# FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

### What are the key benefits of Gardin's phenotyping system?

**Continuous plant monitoring**: Non-invasive, real-time tracking of plant health enables timely action and better crop management.

**Higher yield & quality**: Early detection of stress allows fast intervention to improve outcomes.

**Optimised inputs**: Data-driven insights help fine-tune lighting strategy, climate control, and irrigation.

### What crops can Gardin monitor?

The system can be used for a wide range of crops, including fruits, leafy greens and ornamental plants.

### What can I do with the data?

Gardin provides measurable feedback so growers can test changes and see plant responses in real time—cutting the trial-and-error cycle from weeks to minutes.

### Can it integrate with farm automation?

Yes. Gardin supports faster climate decisions and is developing algorithms to recommend adjustments for lighting, CO₂, and irrigation. We partner with growers and automation providers such as [Ridder](https://www.ridder.com/) for seamless integration.

### How many sensors do I need?

**Greenhouses**: 2 - 4 sensors per hectare, depending on control zones.

**Vertical farms**: Higher density or mobile platforms for greater control.

### Do the sensors touch the plants?

No. Gardin sensors are fully contactless and work at distances up to 2 meters.

### Do I need to calibrate the sensors?

No. Sensors are factory-calibrated and ready to use.

### Do they need cabling?

Yes. Each sensor connects with a single Power over Ethernet (PoE) cable—simple and widely available.

### Can I move the sensors?

Yes. Sensors are easily repositioned to where insights are most valuable.

### Who owns the data?

You do. Gardin uses a transparent classification system to ensure customer data ownership while delivering actionable insights. [Contact us to learn more](/content/contact/index.html).

### Testimonials

**Dr Sander Hogewoning, Director of Plant Lighting B.V**  
"Gardin could reliably detect the transition of CAM-phase III into IV with its sensor. Moreover, it was able to rapidly detect the malate depletion across multiple cultivars simultaneously and repeatedly at varying temperatures. I see strong potential for its use in commercial orchid cultivation, phenotyping plant research, and genetic breeding."

**Rob Van Enckevort, Owner and Grower, De Peelkroon**  
"We pay closer attention to the shading strategy now we work with Gardin, and take better steps to plan for periods of high light, like we have seen this year. Gardin has helped us to think more about the long-term effects of our crop strategy on plant health rather than choosing short term gains."

**Csaba Hornyik, Head of Science, IGS**  
"For the first time, Gardin's advanced sensors have enabled us to remotely explore plant activity in an industrial setting. This breakthrough has been a significant milestone in our quest to perfect recipe development and crucial for creating the optimal plant environment."

**Stijn Jochems, Researcher, Delphy Improvement Centre**  
"Gardin sensors added value in seeing a response before we saw the crop deteriorating. I could definitely see the sensors being used to enhance quality and yield in lit crops, particularly as a way to increase their light use efficiency."

**Erik Lundgren, Co-founder and Chief R&D Officer, Ljusgårda**  
"Working with Gardin enabled us to explore a new technology and collect useful observations that strengthen our understanding of plant performance. These insights add value to our internal development work and help us assess how real-time plant data may support future optimisation efforts."

**Scott Philips, Group Development Director Berry Farming, Agriculture Investments**  
"Gardin cameras have become an integral part of our LED strawberry production. They support both our long-term crop and site planning as well as our day-to-day understanding of crop performance. They've quickly become an essential tool for our team. We see even more possibilities for how this technology can support our production in the future."

**Leonard Boer, Owner and Grower, FromBoer**  
"Before, I mainly focused on the climate conditions in the greenhouse...with Gardin I can measure the effect of the climate conditions based on the plants themselves. The sensor data contributes to a homogeneous production of high quality and to cost control. On balance, I estimate that the result per square meter is at least 5% higher."

**Maurits Kooijman, Head Grower at KP Holland**  
"Gardin helped us clearly identify when our plants were receiving too much light. By adjusting our shading strategy based on that insight, the plants are now healthier and growing better than before. We now use the data every day to monitor how the plants respond."

**Marco Kortekaas, Grower at KP Holland**  
"Maintaining consistent plant quality is extremely important for us, especially for our relationships with retail customers. If the quality drops, it directly affects the value of our plants. Gardin helped us clearly identify when our plants were receiving too much light. By adjusting our shading strategy based on that insight, the plants are healthier and growing better, which helps us consistently deliver the quality our customers expect."