'The quality of a green starts below the ground'

ARTICLE

SOIL & SOIL BIOLOGY

Wijnand Meijboom, Thursday 26 February 2026

175 sec

Rapid growth, high disease pressure and constant adjustments — many greens still operate under a reactive management model. Weather extremes reinforce this approach. According to Rowan van Garderen, co-owner of Statera Ecosolutions, and advisor Ron Ottenhof, it is time for a change of course. Their system enhancer Natugram focuses not on symptoms but on the cause: an unstable soil ecosystem. According to them, using this product can lead to less work for greenkeepers and improved playing quality in the long term.

Rowan and Wim van Garderen

'Greenkeepers are judged on what happens above ground, but quality actually starts below the surface,' says Ron Ottenhof, independent advisor and former colleague of Wim van Garderen, founder of Pireco. Together with his son Corne and grandson Rowan, Wim van Garderen founded Statera Ecosolutions. Their product Natugram is not a traditional fertiliser or biostimulant, but a system enhancer designed to activate soil processes and keep the green more stable. 'We want to move away from firefighting,' says Van Garderen. 'Many greens rely on quickly available nutrients and short reaction times. That creates fluctuations in growth and playing quality. Every day starts from zero again. Natugram helps flatten those peaks and stabilise the system.' The product has existed for some time and was previously introduced to the market by his grandfather together with Jos Scholman. Statera Ecosolutions now wants to intensify its focus on the golf sector with the help of advisor Ottenhof. They already have data and references from the first period and aim to expand their measurement protocol together with new clients, so that greenkeepers can draw their own conclusions about this sustainable and circular product based on data.

'In nature, the plant feeds on its own decomposition products. We replicate that'

Natugram

The principle is simple, Ottenhof explains: 'In nature, the plant feeds on its own decomposition products. We replicate that with plant-based substances from a herb-rich grass sward that form the basis of Natugram. No rapid growth boost, but nutrition for soil life and roots. You do not see it immediately, but you do notice the effect: fewer interventions, less disease pressure and greater stability.' Timing is crucial when applying Natugram. 'Start as early as possible in the season, once the soil and plant emerge from winter dormancy,' advises Van Garderen. 'After that, continue feeding regularly. Not much, but frequently.' In practice, this means every two to three weeks.

Ron Ottenhof

Analysis

A critical greenkeeper may ask: does this also work on sandy soils with little organic matter? 'That is a valid question,' says Ottenhof. 'That is why we always carry out an analysis beforehand. What is present in the soil? How active is the system? Based on that, we provide appropriate advice. The key question is whether the system is capable of processing the input we provide.' But it is not only about correct application. Knowledge transfer is equally important. 'You cannot make different choices if you do not understand how the system works,' Ottenhof emphasises. For that reason, he regularly gives presentations to greenkeepers, sports field managers and other professionals. 'We need to talk more about the foundation: soil life, root development and system resilience. But in a concrete way, with measurable results and clear frameworks.'

'Greenkeepers work in weeks, soils respond in months'

This approach requires time. And that sometimes clashes with daily practice. 'Greenkeepers work in weeks, soils respond in months,' Ottenhof notes. That is why he is developing a measurement protocol together with Statera that includes sap analyses and soil profile pits. 'If you can show what is happening, even when it is not immediately visible in the turf surface, confidence will grow.'

There are still obstacles. Golfers want fast greens, boards want to reduce costs and regulations are becoming stricter. 'Greenkeepers are under pressure from all sides. That makes it difficult to think long term,' says Van Garderen. In addition, Natugram does not work superficially. 'You do not see a colour boost or growth peak. In fact, the opposite. It is a product designed to reduce those fluctuations.' Ottenhof adds: 'The biggest challenge is expectations. Everyone wants to spray less, but when I ask how, the room often goes quiet. We offer an answer, but it starts with a different way of thinking. Instead of correcting every stress immediately, make sure the system itself can cope with that stress.' Transparency is therefore essential, both emphasise. 'We do not want to sell fairy tales. This is not a miracle cure. It is a foundation, a structural improvement of the system. Not a solution for everything, but a way to become less dependent on interventions in the long term,' says Ottenhof.

Less fluctuation

Natugram is therefore not a conventional product, but a strategic tool for system-based management. It aims to reduce fluctuations in growth and playing quality, lower correction pressure and disease stress, reduce the workload for greenkeepers, support a working method that fits stricter regulations and circular management, and provide substantiated knowledge about soil life and plant health. As Ottenhof puts it: 'When building a house, you do not start with the roof but with the foundation. And that foundation starts in the soil. With knowledge, with data and with an approach focused on the long term.'

This article was previously published on 26 February 2026 on the Greenkeeper](https://www.greenkeeper.nl/article/53052/de-kwaliteit-van-een-green-begint-onder-de-grond]Greenkeeper) website.

Statera-Ecosolutions

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