Archive Article: 2000/03/24

24 March 2000

Blooming enterprise… John Evans, Walcot Farm, Lydbury North, is one of seven growers in the Shropshire Highland Bulbs project growing daffodil bulbs on contract for export, made possible by the areas pest and disease-free status. Aided by EU Area 5b funding, the seven now grow 24ha (60 acres) of bulbs, which will be dispatched to a buyer in Holbeach, Cambs at the end of July. "We plant 14.4t of bulbs/ha (6t/acre) and two years later expect to lift around 36t/ha (15t/acre)," he says. Flowers are not picked to avoid compaction which can reduce yield by 10% and returns by about £1650/ha.