Growing smarter - table crops at Bredefleur

An interview with Ruben Evers, co-owner and responsible for bulb planning and cultivation development at Bredefleur

At Bredefleur, innovation never stands still. As the world of floriculture evolves, Bredefleur works hard to develop sustainable and future-proof cultivation methods. Ruben Evers talks enthusiastically about the latest developments in the cultivation of lilies. The cultivation of double oriental lilies in crates on roller tables.

"The biggest advantage is flexibility and space optimization. With rolling benches, we can fill the greenhouse much more efficiently. As soon as one bench is emptied, the next can be rolled in immediately, avoiding downtime. We haven’t perfected the buffering system yet, but being able to move benches already makes it much easier to keep the greenhouse at full capacity. In soil-based cultivation, you often have to wait until all varieties in a section are harvested, which costs time.

The system also offers advantages in terms of watering. The substrate stays dry, you don't drown anything, and we collect and reuse the drain water that runs neatly off the tables. This makes cultivation not only efficient, but also cleaner. Thanks to the box cultivation, we can now also compete optimally with the double orientals and thus offer a more complete assortment."

“In open ground, you have to be careful about watering to maintain soil structure. On tables you can water much more specifically. Moreover, after planting, we first place the hothouses in a cold room of around 10 degrees for a while. There they can quietly sprout and develop root systems before going into the greenhouse. That gives the plant a good start.

"By pre-forcing the crates in the cold room, we reduce the number of greenhouse days needed. That translates to lower energy consumption per square meter. And because rolling benches allow for denser planting, we get even more yield from the same energy input. Water-wise, it's also beneficial: we operate a closed-loop system where drain water is collected and reused. This significantly reduces total water usage."

"We are continuously testing new double-flowered varieties on table crops. The demand for double orientals is growing and we see breeders responding to this in full force. That means: better shelf life, nicer blooms, stronger varieties. This method allows us to deliver reliable quality year-round, with less impact on the environment."

Bredefleur's commitment to crate growing in roller table systems is more than a technical upgrade: it is a vision of the future. With less water, more efficient energy use and a good product, Ruben Evers shows that innovation and sustainability go perfectly together. For florists and wholesalers, that means not only a more consistent supply, but also a story that inspires.