The beautiful shades of green of the conifers immediately catch the eye upon arrival at nursery Vredebest. We are given a tour by Hendrik Hak, the second generation in charge of the nursery that celebrated its 50th anniversary last year.

The roots
Piet Hak, Hendrik's father, started his own nursery with an area of one hectare in 1969 at the age of 19. In 1999 the nursery changed its name from P.W. Hak to Kwekerij Vredebest. Named after the old farmhouse that once stood on the site where the nursery is now located. Over the years there has been a lot of growth and Hendrik learned the tricks of the trade until the time was right in 2010 to take over the nursery. The nursery now consists of a cultivation area of 9 hectares and works with a team of 11 permanent employees.

The power of a wide range of conifers
In total, the Vredebest team grows a line of no less than 60 varieties, and in 6 different pot sizes. The main lines are Thuja, Picea, Juniperus, Tsuga, Pinus, Chamaecyparis, Taxus, Abies, Microbiota and Platycladus. A trusted line of top quality that is not much deviated from. Hendrik: “The wide range of conifers is a real strength, it makes it easy for customers to order small batches from one supplier. We also do a lot of customer made work, such as the mix trays that can be put together selected on sorts ”.

In this period towards November, the grower is fully engaged with the Picea conica and Juniperus stricta, blue star and Chamaecyparis snow white. These hardy varieties can withstand the colder months ahead.

The challenge of cultivation is the changeability of the weather. Hendrik and his team can cope well with those circumstances due to years of experience. “We let nature take its course as much as possible, which results in strong plants that can take a beating”.

Sustainable philosophy is the basis
Care for people and animals and the living environment is deeply rooted at nursery Vredebest. This is reflected in the cultivation through, among other things, the recyclable water system and the biological control of the yew beetle. There is also a lot of emphasis on the social aspect, which is why the nursery is both MPS GAP and SQ certified. “We have a young top team of motivated people and participate, for example, in the Wellant College's green heroes project, in which students are trained and gain experience at the nursery. I am proud of my profession when I look at my team, everyone is in the right place and together we have a lot of passion for the profession”. Much use is also made of labor-supporting equipment such as forklift trucks and buffer belts, to offer all colleagues a pleasant working environment.