Preparing for hydroponically forced winter tulips! + Details on how I launched my winter tulip CSA

[@susannewlove2115]

Very professional business discussion. Looking forward to learning from your experiences and advice.

[@maybelline888]

I was trying to source my trays today can’t wait for the tulips to get here

[@bareflowerfarm]

Yay!! Excited for you!

[@KatrinaConrad-f6c]

Thank you for posting such great videos! They are all so helpful! I am wondering how the humidity level is going in your convertible chest freezer/fridge? We ironically have the same model and mine is running pretty humid after converting to a fridge. Thanks!

[@bareflowerfarm]

Hi! I am finding that the chest fridge is keeping humidity around 65-80%. 80% is a bit high for holding bulbs so I put some dessicant packets in there. Still monitoring it, but it seems to be a swing so it’s not always 80% 🙂

[@aimeesgardens]

Love your videos. I always learn something new. Could you do a haul of the bulbs you ordered for this (next) year? I love getting inspiration from watching those!

[@bareflowerfarm]

Will do! When the bulbs arrive by freight/pallet, I'll do a video lol!

[@schovey]

Great stuff! I am growing hydroponically first year and just finished up the tulip workshop online. Thank you for showing your setup! I’ve got something similar already assembled for my seed starting so I’m just going to move it to garage:)

[@bareflowerfarm]

Yay!! Best of luck to you, i hope you get a successful winter tulip season!

[@Fabdanc]

I see a temperature that is below 98 and I'm like "is the reign of terror over?" We've logged 44 days at or above 100 degrees 😂

[@bareflowerfarm]

Hopefully relief is near! It's mid september for crying out loud!

[@cecilleflowerfarm]

So excited for you, I’m waiting mine from Leo.😊

[@bareflowerfarm]

Yay!!! So exciting!!

[@aaronscott4977]

I love your videos. It's nice to see the business side of flower farming. Are you able to use the crates for lilies as well or are they not useful after tulip season?

[@bareflowerfarm]

Alot of people actually use the tulip soil crates for lilies after. I hydroponically force my tulips so I don't do this :)

[@MarthaHenry1]

Costco had their Apeldoorn, AD Rem, Pink & Red Impression Tulips on sale for $4.49 (50 bulb bags) I purchased 19 bags = 950 bulbs for about $100. I placed them in the refrigerator, to be ready for Valentine's Day 2024. Do you think the tulips were a good purchase? Next year will be year one of flower farming for me. The past couple of years were just my learning time in the garden. Also, I finished the Master Gardener Program. I love your channel! Thanks, Martha

[@bareflowerfarm]

Hi Martha! I think that’s a fantastic purchase, especially for growing outside. I’ve never bought from Costco so am not sure if they are size 11-12. Ad rem bulbs are usually very big for reference. Before you store in the fridge, you should check to see the state of the bulbs. If any look like they are having mold or rotting, you should remove it.

[@MarthaHenry1]

@@bareflowerfarm Thank you for the fridge advice, after work, I will check the bulbs for mold or rotting. Thanks, Martha

[@monte93]

Did the tulip workshop you took help you figure this hydroponic system out? I'm really interested in learning this method!

[@bareflowerfarm]

Absolutely! I obtained the foundational knowledge for hydro forcing tulips and there's a facebook group for growers to share experiences!

[@mhubertcfi]

As im getting ready to dig my Calla Lillies I'm wondering how well they would also do as forcing flowers...🤔 will give it a try and report back!

[@bareflowerfarm]

Ive seen it done! Moonshot Farms in NJ does it and they grow a ton of lilies too. I have been reluctant bc calla bulbs are so expensive and I wanted to nail regular lilies first but I think I will try callas next year!

[@mhubertcfi]

I just checked out their KZbin page #farmgoals! Callas are expensive but the bulbs multiply quickly and I'm even experimenting with saved seeds just for fun hybrids. I'm sure florists would eat them up

[@cg3251]

I would use the mouse fortress in the new garage. Then have some outside the mouse fortress and see what happens. Mice can get in thru VERY small spaces , as well as chew their way inside. If they want in, they will find a way. You already have a mice fortress built, why not use it? Also, Hantovirus is REALLY dangerous! 🚫🐁

[@bareflowerfarm]

Oh! Definitely using the mouse fortress but in the basement where I am growing. Everyone keeps on saying good things about the sonar so fingers crossed! We can't bring ourselves to use poison...

[@kuamomedia]

where did you buy it?

[@nigorasharipova8525]

Do they sell this trays online? I looked at their website, but was only able to see flower bulbs.

[@bareflowerfarm]

They're actually not listed online because from what I've been told, people get sticker shock for the shipping costs so you need to contact your rep at ednie for them to put the order through!

[@firehorsewoman414]

About what percentage of the forced tulips will actually result in a sellable flower?

[@bareflowerfarm]

That's a great question and I found that the attrition rate significantly climbed as time went on and me not fully understanding the limits of 5C bulbs for hydroforcing from a time perspective. I'll answer this question holistically at the end of the season, but I am aiming for a 15% attrition rate (so 85 stems for every 100 rooted)

[@firehorsewoman414]

@@bareflowerfarm understood. Thanks for answering. I desperately want to take the tulip workshop in person, but can’t justify spending money on it until I am closer to being able to put what I learn from them into practice. Right now we are planning out our shop, so I was thinking about carving out a space cooled by a cool bot for bulb storage and then a separate grow room so I could stagger inventory. We don’t have basements here or root cellars sadly.

[@Maria.Ishtar]

Would bulb grow if the freezer temperature dropped to 20? My cooler somehow dropped to 20 and all bulbs frozen.

[@bareflowerfarm]

oomph, they may be toast. My fridge seems to have frozen some bulbs and they were not viable :(