Flood disaster in bulb-growing country?
One week you are looking out over a bulb field,
the next week it is under water. What is going
on? Has disaster struck? No, the grower has
deliberately flooded the land. We call this
inundation. Why? To clear the soil of any
diseases, viruses, weeds and bulb debris. The
temporary lake is a paradise for birds: not only
is the water rich in nutrients, but thanks to the
relatively high temperature it also attracts mosquitos
and water fleas. Birds have a place to rest and refuel
with a nutritious meal. Plus, it gives bulb growers an ecofriendly way to clean up their land.
Planting time again
After the digging season, the cycle starts all over again. In autumn, growers return
to the fields to plant the spring-flowering bulbs. You could say that bulb growers are
busy with their product all year long. There is more to it than planting, taking care of
the bulbs, digging up and processing: growers must also tend to other matters such
as choosing what range of bulbs to grow, buying and selling bulbs, managing the
land, maintaining machinery, drawing up investment plans, scheduling employees,
innovation and financing. All of this makes the bulb business incredibly varied and
challenging. Many growers are incredibly passionate about their line of work, mostly
because they think their chosen product is so beautiful. And how right they are! A
bouquet of flowers fills any home with sunshine.
blooming
After the flowering: time to dig
Spring-flowering bulbs are dug up when summer starts.
The summer-flowering bulbs are dug up in autumn. The
bulbs are processed in batches in the growers’ sheds
in preparation for delivery to the market, which is where
the bulbs will be packaged and ready to be distributed to
garden centres, builders’ merchants and supermarkets.
hibernation
preparation
for hibernation
growing
The black tulip: does it really exist?
In a word: no. Perhaps you think you may have seen one somewhere, but it was
either a very dark purple or dark brown tulip. Neither of which is black, of course. The
search for a true black tulip has gone on for centuries. The fact that it is so difficult to
‘make’ a black tulip is exactly what makes it so enticing. The mystery shrouding the
black tulip has inspired many writers. Dutch growers have come close to breeding
a black tulip on several occasions, producing the ‘Queen of Night’ for example. But
although it is very dark, it is still not black. Other near-black tulips include ‘Black
Parrot’, ‘Burgundy’, and ‘Black Diamond’. Which is your favourite?
Going wild
Do you need to dig up the bulbs in your garden every year? Not necessarily. Many
bulb varieties are well suited to going wild, which basically means that they will
continue to bloom each year and even multiply. By letting these bulbs go wild, you
will get more and more of them in your garden, and they are just as low-maintenance
as perennials.
Bulb varieties that do not go wild can be dug up in autumn and replaced with fresh
bulbs. This will keep your garden evolving, and provide you with a new beautiful view
each spring.
planting
© July 2014 – This is a publication by the Royal General Bulb Growers’ Association
Everything you always
wanted to know about
Content and editing: Ooms Communicatie
Design and printing: C-Designs
FLOWERING BULBS
The who, what, where and why...
Welcome to the Noordelijk Zandgebied: this is the largest contiguous bulb production
region in the world, stretching from Den Helder to Petten!
Why are so many bulbs grown here? Because the sandy soil and sea climate in this area
are ideal: the bracing sea air discourages lice and other insects that could infect the crops
with viruses. In addition, there is enough water in this region to irrigate during dry spells.
A bulb looks quite plain, but take a closer look and
you will see what makes it so special.
The answer is on the inside. A bulb has everything it
needs to get a flower to bloom at the right moment.
If you slice the bulb in half, you can see the flower is
already there at the heart. The surrounding scales
contain stores of food that the bulb needs in order to
grow and bloom.
Harbinger of spring
Another remarkable thing about bulbs is that they are the first plants to bring colour to
gardens and parks after a dreary winter with its bare trees and shrubs. When the bulbs
start flowering, we know that spring has returned once again!
Do bulbs flower only during spring?
It depends. There are spring-flowering bulb
varieties, such as tulips, crocuses, daffodils
and hyacinths, and there are summer-flowering
bulbs such as lilies, dahlias and calla lilies.
Although dahlias are not actually bulbs but
tubers. Crocuses are not really bulbs either;
they are corms. Tubers and corms look a lot
like bulbs, but they store their food differently.
When should you plant bulbs?
Spring-flowering bulbs should be planted late in the year between October and January,
before the first hard frost. These bulbs need a long cold period in order to bloom in spring.
They also use this time to form strong roots.
Summer-flowering bulbs should be planted in the spring. Not all summer-flowering bulbs
are hardy; in other words, they cannot withstand cold temperatures and need to be stored
in a frost-free place during winter. Lilies are an exception: many lily varieties are suitable
for planting in spring as well as autumn.
What happens to the bulbs grown here?
The growers in this region grow bulbs exclusively
for bulb production. Some of these bulbs are sold to
commercial enterprises that package and sell them
to garden centres, builder’s merchants and other
retail chains where you can buy them to plant in your
garden. Bulb sales are not limited to the Netherlands,
by the way; in fact, these bulbs are sold around the
world. There are gardeners in the Americas, Asia and
the Middle East who enjoy Dutch bulbs.
Another portion of these bulbs is sold to ‘forcers’, or growers who
raise the bulbs for flowers, either in greenhouses or outside in fields.
The flowers are cut, packaged and sold (mainly through the flower auction).
Professional traders ensure that these flowers are sold at supermarkets,
flower shops and flower stands in the Netherlands and abroad.
If you see someone on the street in Germany carrying a bouquet of tulips, they may very
well have come from bulbs that were grown in the Noordelijk Zandgebied.
Blooming bulb fields and then...
Bulb fields in bloom are a brilliant sight to behold each year. The endless bands of colour
are a feast for the eyes and a much-loved subject for countless photographers every year.
So it comes as a huge shock to see the bulb growers drive their topping machines into the
fields to lop off the tops of the tulips: if you did not know any better, you would think they
did not like tulips. Actually, the opposite is true. The growers care deeply about their crops,
which is why they take such good care of them. But tulip growers do not grow their bulbs
for the flower; their efforts are dedicated to the bulb. Deadheading the flowers on time
allows all of the energy to go to the bulb, which promotes maximum growth. A good-sized
bulb is what produces such a full flower in your garden.
Why do tulips in a vase continue to grow?
Although the bulb contains all of the energy that the
flower needs, the stem also contains food. This is
why a tulip continues to grow when placed in a vase.
Whether you find it aesthetically pleasing is a matter
of personal taste. Some love to watch nature take its
course; others find it annoying. If you belong to the
latter group, the best way to keep a tulip under control
is to choose a tall vase. This will support the flower as
long as possible.
Bird breeding grounds
Did you know that bulb fields are ideal breeding grounds for birds? Species that like to
nest amongst the bulbs include the Skylark, Grey Partridge, Yellow Wagtail and Redshank.
Growers in bulb country have a relatively quiet period between March and mid-June once
the flowers have been deadhead and before the time comes to dig up the bulbs, and this
is the perfect time for many species of birds to make a nest in the bulb fields. Besides
the lack of human activity, the bulb fields are warmer than a meadow and provide more
protection. Plus, the birds can find food along the edges of the fields.