Spring in the air: a visit to Van Noort Hyacinths

The weather is getting warmer, and you can feel spring in the air. We drive to Voorhout, located in the heart of the Dutch bulb region. The first flower fields slowly come into view, thanks to the early spring season. Today, we are visiting Van Noort Hyacinten, a family business dedicated to growing high-quality Hyacinths.

A family business with a passion for Hyacinths

Upon arriving at the nursery, we take a moment to find the right barn. We call one of the owners, and soon, Ruud comes to greet us. He is busy preparing the last orders, setting aside freshly harvested flowers for shipment. “Luckily, we are finishing up a bit earlier today,” he tells us. “The past few weeks have been extremely busy due to International Women’s Day. Soon, we’ll have another peak for UK Mother’s Day, but right now, things are a bit calmer.”

As we walk towards the front of the nursery with Ruud, we pass a few old greenhouses. “These are no longer in use,” he explains. “Nowadays, they are mainly used for photoshoots because of their vintage look.” Meanwhile, he tells us they are in the process of obtaining permits to replace the old greenhouse and barn with a modern, more efficient facility. “It’s time to grow along with the industry’s developments,” he says.

Innovation in cultivation: from soil to water

In the breakroom, Ruud pours us a cup of coffee, and we ask him what makes Van Noort Hyacinten special. Ruud explains that they operate a long growing season. “We already have the first flowers in September and continue until the end of April,” he says. “We achieve this by storing some of the bulbs for almost a year longer, allowing us to force them ahead of the regular season. In theory, we could grow Hyacinths year-round, but demand is very low in summer.”

“Since 2010, we have focused entirely on forcing Hyacinths,” Ruud continues. “Before that, we also grew other products, but we decided to specialize. My brother conducted extensive tests to develop a completely water-based forcing process. We were among the first growers to make this transition, which was quite unique at the time. Now, more and more Hyacinth growers are following this method.”

We ask Ruud why they switched to hydroponic forcing in 2010 and what the advantages are. “The main reason is processing speed,” he explains. “Some Hyacinth varieties have strong root systems that make harvesting from soil difficult. With water cultivation, harvesting is simply much faster. Additionally, the Hyacinths grow more evenly in the greenhouse, allowing us to deliver uniform bunches.”

Prioritizing quality: automation and freshness

Ruud explains that Van Noort Hyacinten is also highly automated, especially compared to other growers. “We have an automated transport system in the greenhouse,” he says. “Flowers are placed directly on a conveyor belt after harvesting, which takes them straight to the processing area. This reduces the risk of damage and ensures that the Hyacinths remain top quality.”

Another difference from many fellow growers is that the flowers are immediately bunched and stored in the cooling room. “They don’t go into storage unbunched,” Ruud says. “This way, our stock is always fresh.”

Assortment and breeding: challenges in Hyacinth cultivation

We ask Ruud about the biggest challenges in growing Hyacinths. “The assortment,” he answers immediately. “Hyacinths are a relatively small market product, which means there is little investment in breeding new varieties.”

To help change this, Van Noort recently joined a breeding organization. “This allows us to have more influence and contribute to the development of new, stronger, and more sustainable Hyacinth varieties.”

Ruud gives an example of the well-known Hyacinth variety ‘Delft Blue.’ “It has been around for a long time, but it grows quite ‘wild’ and is less uniform than newer selections. However, it takes a long time to introduce a new variety into full production. Traditionally, this process takes about sixteen years. Fortunately, modern techniques such as tissue culture are speeding things up.”

Sustainable growing: more efficient and energy-saving

Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in the market. We ask Ruud how Van Noort Hyacinten is addressing this. “For us, sustainability is second nature,” he says. “We aim to work as efficiently as possible and continuously improve.”

One example is their greenhouse, which is fully enclosed to minimize energy and gas use. As part of their new construction plans, they will also use an 'e-boiler' system. They will heat the water needed for the greenhouse using electricity generated from their solar panels. Additionally, they plan to install a special battery to store excess electricity generated during the day, which will then be used to heat the boiler. This makes their operations much more energy-efficient and drastically reduces their gas consumption.

Tips for Hyacinths in a vase

We ask Ruud if he has any tips for using Hyacinths in floral arrangements. He shares an interesting detail: the flowers are placed on the processing line with their bulbs still attached. Using a tool similar to an apple corer, the outer layer of the bulb is removed while the inner part remains on the stem. This allows the flower to absorb water better in the vase.

Ruud’s main tip: never cut off the bottom of the stem. “If you do, the flower won’t bloom properly.”

The best Hyacinths at Holex Flower

We thank Ruud for his time and for sharing his expertise on this fascinating product. Back at Holex, we speak with Rob de Groot, a buyer at Holex Flower. He is enthusiastic about Van Noort’s Hyacinths: “The quality is always excellent. When you place a bunch of Hyacinths in a room, the colors and fragrance immediately bring a spring atmosphere.”

Curious about the current Hyacinth assortment at Holex? Visit our webshop and explore the Hyacinth category. Do you have a specific request or question? Contact your Holex account manager.