The market season has already finished for one of the earliest Kiwi cutflower growers . Most N Z show exhibitors will be watching the noses push through and a few buds slowly emerging as spring arrives . The season is all but over for the growers of Yellow Gold ,always one of the first Kiwi flowers on the market . DAFFNET has good details of the history of this large [ by N Z standards ] cutflower business in Muhunoa East , just south of Levin .The season starts early , Mid – late May , usually peaks Mid June and is usually over by late July . Northern growers may think of this as a daff crop that peaks about the shortest day — daffs always for Christmas . The flowers are always picked in tight bud and are marketed mainly in Wellington and Auckland .The buds travel well , always open fully but the flower is obviously not as large as a bloom would be if it was left to develop even a day or two longer on the plant . Here are a few pics , taken in June 2009 season .
It is understood that Yellow Gold bulbs were exported to Canada and Holland , a few seasons back but no details of their overseas performance are available and unfortunately the original property developer and his exporter have both since died .The bulbs were reportedly sent to Vantreight Farms , very big organic farmers , on the Saanich Peninsula, Vancouver , Canada . Vantreights are big daffodil growers and on their website have a good set of photos showing daff flowers opening from bud . they obviously market in tight bud as Yellow Gold do and they show a few varieties , including both Carlton and Tamara performing the magic of spring . Well worth a look on www.daffodil.com And how quick were they of the mark to get such a covetted website name . Photos for Daffnet please Nancy .
John,
Your First Kiwi is just opening here, along with a 2Y-R seedling of yours. The flower market must be loving these winter flowering standard cultivars. I have never before had standard daffodils that flower in July, normally our coldest month.
Dave