Breeding
To create a new Tulip variety normally takes around twenty years.Stage 1: The cross breeding process
The pollen of one (existing) tulip (the male) will be brought onto the pestle of another (existing) tulip (the female). It is essential to know which males and females are suitable to make a match. This process is called crossbreeding and will eventually - after a full growing year - produce seeds possibly of a new variety.
Stage 2: The developing of a full grown flower bulb
These seeds will grow in a seed pot located beneath the flower of the female tulip. After one full year all the seeds are harvested and are then transplanted into a tempex box filled with a very special kind of soil. This is done in September. In this special box the seeds will develop into very small flower bulbs of only 2mm across. These new “mini bulbs” will be harvested in June (the following year) and that completes one full growing season. This whole process will be repeated annually during the next 6 years.
Stage 3: Exposure to the open field
After the fourth growing season (September-June), the little bulbs have grown into a size that is big enough to be transplanted in the open bulb fields for the next year.
Stage 4: The selection procedure
In the sixth and last year the new bulb has grown into a genetically unique new tulip variety. At this point the new tulip will flower for the very first time before a very thorough selection procedure will determine whether the new variety has the desired characteristics. A new tulip variety requires some very special characteristics (like disease resistance, a long vase life, etc.) These characteristics will differentiate the new Tulip from the existing (and old) varieties and will determine its value.
Only one out of every 10.000 new Tulip varieties developed through the above described “cross-breeding” process will eventually be given a name and will find its way into the commercial flower- and flower bulb production business.
The Blooming Forever collection contains these new varieties.
One of them can be yours.
For more information about breeding, please contact us at: info@bloomingforever.com
