Advising Since 1999 Frank Florus from Lycopersicon, Belgium

Frank is a crop specialist with extensive knowledge of tomatoes, as well as experience with other Solanaceae greenhouse crops.

Frank began his horticultural career at the Hoogstraten Research Centre in Belgium in 1984. Following this, he taught horticulture to young adults at Thomas More University in Geel, Belgium. During this time, he also began consulting to growers through the university’s advisory service, specialising in tomato production.

After four years of teaching and consulting, Frank moved to Rockwool / Grodan, where he focused on consulting under the brand ‘Subtratus’. He remained with the company for 11 years before establishing his own consulting business, ‘Lycopersicon’, alongside three colleagues. While the business partners have changed over the years, the team has continued to visit growers across Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland and Poland, providing advice on all aspects of greenhouse production since 1999.

From climate control and irrigation to pests and diseases, investments and labour, Frank has seen almost every aspect of the greenhouse industry throughout his nearly 40 years of experience.

Since 1999, he has also been one of the early advisors to growers adopting lit crops. Initially, this involved high-pressure sodium (HPS) lighting, with or without interlighting. This later progressed to hybrid lighting systems combining HPS and LED, and in recent years, an increasing number of crops have moved to full LED lighting.

Over the last few years, energy management has become an increasingly important part of Frank’s consultancy work, particularly given the unstable and uncertain global energy situation. Growers and advisors are continually working together to develop the best strategies to achieve successful and sustainable crops.

Frank advises on all types of tomato production, from the smallest berries and cherries through to large beef tomatoes, including both loose and truss production.

Frank is available for private consultations from 14th –18th December

For further details, availability and consultation costs, please email: frank.florus@lycopersicon.be

or stefan@grower2grower.co.nz