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Customer case of Amarylliskwekerij M. Boers

Sharing data keeps us sharp

Martin Boers from ’s-Gravenzande has been cultivating amaryllis bulbs for nearly forty years. What started as a summer job helping his father has grown into a specialized business. For the past four seasons, he and two fellow growers have been using the data platform MyLedgnd, not just to optimize their own cultivation processes, but also to share insights with each other. “We keep each other on our toes. As a group, we can all access the same dashboard by default.”

40 years of experience

Martin Boers was 24 when he spent a holiday working in his father’s business. He decided to leave his studies behind and follow his passion for cultivation. At the time, the company grew lettuce, orchids, and amaryllis bulbs.

But his love for amaryllis soon outshone the other crops. When his mother retired, Martin phased out the orchids and chose to fully specialize in bulbs. In 1996, he took over a tomato greenhouse, converted it into a bulb facility, and gradually expanded it by acquiring two neighboring greenhouses. “The greenhouse now consists of three sections, each with its own origin, but we’ve integrated everything, heating, electricity, and computer systems. It’s efficient and well-organized.”

Martin now cultivates amaryllis bulbs on 2.5 hectares of open soil across two locations. He grows the first-year bulbs in a separate greenhouse a bit further away. “That’s actually the greenhouse where I once started working with my father. It feels like coming full circle. I move the second-year bulbs, which make up the largest volume, to this location because this is where sorting and drying also take place.”

Data as a second set of eyes in the greenhouse

Where flower or vegetable growers quickly see the results of their cultivation strategies, it’s a different story with bulbs. “An amaryllis crop takes two years to grow, or even three if you count the propagation phase. Only after those three years do you really know whether your approach has worked.”

The bulb contains all its reserves and develops from within. “You can’t just take a quick look to see how it’s responding. You have to rely on experience, intuition, and nowadays, data as well.”

Martin doesn’t use assimilation lighting, as amaryllis doesn’t require much light. “We’ve all come to the same conclusion, based on data from MyLedgnd: amaryllis doesn’t need a lot of light to grow. In fact, we’re seeing that too much light can actually hinder the plant’s performance.” This insight has led to changes in the screening strategy, such as shading the sunlight earlier in the day.

Another application of MyLedgnd is monitoring soil moisture and temperature. The plants are irrigated daily through drip lines, but the amount of water is adjusted based on data trends. “I can tell from the trendline on the dashboard whether I’m giving too much or too little water.”

Collaborative learning through data

In amaryllis cultivation, 45 growers collaborate in a collective that shares knowledge and practical experience to further develop the crop. Within this group, three growers, including Martin Boers, use the data platform MyLedgnd. Sensors have been installed in their greenhouses and linked to MyLedgnd, allowing the growers to view each other’s data in real time.

“I can easily switch to my two colleagues’ dashboards,” Martin explains. “And if I notice something unusual, I share it in our group chat. Sometimes someone else spots something in your data before you do. It keeps you alert.” This open collaboration means they learn not only from their own crop, but also from the differences between their operations. “One grows on substrate, another in soil, those contrasts help highlight both differences and similarities.”

The insights this generates are discussed several times a year in joint sessions with plant physiologist Thijmen from Ledgnd. “Thijmen visits us five or six times a year. The three of us sit down together and go through what the data reveals. We also have a group chat where we regularly share observations. It keeps us sharp and helps us learn from each other.”

According to Martin, this kind of guidance helps them truly get a grip on the numbers. “We’ve developed a much better feel for it.” And the impact is also noticeable in his daily work: “You become much more conscious of things like climate and temperature.”

"Together, we've come to the conclusion, based on data from MyLedgnd, that amaryllis doesn't need a lot of light to grow."

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