Tulip growing
Tulip bulb production in the Netherlands, New Zealand and Chile.
Our tulips are grown in West Friesland, South and East Flevoland, the Noordoostpolder, New Zealand and Chile. In total, our cultivation covers approximately 235 hectares of tulip bulbs. Each year, we produce around 50 million tulip bulbs for our customers. In addition, from the end of September through to the beginning of May, we produce approximately 40 million tulip flowers in our greenhouses.
The Netherlands
In October, we plant our tulip bulbs in the Netherlands. In June and July, the bulbs are lifted, processed and peeled. Careful cultivation is essential to producing strong, high-quality tulip bulbs. Throughout the growing season, we therefore closely monitor weather conditions and their impact on the growth and development of the bulbs.
Some of our bulbs are destined for our own export activities. We also supply bulbs to flower bulb export companies and use part of our production for growing tulips in our own greenhouses.
Southern Hemisphere
In New Zealand and Chile, we plant the tulip bulbs in April and May and lift them in January. After lifting, the bulbs are processed and peeled. From March through June, they are shipped by container to customers who use the bulbs for tulip flower production.
The tulip bulbs are supplied to customers in China, the United States and other countries in the Southern Hemisphere. We also ship bulbs to our own company in the Netherlands, where they are used for our own cultivation and for export to European countries and Russia.
Cultivation across different regions
Our cultivation is spread across the Netherlands, New Zealand and Chile. Of the approximately 235 hectares, around 185 hectares are in the Netherlands, while New Zealand and Chile account for approximately 50 hectares combined.
By growing tulips in the Netherlands and the Southern Hemisphere, the different growing seasons complement each other. This allows us to supply our customers with tulip bulbs and tulips throughout a large part of the year.
From planting to harvesting
Growing tulips is a careful process in which craftsmanship, timing and attention to field conditions come together. In spring and summer, our focus is on caring for the crops and lifting the tulips. Some of these activities are carried out by our own employees using machinery. For work in the fields, we also work with contract growers.
Key activities during the growing process include:
- Crop care: including weed control and irrigation.
- Crop inspection and selection: checking tulip fields and removing plants affected by viruses or fungal diseases.
- Topping the tulips: removing the flowers so that the plant’s energy is directed towards the bulb rather than the flower.
- Lifting the bulbs: harvesting the tulip bulbs and transporting them to the shed for further processing.
- Washing and drying: cleaning and drying the bulbs.
- Peeling the tulip bulbs: removing the roots from the bulbs, mainly by hand and partly by machine.
- Sorting and counting: sorting the bulbs by size and counting them.
- Delivery: supplying the tulip bulbs to various customers.
From tulip bulb to finished product
From planting and caring for the bulbs to lifting, processing and delivery, every step contributes to the quality of our tulip bulbs. With craftsmanship, knowledge and careful attention to the growing process, we work towards a strong and reliable product every season.
