that, it was a long-term investment. I expect that Naturally Stronger will yield more in the future and that we will make a difference with this label.'

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