Golden Tulip Farm is a spray rose grower in Kenya, part of Black Tulip Flowers. The farm is located at Ol Kalou 2350m above sea level that makes it ideal to grow flowers. Shabistan Khan recently visited the farm and was quite amazed by the most modern and efficient infrastructure. Mr. Umesh Choudhery, General Manager & Mr. Praveen Singh, Farms Manager of Golden Tulip Farm were kind enough to explain to him the behind-the-scenes process of growing and exporting spray roses to different countries of the world.
Mr. Umesh Choudhery (Right), General Manager & Mr. Praveen Singh (Left), Farms Manager of Golden Tulip
The flowers are harvested at a greenhouse and sent to the intake area, where the flowers are checked for pests and diseases, after which they are kept in the cold room overnight for proper hydration. The following day the flowers are taken out from the cold room, they are sorted lengthwise, bunched as per the buyer's request after bunching. Bunches are put into sleeves and sent to the cold room for boxing. Once the flowers are in the box strapped and packed, they are ready for dispatch. Before the dispatch, random checking of boxes is done to make sure the flowers are good and there are no discrepancies. The flowers are loaded on a truck and sent to the freight forward agent's warehouse to export the spray roses to their destine destination.
‘’Growing spray roses is an art and science. The flowers are like new-born babies, they are prone to pests and diseases with the slightest change in the weather conditions. The art is to treat them well and the science is to take appropriate steps, to adapt the preventing strategy fast enough when the environment changes to protect the plant from pests and diseases and get the best flowers’’, says Mr. Umesh. "Skill and diligence play a vital role to grow premium spray roses’’.
The farm has gone for expansion and added gypsophila to its portfolio this year. The area under production for premium spray rose is 26 hectares and gypsophila is grown on 4 hectares. Golden Tulip Farm grows 32 premium varieties of spray rose and one variety of gypsophila called Xlence. Apart from commercially producing varieties, Golden Tulip Farm also tests new varieties from different breeders in their greenhouse; some of those varieties after intensive test and trial become commercial.
Golden Tulip Farm grows 32 varieties of premium spray roses. The specialty at Golden Tulip Farm is heavy stems, which easily can make a good bunch with minimal flowers. The bud size is much bigger than other spray roses from Kenya. Any single stem can be seen with a minimum 5 to 7 buds. The spray rose has long stem length and beautiful foliage and good vase life. These spray roses are popular with florists across the globe. These multiple mini bloom bunches are used in making wrist corsages, fresh flower tiaras, boutonnières, the central pieces can also be used as fillers in various flower arrangements. The spray roses add the extra charm in any arrangements they are part of. Just like roses, they are available in all colors, White, Red, Pink, Peach, Yellow, Orange, Purple and Bi-Colours.
For more information:
Black Tulip Flowers
btfgroup.com