In June, we, Koen and Dionne, had the honour of paying a working visit to this unique nursery in Bleiswijk at the invitation of Koen van Koppen, of orchid nursery Stolk Flora. Thanks to the dedication of Director-owner Jan Stolk and Director Koen van Koppen, Stolk Flora is one of the most sustainable Phalaenopsis nurseries in the Netherlands. During our visit, Koen enthusiastically told us about the steps they have taken to achieve this.
For Stolk Flora, sustainability is more than just a buzzword. In their operations, they strive to work sustainably in every respect, with an eye for people, the environment and society. As a gardener, you are automatically close to nature, and that naturally also applies to Stolk Flora. The company is aware that all its activities have an impact on the environment. Therefore, they constantly ask themselves: how can we reduce this impact? They do this in various ways.
"For example, we use biological agents as much as possible in our cultivation and avoid harmful substances that can harm bees. We also generate our own electricity and feed excess energy back to the grid. This corresponds to the energy needs of as many as 3,000 households a year! We also use rainwater for our plants, which is recycled after use. Waste is carefully separated so that it can be reused. We have also had our footprint calculated to gain more insight and enable lowering our footprint."
Thanks to the knowledge acquired over the years, Stolk Flora continues to grow a high-quality product. For example, the fragrant orchid Bolgheri is the nursery's new and special showpiece.
The visit to Stolk Flora was educational and entertaining. We talked about certification, calculating our ecological footprint and possible future collaboration on innovative projects.
Would you like to inspire other gardeners with your sustainable story? Then send an email to circles@fmgroup.fm and we will visit you soon!