In modern professional horticulture, medicinal crops such as cannabis and high-yielding vegetable production, root zone management is the cornerstone of consistent quality and yield. Rockwool substrates offer a very stable and correctable root environment, but this advantage is fully exploited when decisions are supported by reliable and well-interpreted data. Sensors in the root zone provide continuous information on water content, EC and temperature. Used correctly, they allow growers to anticipate plant needs rather than reacting to stress signals. Used incorrectly, they introduce noise, false confidence, and misdirection. The difference is in strategy, location and interpretation. Remember that sensors are just another tool and should not replace traditional monitoring methods.

Why Root Zone Monitoring Becomes Essential at Scale
Every grower evaluates the root zone, consciously or not. In smaller installations, this is often done visually and by touch: lifting blocks, assessing the color of rockwool, or observing the attitude of plants. These methods are valuable, but subjective and difficult to standardize.

As operations grow and the number of plants increases, manual assessment quickly reaches its limits. Weighing slabs or blocks on a scale adds objectivity, but at discrete moments and with significant manual labor. In larger facilities, the manpower required to continuously monitor root conditions throughout the crop is simply not available.

Root zone sensors address this reality. They provide continuous data streams that show trends, dynamics and responses to irrigation and climate change over time. In scaled cultivation, sensors are therefore not only a precision tool, but a practical necessity. Importantly, they do not replace experience; they formalize, making intuition measurable and repeatable.

© CULTIWOOL SA
Location, representation and care of sensors
A sensor does not measure the crop; measures the exact micro-environment in which it is installed. Correct positioning is therefore essential.

Sensors should be installed in the active root zone of a healthy, representative plant, at a depth where the roots remain active throughout the crop cycle. They should never be placed directly next to a drip, as this results in high moisture readings that do not reflect average root conditions. Therefore, consistent dripper placement is essential not only for block performance, but also for consistent sensor data.

The wider greenhouse context matters just as much. Sensors should not be placed in corners, edges, near walkways or in areas subject to shadows, drafts or uneven watering. Border plants and atypical sites experience conditions different from the majority of the crop and will yield data that are not representative of the compartment.

Once installed, the sensors must remain in place for the duration of the crop cycle. Repeated removal and reinsertion disturbs the structure of the rockwool, alters the local water distribution, and compromises the consistency of the data. If a sensor needs to be removed, it should never be put back in the same place. Previously used insertion points contain moisture and residual pockets that can affect EC readings. In such cases, the sensor must be installed in a new, unobstructed location.

Consistency in positioning is what allows producers to confidently recognize trends, responses and deviations.

How many sensors are enough?
A single sensor can never represent an entire greenhouse, and in most cases, not even an entire compartment. Changes in light distribution, uniformity of irrigation, air flow and plant development inevitably create them within the crop.

At the same time, the deployment of sensors must be economically rational. The goal is not maximum sensor density, but reliable representation. In practice, this means installing multiple sensors per compartment in areas with comparable growing conditions.

Instead of focusing on individual readings, the most robust approach is to work with average data. Each sensor reflects the conditions of its specific location; by combining their readings, growers create a stable reference that reduces the risk of overreaction to local changes and supports safer and more consistent decision-making. Again, a sensor is just one tool to consider.

Interpreting root zone data in rockwool
Rockwool allows precise control of the air-water ratio in the root zone. Sensors should therefore be used to observe dynamics rather than isolated values.

Meaningful interpretation is based on the behavior of the back-dry between irrigation events, wetting rate, EC stability and how these parameters respond to climatic conditions. Sudden spikes or drops often indicate improper watering, uneven distribution, or location effects rather than actual plant demand.

Root zone data gain real value when cross-referenced with climate parameters such as temperature, humidity and VPD, as well as visual observations of crops. Integrated platforms and multiple data sources, such as those enabled by solutions like SenseNL, help validate trends and clarify cause-and-effect relationships.

Selecting the right sensor for the right substrate
Not all sensors in the root zone are interchangeable. Sensor technology must be matched with the physical properties of the substrate to generate accurate and meaningful data. They must also be properly maintained and stored to ensure accuracy.

Different substrates, such as rockwool and cocopeat, have fundamentally different structures, water retention characteristics and EC dynamics. Sensors designed for cocopeat will not give reliable readings on rockwool, and vice versa.

