At Remigiusplein in Duiven, Dolmans Landscaping Group conducted a trial with Kaumera in summer 2023. It was expected that Kaumera's moisture retaining properties would ensure that the soil in the planters remained at a good moisture level for longer. This would reduce the need for watering.
Dolmans
Dolmans Landscaping Group is a company open to innovative, sustainable developments.This is how the cooperation with the Kaumera development team came about.Dolmans has been realising, maintaining and managing green spaces and related civil engineering projects for more than sixty years. They always work from a sustainable vision of people and nature. It is all about the short- and long-term result, because how you build something affects how you have to maintain it.
The trial
On behalf of the Duiven municipality, the company filled a group of planters with summer flowers. This involved mixing different concentrations of Kaumera through the soil. Moisture sensors were placed in some trays to measure the moisture content .Kaumera can be safely mixed through the soil because the product is biodegradable.
Good results
In the first weeks after construction, it was immediately obvious to the maintenance team foreman that the soil with Kaumera in it remained moist for longer. The moisture sensors showed the same.
The blue line shows the humidity in the flower box where 7.5% Kaumera was mixed through the soil. Unfortunately, this sensor failed in mid-August 2023, but the results are still good to see.
The brown line shows the moisture content in the tray where no Kaumera was added. We see a fairly consistent difference.
The initial results are convincing and motivate us to do more and larger trials of Kaumera's moisture retention properties in future seasons.
