Anyone buying trees looks at quality, availability and delivery reliability. At the same time, there is growing attention being paid to the way in which trees are grown. After all, sustainability begins long before a tree leaves the nursery. One of the developments receiving a great deal of attention in this regard is peat-free potting compost.

For you as a buyer, sustainability goes beyond a certificate or a product description. You want to work with a grower who consciously invests in the future of cultivation. The choices made today during cultivation influence both tomorrow’s quality and the development of the sector as a whole.

Why is peat-free potting compost receiving so much attention?

For trees grown in containers, the growing medium has traditionally consisted largely of peat. Peat offers excellent properties for cultivation. It retains water well, ensures an aerated structure and provides roots with sufficient space to develop.
At the same time, there is growing interest in alternatives. Peat takes a while to form. Its extraction releases stored CO₂ and leads to the loss of valuable peatlands. The tree nursery sector is therefore actively seeking more sustainable solutions.
“That’s why, a few years ago, we started trials with peat-free potting compost,” explains Henry van Eldik of Gelderplant. “We wanted to find out whether we could also successfully grow trees in a substrate that is less reliant on peat.”

A different substrate also requires a different cultivation method

At Gelderplant, peat-free potting compost consists of a carefully formulated mixture of fine and coarse coconut fibre, compost, wood fibres, fine bark and Greensoil, a by-product from another crop.

That’s just the start of the work.

Each raw material absorbs water differently, retains nutrients in a different way and influences the development of the root system. As a result, watering, fertilisation and day-to-day care during cultivation also change.

“We’ve been conducting trials and taking measurements for five years now,” says Henry. “In this way, we’re gradually building up our knowledge of which mixture and which approach yield the best results.”

Waste streams are also being put to new uses

Sustainability often lies in smart choices that are barely noticeable to an outsider.

At Gelderplant, waste streams from our own nursery are composted. This compost is now used on our own fields. The next step is a field trial in which trees will be grown in a substrate incorporating this home-produced compost.

In this way, materials that were previously regarded as waste products are given a new role within the cultivation process. Every trial yields new knowledge that can in turn be used to further improve cultivation.

An ongoing development

Whether you’re a trader, tree grower or landscaper, you want to work with a partner who keeps looking ahead. Sustainable innovations arise from research, practical experience and a willingness to continue critically assessing existing working methods.

“We don’t expect to be finished tomorrow,” says Henry. “Every trial yields new insights. In this way, we are building, step by step, towards a more sustainable way of growing.”
This approach generates knowledge that is valuable not only for our own nursery, but also for customers seeking a partner who invests in the future of tree nursery cultivation.

Looking for a partner who thinks along with you?

Whether it’s complete commercial orders, seedlings for propagation or landscaping projects, we’re happy to work with you to find the right solution.
Please get in touch with us to discuss the options.