Report of business trip to Chile (7/21/2009)

Keigo Nakamura

　Thank you for your cooperation and support.
　I have tripped to Chile the bulb production in SH from July 16th, and checked bulb growth, and situations etc.

◎Mild climate
It took 34 hours after I left Kochi, through Los Angeles in U.S. and Santiago in Chile, continue to domestic transit.
As air plane preparing for landing gradually, I found Puerto Montt which is south Chilean city looks white freezing in dark sunrise.According to flight announcement, Temp at AM 8 is minus 2 ℃. It’s reminds me trip from Summer Japan to winter Chile, and make me become tense.
Cars in parking are all in white and greens around was shining with frost.

But later I was informed by grower that cold air is just recent few days, and this winter in general is worm oppositely.
Climate in this season was… warm December (planting in Sep-Oct), average summer in Jan-Feb (last year was extremely hot), and March was high temp and little dry, so growers say summer was longer.First frost was also quite later and light. It keeps higher temp after April, then long autumn change into winter without notice.

For the bulb enlargement, warm in early spring, normal summer with sunshine, and long autumn which make plant die slowly, is best climate condition.
Weather in harvest is depends on areas. Some part had 1-2 weeks continuous little rain stopped harvesting, but in general, it’s less rain and mild, and harvesting was done 80- 100% which is 1-2 week earlier than normal. (Last year, big rain broke the small bridge and high way stopped etc.)

◎Joy full bulbs
Above mentioned climate made bulbs very steady and heavy.
Bulbs in this year is 0.5-1g heavier, says staff at Southern Bulbs,
and hard bulbs resist shock in harvesting, less damage, and we can’t see scale rot.
But soil around bulb in sunny day is loose, so slight damage can happen by touching machine.
We saw some variety or (early) harvesting one has small damage on surface, but it’s not serious.
Bulb enlargement is fluctuating by planting density, but they say generally looks normal to slightly better, so we probably needn’t to worry.
(But regardless of enlargement, valance in size can different and become shortage ?)

◎Big sprout and fat
Sprout development at every grower (area) is further and big, in comparison to last year’s big sprout, which probably influence of long autumn.
Besides, this year’s sprout is fat, so as long as seeing shape of bulb and fatness of sprout, I can expect same power as last year which was good buds count, or even better (?).
Normally, sprout of 2years grown (including turbo) is bigger than 1 year, and suitable to use earlier, but condition in Chile this year is opposite. (This is common in NZ, and we should think SH apart from Holland)

By the way, Climate of planting time of Netherland crop 09 was good, so circumstance is similar to 2 years and it is said difference will be less. (Netherland crop 08 was delayed planting, and temperature went up immediately, so difference between 2 years, which start growing earlyer was big.)
In purpose to cut the production cost, 2 year grown is increasing in Holland, and also in Chile.
We do purchase and deliver bulbs according to your planting time each variety.

If you are interested in growing area or grower of bulbs you received, please contact us.Also, please come and check our testing greenhouse for SH crop (Flowering time of… LA: November, OR/OT: second half of January).

○After visiting
Last week (visiting time), I met many Dutch people in bulb industry in Chile, and could do checking with them at several places.They are checking hard (me either). Onings deal many lot and checking looks quite a job.
In the bulb production (same in flower production), eyes of expert and attitude without compromise is important.If there is problem, we like to think and solve together, and exchange opinions in cooperation to deliver good bulbs.
I have been visiting Chile since 2002, I see many change of way of thinking to work, fertilizer program, irrigation, develop of facility, etc, like Holland.
Those things influenced Chilean buds count and power close to NZ bulbs in last years.
As a flower production side, we are able to use bulbs from both countries.
But that’s way I intend to do lot number testing again in our greenhouse. Chile is one ward, but there are various areas such as Los Angeles, Valdivia, Rio Bueno, Puyehue, Osorno, purranque, and climate are also quite depends.
Also it’s not simple like “big volume and more buds is better”, because production cost in winter forcing is high.
So we are grad to experience and think together, to make realistic decision, and also suggest to bulb production side, with you.


Bulb of Arlington（Sone)	Bulb of Courier（SN)	A sprout of Sorbonne(SB)	Bulb of Manissa（SB)

Bulb of Lombardia（CB)	Bulb of Advantage（SN)	Bulb of Siberia（SB)	A sprout of Sorbonne（SN)

Bulb of Mambo（SH)	Bulb of Cassa Blanca（SB)	Bulb of Original Love（SB)	Bulb of Siberia（SN)

Field of Sorbonne（Sone)	Bulb of Rialto（SN)	Bulb of Cantarino（S＆B)	Facilities（S＆B)

Bulb of Serano（S＆B)	Bulb of Batistero（SN)	Bulb of Rio Blanco（SH)	Bulb of Soldera（CB)

View of herveting	Washing line	A sprout of Fairy Tale（S&B)	Bulb of Robina（SB)