Also in rockwool cultivation, the selection of sensors is important. Blocks and slabs differ in volume, water distribution and root development patterns. Sensors designed for stone wool blocks are therefore not always suitable for slabs, and vice versa. Matching the sensor to the substrate material and its form factor is critical to obtaining reliable root-site data.

Driving for uniformity and stability
In both medicinal and vegetable cultivation, success is defined by uniformity and repeatability. Correctly installed and correctly interpreted root zone sensors help to identify variability early, reduce differences between plants and support stable establishment or vegetation strategies.

Combined with high-quality stone wool substrates, the sensors become a powerful ally in precision farming, improving consistency without replacing the grower’s experience.

From data points to confident decisions
Root zone sensors aren’t about collecting more numbers; they are about creating clarity. When sensors are strategically placed, deployed in sufficient numbers, and handled consistently, they make rockwool farming a predictable and correctable system.

By averaging data from multiple representative locations, producers reduce risk, avoid overcorrection, and drive with confidence. In professional horticulture, where uniformity, stability and scale define success, reliable root zone data becomes the basis rather than an experiment, cycle after cycle.

For more information:
Cultiwool
(email protected)
www.cultiwool-substrate.com

After almost thirty years, Alfred Boot will leave Herkuplast, currently part of the Bachmann Group, and the horticulture sector. His career has paralleled a period of profound change in the industry: from manual and seasonal production to year-round automated supply chains with high demands for uniformity, hygiene and circularity. His successor, Kasper Rietvelt, is now ready to take Bachmann-Herku to the next stage.

© Arlette Sijmonsma | MMJDaily.comAlfred Boot and Kasper Rietveld

From 26 models to customized automation solutions
“I fell into it by accident,” says Boot, reflecting on 1987, when he got into horticulture after finishing trade school. “At Rover, I immediately found myself in a world where technology and practice go hand in hand.” In the mid-1990s he was asked to set up the export operation of Herkuplast, a German manufacturer of thermoformed trays that had already been operating for several years.

“We started with 26 models. All on one A4 sheet,” he recalled. At that time, most of Herkuplast’s range consisted of multi-purpose trays, while other tray manufacturers in the Dutch market had already switched to a wider range of single-use thin models. Boot saw the place to mark his career. “We had a thin-walled model, but more was required. I was given carte blanche to develop thin models. Mr. Kubern’s collaboration with the owner Herkuplast focused on exactly that: if you have a good idea, we make it happen.”

The rise of automation in the sector placed new demands on the trays. Accuracy became critical for shot plates and automated processing lines. “Centered drain holes, exact dimensions, everything had to be right. Otherwise the line would get stuck. We always prioritized that, and it got us recognition in the market.”

2013 at the OFA Short Course in Columbus, Ohio, the predecessor to Cultivate.

Internationalization and hygiene conditions
Along with the Dutch market, Boot also moved into international markets from the start, in France, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States and beyond. The reasoning was largely practical: in the 1990s, the sector still had a clearly defined summer break. “Production was closed for three or four weeks. The demand simply dropped. But we wanted to produce all year round, so we looked for markets that demanded it: soft fruit and cuttings propagation, for example.”

The demand for trays used in strawberry, raspberry and blueberry production enabled year-round manufacturing and became a growing market segment. “Retailers and consumers expect that. That’s reflected in volumes and specifications.”

At the same time, hygiene requirements in breeding increased with increasing virus pressure and a smaller range of approved crop protection products. “Multi-use trays are easy to clean, cheaper than injection-molded alternatives, and are pocketable. And because thermoformed trays are thinner, if something goes wrong on an automated line, you lose the tray, not the robot arm,” explains Boot.

That said, the priority has always been to maximize the use of plastic through reuse. This has also changed significantly over the decades. “When I started, plastic was treated as waste. It was thrown away or burned. That is completely out of the question today.” Herkuplast, working with partners like Van Krimpen, has invested heavily in circular solutions. “Our breeding and growing trays do not enter the consumer market. They go from the dealer to the packaging operation. In the Netherlands, the used trays are collected, shredded and reprocessed as raw material for new trays or other applications. We close the loop: our trays are made from recycled materials from day one, both multi-use HerkuPaks and single-use HerkuPaks.” What started as a personal conviction became a marketing asset and has since become a retail requirement.

