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Van Schie prevents winter leaf damage and saves 30% energy through plant driven growing.
Van Schie has built a reputation over 40 years as a specialist in potted lilies. What started as 500 m² of potted lilies has grown over the years into 5 hectares. In 2018, the product range was expanded with Chrysanne®, high-end potted chrysanthemums for the premium segment.
MyLedgnd is a data platform for greenhouse horticulture, developed by the Dutch company Ledgnd. The system combines data from climate computers, sensors, and plant feedback into a single, user-friendly dashboard.
“You’ve been growing based on intuition and experience for years, so it’s quite exciting and a bit daunting to let go of that and start truly steering based on data.”
Marcel van der Voort, Van Schie
During the winter months, Van Schie experienced recurring leaf damage in the lower parts of its chrysanthemum crop. Despite intensive climate management aimed at improving plant quality, the issue persisted. The cultivation strategy focused on stimulating transpiration and activity through additional pipe heating, air movement and ventilation. While these measures were intended to strengthen the crop, plant data revealed the opposite effect. The combination of relatively low light levels and an active climate strategy continuously stimulated growth and transpiration, without providing the plant with enough energy to support that activity.
Using plant feedback sensors from Vivent Biosignals and the Ledgnd (MyLedgnd) data platform, Van Schie discovered that the plants were being structurally overloaded. This insight would not have been visible through climate data alone.
In 2025, a deliberate shift was made to let plant data lead all cultivation decisions. Based on continuous insights from the MyLedgnd platform by Ledgnd, climate strategies were adjusted to better match plant needs. Temperatures were reduced relative to available light levels, humidity corrections were applied more cautiously, and overall the crop was given more physiological rest. As a result, structural leaf damage during the winter period was eliminated.
By combining climate and operational data from Ledgnd with plant feedback signals from Vivent Biosignals, Van Schie gained a much clearer understanding of how the plant responds to light, climate, and steering interventions in real time.
Beyond quality improvements, the data-driven approach also delivered a significant efficiency gain. Energy consumption was reduced by 30%, driven by less intensive use of heating and ventilation systems and fewer unnecessary climate corrections. By avoiding over-control, energy was only used when the plant could actually respond. As a result, cultivation became not only more stable and predictable, but also considerably more energy efficient.
Climate data shows the conditions present in the greenhouse. Plant feedback adds an additional layer of insight by revealing how the crop actually experiences those conditions.
By integrating plant feedback into daily cultivation decisions, Van Schie was able to align climate control more closely with the actual needs of the crop. Rather than steering solely based on environmental conditions, decisions were guided by how the plants themselves responded.
The result was not only healthier plants, the elimination of recurring leaf damage and a 30% reduction in energy consumption, but also a cultivation strategy that became more stable, predictable and efficient.
Why it matters
This case demonstrates the value of plant-led growing. By gaining real-time insight into plant responses, growers can optimize crop performance while avoiding unnecessary use of energy and other resources. A better understanding of how plants respond enables better decision-making, higher crop quality and more sustainable production.
Plants know best — and now they can show it.
“By avoiding overactivation, you prevent energy from being used at times when the plant cannot make use of it. By aligning more closely with the plant’s needs, you can use energy more efficiently.”
Ramon de Vrie, Ledgnd
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