In 2002, the Netherlands grew about 10 billion flower bulbs for sale, or 65% of the total world production of bulbs, and those with flower bulbs education and training can join the ranks of these flower producers and have promising careers. Whether you wish to grow American bulbs or sell bulbs from another country, it takes a great deal of knowledge to succeed.

Those who wish to sell retail or wholesale flower bulbs should have a passion for the plant. They should also pursue:

1. A degree in horticulture, with an emphasis on floral bulbs

2. Membership in horticulture organizations, including those specializing in floral bulbs

3. Publications offering ongoing information about horticulture and flower bulb education and training

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Seek out a degree in flower bulb horticulture

A career in selling and buying flower bulbs ideally begins with a degree in horticulture science. Look for a college with hands-on training in propagation, growing, creating hybrids and more, but don't neglect business courses as well.

I recommend: Find a college near you offering studies in horticulture science through a site like U.S. College Search or Peterson's.

Join organizations helpful for flower bulb importers and exporters

Professional horticulture organizations do much more than provide networking for those selling retail or discount flower bulbs. A good organization also offers learning opportunities in the way of journals, books, CDs and DVDs, workshops and seminars. There is a wide variety of associations appropriate for those in the retail or wholesale flower bulb business.

I recommend: The American Daffodil Society encourages research and education about daffodils. The American Horticultural Society offers training and education for all types of horticulturists, including those specializing in bulbs. The International Bulb Society is an educational and scientific organization for professionals in the field.

Read publications for bulk flower bulb growers and sellers

There are a myriad of magazines for those in the retail and discount flower bulb market; some of the finest are general horticulture publications, but there are also excellent resources focusing solely on floral bulbs. Find several suitable publications in order to keep up with the latest news, trends and innovations.

I recommend: The Flower Bulb Research Program at Cornell University offers free newsletters for the bulb industry. The American Society for Horticulture Science publishes a variety of journals for serious horticulturists.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Perhaps the fastest growing area of interest for growers of hyacinth, narcissus, lily, gladiola and tulip bulbs is pesticides. As the world view becomes more negative about the use of chemicals, more and more growers are relying on herbicides, making education in this area essential.

It’s easy buying flower bulbs for retail and commercial businesses or to add some color around your facility. With floral bulbs imported from Europe or grown in America the varieties continue to grow, adding new additions each year. By late spring, orders for the pre-fall selections begin and during the fall and winter months, spring choices come to market.

You need to register at some flower bulb companies before placing an order or viewing prices. Free shipping or discounts on shipping are available from many bulb providers. Think of the following when looking for flower bulbs for sale:

1. Consider buying flower bulbs early to avoid seeing “Sold Out” on the websites.

2. Most companies typically provide discounts by bulbs per package and number of packages ordered.

3. Each website includes full bloom photos, plant data and growing information suitable for nurseries, greenhouses and landscaping businesses.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Order wholesale flower bulbs in bulk for added savings

View the assortment of bulb selections from these websites, suitable for garden centers, greenhouses, nurseries and landscaping businesses.

I recommend: Choose from the colorful photos for varieties within each group that include Alliums, Crocus, Amaryllis and more with prices at Garden Value Outlet. Get wholesale prices from COLORBLENDS, part of Schipper & Company, on Tulip, Crocus and Daffodil bulbs; click any Daffodil for prices or select another floral bulb from the sidebar. If you’re interested in a 200- or 100-package wholesale flower bulb display, with or without a rack, go to Tulip World, LLC, or select other bulbs from the drop-down list.

Get discount flower bulbs with tiered pricing

Buy one flower bulb package or purchase a large number of packages for better pricing. The selections from these sites cover a wide range of flowering bulbs.

I recommend: Get tiered discounts when ordering eight or more packages of flower bulbs at Easy To Grow Bulbs; see Freesia and Oxalis or select “Bulbs & Plants.” Order 25 bulbs or 50 bulbs with discount pricing at NiftyGarden.com. Get discounts at Spring Hill Nurseries LLC; click “More Info” for pricing. Get discount pricing up to 1,000 flower bulbs at BloomingBulb.com. Select by category from the interactive inventory search box.

Purchase the newest offerings from Dutch flower bulb importers

Get your bulbs direct from Holland through these reputable importers.

I recommend: Orders at Stuifbergen Bloembollen Export B.V. ship stateside within 24 hours with weekly imported bulbs from Holland. Phone for information or open an online account for prices; view by name and photo from the catalog. See the nice selection of Dutch Iris bulbs at Van Bourgondien, or click another flower under “Shop By Category,” with discounts available.

Buy tulip bulbs from these specialists

Flower colors that remain popular include red, yellow, orange, pink, purple, white, blue and bi-colors.

I recommend: Go to Nelis’ Dutch Village for Tulip bulbs and discount pricing on 30 or more. Select by color, height, bloom time or classification with tiered pricing at Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm. Buy discount tulip bulbs with tiered pricing at Tulip-Lily-Flower-Bulbs.com, an affiliate of Brecks.com; click “Info” to order.

Find floral bulbs for your landscaping or garden center business

Each company offers unique selections; the first two highlight a particular flower while the last provides several pages of photos from which to choose.

