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TULIP
MANIA
LEIDEN
News
Tulip Mania Leiden has started!
Councilor Ashley North starts the Tulip Manie Leiden citizen science project by planting the first tulip bulb.
Saturday 30 October 2021, the kick-off of the Tulpenmanie Leiden project took place in the courtyard of BplusC at the Nieuwstraat in Leiden. Under the watchful eye of councilor Ashley North, children from different neighborhoods of Leiden planted the first organic Masterpeace tulip bulbs. Preparatory to that, however, the children made drawings of the tulip bulbs and sorted them by size through weighing. The difference in bulb size is expected to be reflected in the growth and blooming of the tulips in the spring. Organic tulip farmer and soil coach, John Huiberts, explained why research into the composition of soil is of great importance in tulip cultivation using no chemical pesticides. He also gave instructions on how best to plant the bulbs. Councilor Ashley North spoke enthusiastically to all those present and said that the ambition of this Tulip Mania Leiden project is to transform Leiden into one big BioScience Park.
The bulbs are weighed and then sorted by size
The organic tulip "Tulipa Masterpeace" is used for the Tulip Manie Leiden project.
Various activities are planned in the course of 2022, such as lectures, DNA walks, traveling exhibitions. Not only around the annual DNA day (April 25), but during the months of March – September there will be varying exhibitions at various BplusC locations.
Citizens can buy special Tulip Mania bags at the Hortus shop and plant tulip bulbs in their own front, facade and backyard or on the balcony. One in 25 bags is a so-called lucky bag. In spring, not 10, but 9 red Masterpeace tulips will appear, plus one with a different color. In that case, one is the lucky winner. The Leiden Center for Applied Science/Hogeschool Leiden will use innovative DNA research to analyze the soil where this tulip grows: in this way the invisible soil life of Leiden will be mapped.
Students Nils Ravensbergen and Frido van Rijnswou from SV Nucleus, helped make the start of Tulpenmanie a success! They offered visitors, among other things, tulip muffins.
Organic tulip farmer and soil coach, John Huiberts, talks about the importance of growing tulips without chemical pesticides.
The organic Masterpeace tulip bulbs.
