to poop

If the Dutch are good at something, it's pooping. Often it's about nothing at all, but it seems like they just enjoy pooping. But still, the pooping of farmers in particular, and therefore also the flower bulb growers, about the weather was very understandable. In May and June we were treated to 6 weeks of an incessant cold wind from the East, which was very detrimental to the harvest, and now, in October and November, it was rain that literally made itself heard day in, day out for 6 weeks.

There was a lot of toil in the fields, planting tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and all other flower bulbs and of course the digging up. Dahlias, lilies, zantedeschias, begonias; everything has to be taken out of the ground again to be delivered to the buyers on time. Digging up goes a little earlier than planting, if it is a little too wet during digging it can go on for a long time. However, planting is not allowed in soil that is too wet, then the soil is compacted and that is bad for the structure of the soil, too little oxygen in the soil which does not benefit the rooting. But to dig up you need empty crates and… you guessed it, the tulips and daffodils are still in there. Pooper-de-pooper how it all sloughs, how it goes wrong.

Jack's Daffodils behind my house. There has been water in the paths for days. We were pissed that the Daffodils were still above ground but when we saw this we were glad they hadn't been planted yet

But lo and behold, the past week it has stopped raining. Fortunately, because there were even rumors bubbling up in the bulb sector to postpone Christmas for a while this year. We can get going again, the land is buzzing with activity again. Around five in the morning I hear the first tractors driving down the road, they are busy until late in the evening. All, but really all wheels are turning. Harvesters, planters, milling, ploughing, everything is in motion. Even old harvesters are being taken out of the shed, the worn-out plough that was in the parts shed only has to come out of the shed for another year, everything has to go into the land, everyone is happy again.

The bulb sheds are also working full throttle again. Fortunately for the seasonal workers, they can put in the hours again, that's what they come for. They prefer to work every evening and Saturday morning as well. It may sound strange to you, but many of them come here from abroad to earn money. They are much happier with a working week of sixty hours than one of forty. We have the same thing in the summer with Polish pupils and students, you really can't make them happy if there is no work for them in the evenings and on Saturday mornings. They come here to work hard for 4, 5 or 6 weeks, preferably as many hours as possible to go home with the fattest possible wallet.

The night shift on the land where we will be working on Monday

Planting daffodils

You can also tell by the atmosphere in the sheds of the lily growers; radio on high, machines on high and work ethic on high. Let's go bananas, they love it, farming at full speed. Something is happening again, trucks full of bulbs leave the dam every evening to the buyers who are eagerly looking forward to it, they also want to get started.

Digging up the lilies is not a bed of roses

Dear people, the weather gods are in a good mood again, it looks like the farmers will not postpone Christmas 2023 after all.

Back to our bulb shop; the gift tip: the book “Bollenwijzer” by Jacqueline van der Kloet. No, first a joke from my reserve friend Siem. Old joke, I know, but still always funny, especially when Siem tells it. Siem always knows how to tell it in such a way that you laugh out loud. There are three boys on a moped. What is the name of the middle one? How would I know? His name is Rob. What do you mean Rob? Well, one is sitting in front of the robber and the other is sitting in the back of the robber. What I also like about such jokes is that they have to be translated into German and English by Alina and Pien. I just enjoy writing something that cannot be translated. Good luck girls :-)

The beautiful book Flower Bulb Guide

But the tip for this coming gift month, the beautiful inspiring book by Jacqueline van der Kloet; Bollenwijzer.

Who is Jacqueline van der Kloet, many of you may wonder. Well, in my eyes Jacqueline van der Kloet is the uncrowned Queen of the Flower Bulb world. She is a writer about flower bulbs who really knows a lot about flower bulbs. I have known her all my life. As a teenager I saw her sitting at the table in our house asking my father all kinds of questions about Daffodils for her first flower bulb book that she was writing. I loved her interviews. Then my father and I walked with Jacqueline for hours through our Daffodils to show her and tell her all kinds of things. I have come across Jacqueline every now and then all my life and when we started the Fluwel flower bulb web shop Jacqueline became a loyal customer of ours. She buys flower bulbs from us for her Tea Garden in Weesp. If you ever come near Weesp, the Tea Garden of Jacqueline van der Kloet is highly recommended. www.theetuin.nl

Some Dahlias are impossible to kill, they are tough guys. Flowers until after mid-November.

Now, with a lifelong experience with flower bulbs, Jacqueline has written another fantastic book with lots of explanation and photos of how a beautiful garden can look. Not just with flower bulbs, mind you, but also lots of tips and photos on how to combine flower bulbs with other plants. Simply a beautiful book from which you can get lots of inspiration.

Almost at 1000 words, sjips wants to tell so much more. One more, we are busy with the presents. My favorite Amaryllis:

Amaryllis Magical Touch

Not only its shape and colour make me fall in love with this Amaryllis, it is also an Amaryllis that almost never disappoints. It always does, really, almost always two stems bloom at the same time and before they have finished blooming the third is always well on its way. In many cases, just like in this photo, a fourth stem also appears as a dessert. Top Amaryllis pleasure from the Magical Touch. Time to stop pooping and writing, we are happy again.

Greetings,

Carlos