Topping Tulips
Ever wondered where all the tulip bulbs come from? In the Netherlands there are a lot of tulip farms with endless tulip fields. On these fields millions of tulips are grown every year. Around the end of April lots of farmers are topping tulips (taking the tulip head or flower off) so the bulbs can get stronger before they are taken out of the ground during the summer months.
But for tulip lovers it is a horrible sight. Big machines rolling into a colorful and wonderful smelling tulip field and it starts topping the tulips. What is left is an field with green stems (and an occasionally tulip who is to small to be chopped).
But have a look for yourself how it is done in the video below:
What do you think? Please leave a comment below.
Source
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We are reaching on Sunday morning God willing JUST TO SEE TULIPS. we are travelling from Bombay to Amsterdam and hope we will see the ambition of out lifetime in full bloom. We have been to Holland twice but never during Tulip season.
God bless Netherlands
Have a wonderful time seeing the tulips!
So what happens to the tulip heads afterwards? It seems to be a terrible waste to destroy them… Is it the same with the hyacinthes and daffodils?
There are to types of tulip farmers – people who grow tulips for the vase (flowers) and people who grow tulips for the bulb (Export so everyone around the world can enjoy these tulips) The type of tulips that are headed is for strengthen the bulb to put all the energy inside the bulb instead of the “useless” flower. These are the bulbs that travel around the world at the end of summer to be planted at autumn.
Have the tulips been headed yet we hope to be there on 7th/8th May
Hi Sarah, The farmers started last Friday with the heading of the tulips in the fields. So there might be some fields visible but you have to look for them. The Keukenhof looks gorgeous now. There are even some spots where the tulips have to start blooming.
One minute a beautiful field of blooms and the next,gone. It’s painful to see the flowers being discarded. Can’t they be used in perfumes or scents? One day I hope to catch the fields at their best.
Hi Sothy, the tulips that are topped are mainly grown for the bulbs so everyone around the world can enjoy the tulips next year in their own garden. Many years ago the headed flowers were used to make guirlandes to sell to tourists. But i don’t see that often in the past couple of years.
We will be in Amsterdam may 17-20 2018 will there be anywhere to go to see tulip fields?
Tulip fields are topped by the first week of May. After that there are no tulip fields left.