© Arlette Sijmonsma | MMJDaily.comAlfred Boot at IPM 2026

Internationalization and family businesses
Boot emphasizes the importance of strong chain partners. “We believe in collaboration.” In Europe, the company has always worked with operators from “Portugal to Finland”. Outside of Europe, the company markets directly, which has taken it as far as New Zealand, trips Boot describes as memorable.

North America has also been a rewarding market. There has been significant growth. “With our reusable QuickPot trays and our expertise, we can really add value there.” Is that his favorite market? He is reluctant to pick one. “I enjoyed going there, because we could make a real difference. But the Netherlands remains, perhaps, my first place. Not only because it is our biggest market, but because a lot of it originates here, seeds, ornamental gardens, plant breeding, greenhouse construction. That is the focus of knowledge and quality. Growing with minimal waste, with biological inputs, under constant price pressure. That is not always highly appreciated by the external role. The sector requires a pragmatic mentality, but the achievements are extraordinary. are”.

This has motivated him throughout his career. “This sector is essential. You are either in food or greening the world. Is ornamental horticulture necessary? Yes, I think so.”

That’s why Herkuplast, a family business at heart, chose during the pandemic to do everything in its power to continue serving its customers. After a short stoppage, the factory was opened as soon as possible, adapted to the strict requirements of Germany. “It was a huge peak for horticulture, but the prices of raw materials also rose a lot. We took the risk of buying at high prices and continued to deliver, even though it cost us the margin. But we wanted to continue to supply our customers. The importance of continuity is too great, for our customers, for our people and for our sector.”

After the pandemic, Herkuplast entered an important period of transition. Mr. Kubern had reached his seventieth birthday, and there was no succession in the family. A sale was the expected result, and in 2024 Herkuplast was bought by the Swiss company Bachmann Group. “I’m glad it was Bachmann. Our big priority was to have a private company that understood the European market, understood horticulture and would keep the factory in Germany.” With international expansion and a motivated team launching the new Bachmann-Herku brand, ambitions are high. “And when you look at how the sector is changing, automation, robotization, AI in plant selection, it’s moving at an incredible speed. It’s fascinating.”

© Arlette Sijmonsma | MMJDaily.com And with the new colleagues from Bachmann Herku, IPM 2026

goodbye
But Boot is also honest: from a professional point of view, he won’t be around to see it unfold. The end of March will be his last working day at Herkuplast. “It’s a purely personal choice. I’m not tired of work, and I’m not tired of the sector. But you only live once, and life has a lot to offer.” The caravan is ready. Together with his wife Astrid (known to many in the industry) and their dog, the couple embarks on a long-distance trek. “I’ve been abroad about 100 days a year. We definitely have triplets when the kids were little, so balancing work and family was a constant juggling act. Now we go together.”

He adds: “If I had a long horizon ahead of me at 45, I would love to do again what we did with Herku in 1997. But now I feel too old for that.” He laughs. “And over the years I have become a clone of Herkuplast myself, while the product range has changed with the acquisition. Now we are Bachmann-Herku, and the portfolio is being integrated quickly. Kasper has been working in the new company since his first day. That is also a natural process. It feels good.”

For more information:
Bachmann Herkuplast

Alfred Boot
(email protected)
Kasper Rietveld
(email protected)
+31 653 215 514

Tel.: +41 41 914 72 00
(email protected)
www.bachmann.ch

Minnesota lawmakers have passed a bill that would legalize the therapeutic use of psilocybin for adults 21 and older while rescheduling the psychedelic under state statute.

Members of the House Health Finance and Policy Committee approved Rep. Andy Smith’s (DFL) legislation on a voice vote Monday. The proposal goes to the Trade Finance and Policy Committee.

Smith too He sponsored a similar measure last year, which ultimately failed to take effect.

Under the current bill, which was revised with a substitute amendment during the committee hearing, qualified patients over the age of 21 could receive psilocybin-assisted therapy “at an approved private residence or licensed treatment facility,” according to a summary from the Minnesota Department of Home Affairs.

“No one on this committee, that I know of, disputes that mental illness is one of the defining problems in our society today,” Smith said, adding that the legislation is the answer. recommendations of a task force on psychedelic states that was formed under a separate lawhe said “Today in this committee, we’re talking about a new tool: a therapeutic psilocybin program here in Minnesota that has great potential.”

