When we're dirty, we shower. But what do you do when a tree is dirty? Stick it in the shower, they thought at Burg Machinefabriek from Kruiningen. The Zeeuwse fabricator created a shower for apple and pear trees for the Belgian fruit tree nursery Carolus. "Besides the fact that the tree has to be free from sand, we also moisturise the tree with the tree shower," says sales manager Joan van Burg. "This is how we prevent the tree from drying out during the journey. What remains in the shower is sand and leaves."
On the right Joan van Burg of Burg Machinefabriek with the tree shower. Next to him Eddy Gieraerts of the fruit tree nursery Carolus, where the Zeeuwse machine is.
Fruit tree shower
The fruit tree shower by Burg Machinefabriek is a long, high tunnel in which the trees are placed and in which the shower moves past the trees. Before it's creation there was a different method of cleaning trees, although it was far less efficient. "The old tree shower we used was basically a basin of water in which the water overflowed when it was full," says director Eddy Gieraerts of fruit tree nursery Carolus from Nieuwekerken. "You can wash a tree like this. Now we can wash two pallets of fruit trees at the same time and can set the amount of water we want to use. How much we use in the end depends on how dirty the trees are."
The old tree shower at Carolus where the overflowing water would run onto the trees from the orange tub.
Shelf life
According to Eddy Gieraerts of Carolus it is an added value that the trees enter transports treated and damp. As the machines ensure this in Kruiningen, the trees arrive in good condition. "Of course we want the trees to be able to with stand the sometime long travel time, some countries demand the trees and roots be proper for import," says the director from Nieuwerkerken. "By washing the trees and treating them for fungus, the tree remains in good condition. Thanks to the tree shower we are eliminating the danger of drop out due to drying out and storage."
The fruit trees ready to be showered
Nursery
Burg took around ten months to get to the product they have now, together with the nursery from Nieuwerkerken. According to Eddy from the tree nursery everyone in his company was involved to ensure the process went as smoothly as possible. "From forklift driver to the mechanics, everyone was involved in the Burg machine," says the director of Carolus. "This way everyone knows how the tree shower works and how we can improve it even further." Joan confirms this and adds. "There was a demand from the market as to whether we could come up with something. This specific machine was the final result."
The fruit tree made bu Burch Machinefabriek, can be found at apple and pear tree nursery Carolus in Nieuwerkerken.
Rain water
According to Eddy Gieraerts the machine that showers trees isn't just efficient, but also sustainable. "We use rainwater for our machine," he says. "Rainwater is collected from the roofs at Carolus, with a surface of around 3000 m2. In this way we try to work more sustainability, but the machine also makes its money back thanks to this."
The water from the machine comes from rainwater.
Working of the machine
How does the fruit tree shower actually work? Click on the video below to view the washing process of the trees.
For more information:
Burg Machinefabriek B.V.
Weihoek 11,
4416 PX Kruiningen (The Netherlands)
T: +31(0)113 501373
F: +31(0)113 502108