VON GENERATION ZU GENERATION
 
 
GROWTH AND TECHNOLOGY
Ottersberg facility Place of business
Foundation 1969
Expanse 10,57 ha
Covered with glass 27 000 qm

We produce and force up to 180 000 Azaleas (Rhododendron simsii) in our Ottersberg facility. From October to April we also stick about 29 million ericaceous young plants and cultivate them all year round. Business administration and Sales are in Ottersberg, as well as our product development.

The Ottersberg facility is surrounded by our compensation areas: wetlands, orchards and into a mixed forest converted pine tree forest.
Eckstever facility
Foundation 1983
Expanse 14,65 ha
Covered with glass 10 000 qm

In Eckstever we produce mainly all heather liners which will be transplanted starting in May. Liners will stay outside during winter. Only frost tender varieties and species will be placed in unheated greenhouses. We pot our own stock- plants, about 1 million, in March, cultivate them as finished heathers and sell them when in flower.
       
1949 Gottlieb Elfers is first in the Bremen Greenhouse business to build a massive shed to store coal in a dry place.
1954 Erica gracilis are watered pot by pot with a “Hobby-Pump“ and a watering hose.
1955 The productivity of watering is doubled with a two-piece and later tippled with a three-piece. Silber Nursery is one of the first practicing it that way.
1956 In our Bremen facility the first greenhouse made out of galvanized steel is built with an end-to-end ventilating system, which had a central activation.

Silber is second after Klusmann Nursery to built “Otte” concrete benches from pre- fabricated parts.
1957

Georg Silber develops the first „Mono-Rail“ irrigation system for Erica gracilis in Germany.

1958 Georg Silber is first in using watering gutters and ebb and flood systems. He changes from coal heating systems to oil.
1960 Hermann Silber starts the programmed crop of Chrysanthemum in Germany using the variety “Bonafon Deluxe”.
1963 The first wide-span greenhouse (11,20 m) in Bremen and vicinity is built. It is equipped with “Otte” concrete benches with heating underneath. Benches were arranged lateral, which is a novelty to Germany.
1964 Silber takes lead in producing Poinsettias as pot plants. Until then they were only sold as cutting flowers. The variety “Elisabeth Ecke” is the first one to be produced with single branch in an 11 cm pot.
1965 Hermann Silber imports the first growth regulator “B-Nine” from the USA. It is trialed on Chrysanthemum and Poinsettias.

Silber is first German customer of Volmatic, Denmark. They install drip- irrigation in combination with a sand ebb and flood system.

First trials are initiated with Quick- Pot- Trays QP 273 to produce Erica gracilis cuttings.
1966 All Chrysanthemums and Poinsettias are treated with growth retardants. It results in improved quality by using less space, which means higher productivity.

The complete propagation is adjusted to the Quick- Pot- System. This is the beginning of a long-lasting cooperation with HerkuPlast, which is still continuing.
In following years the QP 054 for Erica gracilis liners was developed, as well as the QP 150 for Azalea cuttings and the QP 028 for Azalea liners. More tray sizes followed.

Right after Richter Nursery in Morsum Silber works with the second Meyer Potting Machine sold in northern Germany.

Files for all cultural directions are introduced.
1969 In Ottersberg Silber buys new property after having decided to specialize in Ericas and Azaleas.
The decision is made to build the “German Norm Greenhouse” in block system with 12,55 m wide span.
1970 One of the first machines to drill wholes in the ground was bought at Rathmakers.
1971

A lawn mower is used for the first time to cut back Ericas.

1972

Developing work is started to turn the Calluna into a pot plant.

1976

Silber takes lead in installing automated shading systems.

1978

Product launch: Calluna vulgaris in an 11 cm clay pot with a Ø 20/23 were picked up fast at the wholesale market Hamburg.

The first tray filler for Quick- Pot- Trays and a drill unit to prepare holes mechanically is used.

1980

 The adjustment from clay to plastic pots is started.
1982 Silber develops the application of Off- Shot- O as last pinch for Azaleas under glass.

1984

The first rolling benches are built and a “Volmatic” ebb and flood irrigation system is installed.


Silber is first in producing all Azaleas in plastic pots.
1986 Installation of the very first mobile benches in an Azalea growing company.

The 2nd “Indal Climate Control Computer” in Germany is launched at Silbers’.

1993

Venlo Greenhouses with 12,80 m wide span and 4,5 m gutter height are built.

2001

One of the first “TTA Transplanters” working in Germany is bought. It has 32 grippers and a transplanting capacity of 8000 to 18000 plants per hour.

All production fields are covered with mypex in an open system.

2003 PPM is introduced at Silbers’ as a pilot project.
  An order entry program is developed for the young plant section.
2005 The cost accounting program PUP is bought.
2007

A 2nd transplanting line is started with a “TEA” transplanter, which will also be used for potting finished heathers.

2008 Ottersberg is completely equipped with shade curtains. In our sticking areas we use double shade curtains.
Extension and optimization of the propagating area. Our work stations for sticking and taking cuttings are doubled from 34 to 68 and furnished with ergonomic highchairs and high benches.

In our Eckstever facility we started to build a new greenhouse by Alkupro, Netherlands. The greenhouse is equipped with security glass and has an end to end ventilation - being the first one in Europe in a Venlo construction.

2009

Mobile benches are installed in 2 more greenhouses, together with a new irrigation computer (Senmatic).

In August constructions for a 54 cars parking area are finished.

2011

 
 
© + Impressum:AEV Silber oHGLange Straße 105D - 28870 OttersbergFon +49 (0) 4205 39 58 - 0info@silber-gartenbau.de