Van der Asdonk Hoveniers hardly experiences any plant loss with DCM VIVIMUS®

Name: Van der Asdonk hoveniers - www.vanderasdonk.nl
Sector: Tuinaanneming
Location: Meijel

This family business located in Meijel was founded in 1998 by Johan, the father of the family. The company has eleven employees and is active in the garden design and maintenance sector. Joost van der Asdonk describes the type of gardens the company designs and builds as follows: ‘We aim for as much green as possible, we try to ‘imitate’ nature as much as possible. The trick is to integrate as much green as possible, even in medium-sized gardens. Customers sometimes think that a large amount of green in a small garden has little chance of success. But as soon as they see that their plants and lawn look beautiful and strong – even in a smaller garden – they are convinced. The DCM-soil analysis and products contribute to this. Plants thus benefit from a good base, a ‘dream’ start and all the support they need for their development.’

Good nutrition, sufficient air and water for high resistance

For several years now, Van der Asdonk Hoveniers has been taking a soil sample for every new garden project or when maintaining a garden that presents problems. The result: exemplary gardens with hardly any loss or other problems. Van der Asdonk Hoveniers uses a wide range of DCM products. ‘We use both the extensive range of DCM VIVIMUS^® soil improvers and DCM organic and organo-mineral fertilisers.

We use DCM VIVIMUS® soil improver and trace elements to ensure a good air-water balance in the soil and a good initial organic matter content, allowing plants to take root immediately. DCM organic fertilisers contain dozens of different raw materials of plant and animal origin. These are transformed by soil life into the essential NPK values over a longer period of time, providing a constant nutrient flow for the plants.

Distinctive knowledge

The many online reviews about Van der Asdonk Hoveniers are all very positive. Customers are very satisfied with the expertise of Van der Asdonk Hoveniers and the creativity expressed in the garden designs (Joost’s wife is responsible for designing the garden plans at Van der Asdonk Hoveniers). They speak highly of the friendly staff, who work in an organized way and always respect the agreements made. The company’s quotations and advice are comprehensive and transparent.

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‘We distinguish ourselves from other landscaping companies in our sector because we always carry out a soil analysis first’

Focus on quality

‘A standard portion of ‘molmmest’ (a mixture of stable manure, horticultural peat and organic waste) is absolutely not enough’, laughs Joost, who is sometimes faced with such a request from a customer. ‘ For (almost) every project, we carry out a soil analysis, because we want to know what we’re doing and what the garden needs,’ he explains. ‘This sets us apart from other landscaping companies in our sector that never or rarely carry out a soil analysis, or only when it is too late. In fact, it’s impossible to start a project properly without a soil analysis, because every garden and its mineral balance are different. The type of soil also differs: in Meijel, the soils are mainly sandy; a little further south you will find clay soil.’ The recent creation of gardens around a series of newly-built houses as part of the same project showed just how different soil parameters can be in a small area. ‘We had a separate soil test carried out for each garden, because previous work could have changed the soil structure or mineral balance in certain areas. We were right: the results showed several significant differences in soil parameters. These differences in each garden make our work fascinating! The more we measure, the more we know and the more we can focus on quality. The difference we make in terms of knowledge is therefore directly reflected in the quality of our work.'

Explain the project well to the customer

Joost personally explains the formulated advice and quotations to the customer. This professional expertise is appreciated. Customers, for instance, are not always familiar with a soil analysis, but with the right explanations, they understand why this step is important. ‘I systematically include an item ‘soil analysis’ in the quotation. Ultimately, the customer decides, but during the first meeting with the customer, I immediately explain that this preliminary analysis allows us to guarantee good plant growth and/or a healthy lawn,’ he explains. ‘By using a few examples, I explain everything a garden might need and talk about the consequences if plants lack these elements. I also tell the customers that the cost of replacing plants are many times higher than the relatively minor costs of a soil test. Most customers then understand why we proceed meticulously and use quality products. As a garden contractor, you simply have to give a clear and precise explanation.’

Tailored DCM advice

After having received the soil analysis results, the DCM account manager contacts Joost or his father Johan. Joost: ‘We always learn a lot during these meetings, even though we already have a solid knowledge when it comes to soil fertility and fertilization. After each consultation, DCM sends us a tailored advice, which we follow. We purchase the DCM products via our supplier Mertens.’

DCM advice has already solved many ‘mysteries’.

Thanks to DCM’s advice, a number of ‘mysteries’ that appeared during projects carried out by Van der Asdonk have already been solved. Joost describes one such case: ‘In one of the gardens we took care of, nothing was growing properly. The salt content in the soil appeared to be very high, which is rather exceptional. We couldn’t think of an identifiable reason for the high salinity at this location. DCM suggested that the irrigation water could be cause of this high salinity, so we had the water analyzed. It turned out that the owner of the garden had a special water source, that was also used for watering. The water from this source contained a lot of salt and caused the initially good soil to become too salty after each watering.’

The best achievable result

Van der Asdonk Hoveniers aims for the best achievable result. Literally. ‘We want to contribute to the adaption to climate change by making gardens more permeable to water, providing shade and cooling by trees and plants, ensuring CO2 absorption by plants and grass, and creating a relaxing environment for people by offering them a ‘nature experience’. Based on the idea of sustainability, we want to ensure the best possible care of the ‘nature’ that we create and maintain,’ concludes Joost. ‘DCM shares these values. The company is a great support for all garden professionals who take the ‘green ‘profession seriously.’