I have seen the same variety of bulb priced very differently, some very cheap and others quite expensive. Whats the difference?
A. In the auctions in Holland, bulbs are gauged by their caliber, or the measurement of the bulb’s circumference. For each particular variety: more mature bulbs are larger and yield bigger flowers. These demand a higher price. For high-profile bed plantings, it’s worth the higher price for the more mature, showier bulbs. But younger (smaller caliber) bulbs, which are often sold at lower prices, can offer a great way of adding color to large areas or marginal areas of the yard where they can be left in place to naturalize and mature, thus gaining in size over time. A note: for quality control reasons, the Dutch do not export bulbs below certain established calibers. For instance, tulips must be 10 cm or larger or the Dutch will not export them. This means that if you see tulip bulbs for sale that are smaller than 10 cm, they are notfrom Holland. In inches, that’s about 4 inches around. No exceptions are allowed… except for species tulips, which are naturally sized smaller. • Q. How so