I recommend: Order online wholesale premium calla lily bulbs grown in California with selections like Giant White and Bridal Bliss at Pacific Callas. Find your choice of Lilium bulbs at Ednie Flower Bulb, Inc., with selections like Lilium Centerfold, Navona, Matrix and New Wave, wholesale packaged from 25 to 400; set up an account or contact via phone/fax or email. Choose from more than 100 different floral bulbs by selecting a product and clicking “More Info” for details and discount pricing at Michigan Bulb Co.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  While on these sites, get on their mailing list for a free floral bulbs catalog or promotional emails when available.

Flower bulbs are among the most popular offerings of nurseries, garden centers and online plant suppliers. Flowers that grow from bulbs and bulb-like structures aren’t just limited to one season, however; there are bulbs that flower in the summer, in the fall and even, in some climates, in the depths of winter. With a little knowledge and careful selection, you can keep your customers in flower bulbs all year long. Understanding key terms will help.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Bulbs

Bulbs are underground structures from which some flowering plants grow. The bulb contains the entire plant in miniature. There are two kinds of bulbs: trinicate, or onion-like, and scaly. Within each type, bulbs are sized from DNI (the largest) to DNIII (the smallest): larger bulbs are generally considered the most productive.

I recommend: Learn the basic terms referring to bulbs from the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. Compare bulb sizes with a guide from EasyToGrowBulbs.com.

Corms, rhizomes and tuberous roots

Though not true bulbs, other flowering plants grow from similar structures and are often included in the general category of bulbs. Corms, including crocus and gladiolus, are rounder and shorter than bulbs. Rhizomes, including iris and lily-of-the-valley, are fleshy underground stems that send out runners. Peonies and daylilies are examples of flowering plants that grow from tuberous roots, potato-like structures with many 'eyes' or growing points.

I recommend: Distinguish true bulbs from corms, rhizomes, tubers and other bulb-like structures with this guide from the University of Illinois Extension.

Hardiness

The term hardiness refers to a bulb's ability to remain in the ground through cold winters. Hardy bulbs require freezing temperatures to promote growth; they are planted in fall for spring flowering. Tender bulbs, planted in spring for summer or fall bloom, cannot weather cold temperatures. They are treated as annuals or overwintered.

I recommend: The Helpful Gardener offers more on determining bulb hardiness, including a climate zone chart and info on which bulbs to plant when.

Overwintering

Many tender flower bulbs can be overwintered, or lifted from the soil after flowering and stored in a cool, dry place through the winter to be planted again in spring.

I recommend: Review overwintering techniques and terminology at Flower Gardening Made Easy.

Bulb planters

Bulbs can be planted in formal rows or in clusters known as bouquet plantings. They can be allowed to naturalize, or grow randomly, on lawns or in wooded areas. Several special tools have been designed to assist in digging holes for bulbs, especially in hard or clay soil. The dibble is a funnel shaped tool that digs out a cone-shaped segment of ground. Short or long-handled bulb planters utilize sharp, curved blades. The long garden auger, which can be attached to a standard electric drill, makes digging precise holes for bulbs an easy task.

I recommend: Popular bulb planting tools are described and pictured at MarthaStewart.com. Find a description of the garden auger at GardenAuger.com.

Bulb fertilization

Special bulb fertilizers have been developed that apply nutrients in a slow-release form. Organic gardeners use combinations of bone meal (sterilized, ground animal bone), blood meal (dried, powdered blood) and greensand (powdered rock that's high in potassium) as fertilizers.

I recommend: This University of Minnesota Extension article defines and discusses various types of flower bulb fertilizers.

Offering a varied selection of flower bulbs can increase your customer base. Flower bulbs are available that bloom in spring, fall or indoors.

When you are preparing your budget to include flower bulbs, remember that the type of bulbs you need, the quantity of bulbs you intend to purchase and the time of year you purchase the bulbs will all affect the flower bulbs pricing and costs. Use the following suggestions to help you prepare your budget:

1. Cater to customers who want flowering bulbs for indoors.

2. Take advantage of spring planting needs.

3. Offer flower bulbs for fall plantings.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Consider the cost indoor flower bulbs

Indoor flower bulbs are bulbs that can withstand the added stress of living indoors. These bulbs don't get as large as some outdoor varieties; however, they are just as colorful.

I recommend: Van Engelen offers numerous indoor flower bulbs for sale. Prices for most varieties are less than $1 per bulb; however, this company sells in bulk with a 50 bulb minimum on most varieties. You can find discount flower bulbs at EasytoGrowBulbs.com. Prices from this company start as low as $10 for freesia 25 bulbs.

Purchase spring flower bulbs

Spring flower bulbs are an ideal way to have bright colors in a garden. The time to plant these bulbs is dependent upon the climate zone. As such, it is important to consider your climate zone when ordering these bulbs.

I recommend: Breck's and Dutch Mill Bulbs are both flower bulb importers. Breck's, an Indiana based company, offers wholesale flower bulb collections starting at around $30. Dutch Mill Bulbs offers wholesale and discount flower bulb packages through its fund raising program. Prices range from $15 to $65 per set of flower bulbs.

Opt to invest in fall flower bulbs

Fall flower bulbs, such as tulip bulbs, are a way to keep any garden looking nice throughout the cooler months of the year. Prices vary according to the time of year you order. Generally, the sooner you order the bulbs, the better deal you will get.

I recommend: Tulip World sells bulk flower bulb packages. The prices start at under $1 per flower bulb. Holland Bulb Farm offers jumbo packages and value bags of flower bulbs. Prices start at lower than two bulbs for $1; however, minimum quantities apply.