“It will help Minnesotans struggling with substance use disorder, depression, PTSD, anxiety, chronic pain and many other mental illnesses,” he said, before describing key provisions of the proposed legislation.

A registered facilitator should administer the psychedelic. To begin with, the program would involve licensing 20 to 50 facilitators at three approved psilocybin testing facilities. More than 1,000 patients could not participate in psychedelic therapy in the first three years of the implementation of the law.

The Department of Health (DOH) and the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) would be responsible for overseeing the program and implementing regulations, while the health commissioner would also be responsible for collaborating with the newly created Psychedelic Medicine Advisory Board on the initiative.

Psilocybin sessions would involve “preparation” with patient-facilitator consultation, “administration” where patients would receive the psychedelic, and “integration” where patients would work with professionals to process the therapeutic experience.

What’s more, HF 2906 as changed includes protections for health professionals who help facilitate the program. And it would impose penalties for violations of the law, such as impunity administration or growing psilocybin outside the program’s parameters.

“I think a lot when someone initially hears about this and thinks, ‘Hey, the cannabis program,’ a lot of the criticism is ‘Oh, it’s under the camel’s back for legalization,’ or whatever,” said Rep. Nolan West (R), who is sponsoring the legislation. “This is a pilot program.”

The congressman noted that interest in the therapeutic potential of psychedelics does not just cross party lines, but extends to the White House, where US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and what other administrative officials have had. they discussed expanding access to novel therapies.

In addition to creating a psilocybin therapy program, the Minnesota bill calls for moving the psychedelic from Schedule I to Schedule IV on the state’s list of controlled substances, reflecting its low abuse potential and low risk of addiction.

One of the open questions for the reform is how to make sure it gets adequate funding, so the sponsor said he doesn’t expect much political resistance to the underlying goal of the legislation, though spending concerns may prove problematic.

“If it doesn’t happen this year, I feel very confident that we will be able to make it happen in the next budget session,” Smith. say Minnesota Star Tribune.

Kurtis Hanna, board chair of the Psychedelic Access Project, told Marijuana Moment that advancing the bill through committee with a bipartisan vote is “gratifying” when “Minnesota’s legislature is as divided as ever.”

“Veterans, mental health professionals, doctors and patients came out in full force today to provide Minnesotans with mental health issues another tool in their toolbox,” he said. “I’m excited to see this issue gain momentum as it moves through the next few committee stops on its way to a full vote in the House and Senate.”

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It’s Marijuana Time tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelic and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters by pledging at least $25/month, you’ll get access to our interactive maps, charts, and audio calendars so you never miss a development.

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Meanwhile, in Minnesota, The first marijuana store run by the state government recently opened its doorsmarking another milestone in the state’s adult cannabis program.

Last September, Minnesota officials issued the state’s first marijuana event organizer licenseallowing adults to purchase and consume cannabis products at a festival. The the first non-tribal marijuana stores opened to sell to adults 21 and older at the beginning of that month.

Also last year, the city of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, sought suggestions from residents what to name a new government brand cannabis gummy product for sale in municipal liquor stores.

The Minnesota House of Representatives released a survey at last year’s State Fair asking about attendees the idea of ​​towns being able to ban marijuana businesses within their borders. Most respondents with an opinion on the issue agree with the policy, even though it is not currently part of the state’s cannabis laws.

Before legalization took effect in Minnesota, lawmakers In the surveys of the State Fair, they found the support of the majority in favor of the reform.

The governor too elected a top state cannabis regulator which will oversee the expansion of the adult-use market. Last June, the OCM issued the state’s the first recreational marijuana license for a micro-growing business.

OCM said at the time that it was taking further steps to build on the industry and create opportunities for entrepreneurs, including opening a new licensing window for cannabis testing facilities, accepting the first applications for marijuana event licenses and verifying more applications for social equity status.

Separately, after Minnesota lawmakers passed a bill ending the criminalization of bong water with traces of drugs, the governor signed the measure into law last may

The change reverses an existing policy that allowed law enforcement to treat bong water quantities greater than four ounces as the equivalent of a pure, cut-down version of any drug used to consume the device.

Meanwhile, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) said in December that the state “Exploring” how to respond to federal ban on THC hemp products.It would be “very disruptive” to the “thriving industry.”

user photo CostaPPR.