National Garden Bureau asked their members on their response to the question: Is there a bulb shortage? This is how they reacted:
Longfield Gardens:
"If you are planning to purchase tulips, daffodils, and other fall-planted bulbs, don’t wait too long or you may miss out.
Demand for bulbs, plants, and other gardening supplies has skyrocketed since the start of COVID and is not slowing down. More people planting bulbs is a good thing, but it means more competition in the marketplace.
On the supply side, growers in Holland are doing their best to cope with a number of weather-related problems. Last spring was warmer than average, and the bulbs in Holland’s production fields did not put on as much growth as they usually do. Plants with less foliage produce smaller bulbs and that means fewer of this year’s bulbs made it to market. Many of those that did, are on the smaller side of the acceptable size range.
This past summer was also much wetter than normal. Holland’s bulb farmers harvest their crops during the summer months when the weather is normally dry. This year, torrential rains caused a multitude of harvest problems.
Yet another challenge is shipping. Most bulbs are shipped by boat. The worldwide container shortage and related scheduling issues are making it much more difficult for suppliers to be nimble when managing inventory. So shop early to avoid disappointment."
Breck's Bulbs:
“A series of weather events has impacted this summer’s flower bulb harvest in Holland,” explains Henk Westerhof, Chairman of Anthos, the Royal Trade Association for Nursery Stock and Flower Bulbs. “Dutch growers experienced a late winter frost, an extended period of cool spring weather, a June heatwave, and then unusually heavy summer rains.”
A wide range of flower bulbs remains available but certain varieties have yielded a lower supply than expected. Therefore, customers may find specific varieties in short supply or no longer available.
To read the complete article, go to www.ngb.org.