The flower bulbs are already being fully processed at nursery Duineveld. A beautiful product that is available in different varieties and colors. Owners Maarten and Carla Duineveld grow different coloured Hyacinths, Daffodils and Muscari for years. These are processed in pots or in nice arrangements for Easter, Christmas and Valentine's Day. Maarten and Carla gave us an inspiring tour at the nursery and we asked them all about this beautiful company.
Growing bulbs
Duineveld Nursery's main product is the Hyacinth in the colours blue, pinkand white in pot sizes 7 and 12,5 cm. Did you know that the Hyacinth needs 4 years of cultivation time before it is ready for sale? Only then the bulbs are large enough to bloom. The Muscari and Daffodil bloom every two years and are available in pot size 9 and bowl 12,5 cm. Maarten keeps the cultivation of the Hyacints and Daffodils in his own hands; "By growing the bulbs ourselves we can guarantee a high quality and we can give a bloom guarantee.".
How it all began
Maarten's father started back in 1960s as a grower of Tulips and Daffodils for cut flowers. Bulbs were added to the assortment later. From the year 2000 the nursery started to specialize in bulbs. The nursery distinguishes itself by regularly renewing its assortment, growing the bulbs themselves and a short delivery schedule. Every year 7 million bulbs are grown on 15 hectares of land. "In busy times we work with a team of 15 employees. After Easter, this is reduced to 2 or 3 people. During summer we work on the land to replant the bulbs and process them for the upcoming season", says Carla Duineveld.
From bulb to flower
Growing bulbs is a complex process. The bulbs are grown outdoors and are dependent on the weather. Then they get sorted and processed. The larger bulbs are ready to go to the cold store, the smaller ones are placed back in the field to grow bigger. In the cold store, winter is simulated to encourage flowering. A foam layer is placed on the pots to ensure that the bulb in the pot roots through and does not grow out of the pot. After this cold treatment from 12-14 weeks, the potted bulbs are almost ready for sale or can be used in a beautiful assortment of arrangements. But first, they receive an extra treatment outside or in the specially equipped greenhouse, to give the leaves a nice green color. The ingenious way in which they are transported is striking. Old auction carts are used for this purpose, which can easily be moved between the departments.
Sustainable initiatives
Duineveld has already implemented sustainability to a high degree. The roof of the nursery is equipped with 480 solar panels to generate electricity. In the summer, the bulbs are dried with the heat from the greenhouse to save energy, and in the winter, floor heating is used. With these installations, the grower can save up 70% energy. Duineveld is MPS-ABC and MPS-GAP certified.
Nursery Duineveld has around 100 different arrangements available. Take a look at the assortment here.
