We saw earlier that Johan has succeeded in arranging his own Bollenjongens-flower-bed in the Keukenhof. Today he is taking a ride through the Flower bulb region to get the tulip bulbs from the boys. Then he immediately drives to Keukenhof to plant the bulbs together with Frans, the designer of the park. And even if it is a modest perk, it still turns out to be a tough job.
It is winter in the Flower bulb region. It’s snowing and freezing, but that doesn’t mean nothing is happening in the area. This is because tulips are grown in Frank’s greenhouses. The bulbs are given a special temperature treatment that makes them think that it is already spring so they bloom in winter. Millions of bulbs are pinned by hand in boxes and grown on water for several weeks before being bunched and sent to auction. We also show special images of the very first forcing tests in the Bollenstreek long ago, not in a greenhouse, but with heated pipes under the ground.
Until recently, Bart worked as a planner at another flower company and occasionally at his parents’ company in Hillegom. This week he quit his job and decided to work from home full-time and eventually take over his parents’ company. That may seem obvious because he is offered a nice company on a silver platter. In a conversation with Bart and his father, however, it turns out that this is not as obvious as it may have been in the past.
And Bart also takes us to the barn, because like Frank, Bart also does flower forcing in winter, but in hyacinths. And as always, things are slightly different from tulips. Bart shows us how you get a more beautiful hyacinth flower that also lasts longer in the vase.
And finally, the bollenjongens answer the question whether they are proud of what they do. And not everyone pronounces it that easily.
