One year after introducing an in-house multi-layer cucumber propagation facility equipped with Philips horticulture LED production modules, FreFarm is reporting strong results in seedling quality, production reliability and operational flexibility. The facility has enabled FreFarm to produce high-quality cucumber seedlings year-round, with greater control over their quality and availability and less risk of introducing pests, diseases and viruses from external suppliers. According to FreFarm, producing the seedlings in-house costs approximately one-third as much as purchasing them externally. It also allows the company to quickly produce replacement seedlings when plant losses occur during cultivation, helping improve production stability.

FreFarm has grown cucumbers for the past four years in its 1.6-hectare greenhouse equipped with Philips GreenPower LED toplighting compact. Previously, the company relied on seedlings sourced from external suppliers, but recognized the need to address pest, disease and virus risks that can originate during the propagation stage. To gain greater control over seedling quality and availability, FreFarm selected Signify’s technology for its indoor multi-layer propagation facility. The facility consists of three containers each equipped with two four-layer racks, enabling FreFarm to produce up to 45,000 seedlings per cycle.

The Philips GreenPower LED production module provides a light spectrum optimized for cucumber propagation, supporting efficient photosynthesis and healthy early-stage plant development. Its low heat output relative to light intensity makes climate control easier, even in dense growing environments such as multi-layer vertical farms. As a result, FreFarm can now consistently produce uniform and healthy seedlings by precisely controlling light intensity and photoperiod across all growing layers. The optimized lighting environment provides sufficient light levels to reach the target size and quality within the planned propagation schedule, while supporting stronger and healthier plant development. Seedlings produced in the facility quickly adapt after transplanting into the greenhouse and continue to demonstrate stable growth performance.

“Although propagating cucumbers using only LED lighting in an indoor propagation facility was new to us, we were able to establish a stable propagation process by developing an optimized light recipe with the technical support of the Philips horticulture experts’ team," said In Woo Nam, Head grower at FreFarm. "The biggest advantage is the ability to produce seedlings of consistent quality regardless of external environmental conditions.”

By bringing propagation into a controlled environment, FreFarm reduced production risks and maintained a more reliable supply of cucumber throughout the year. This project demonstrates how horticulture LED technology can support more resilient and efficient local food production.

(Photo credit: Signify)

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