Flower picking commences on approx 1st february and finishes on approx 30th march. The flowers are picked manually by individually snapping each flower at 12 inches and gathering into bunches of ten. These bunches are the boxed and brought to the yard where they are standardized to 12 inches with the heads leveled. Once standardized the flower bunches are packaged and shipped to their destination.
Flower picking is restricted by the amount of pickers available so if you like the great outdoors and don't mind a bit of work why not try your hand at picking here in Kilkenny!
Harvest: Bulb harvest commences on approx 1st of June right through to the 30th of June. Harvesting entails lifting the bulbs using a modified potato harvester and elevating the bulbs into trailers which transport the bulbs to the yard for processing. Once in the yard the bulbs are sterilized for disease and then dried using large fans which circulate air through the bulbs. Once dry the bulbs are cleaned, brushed, graded, sized and bagged for resale. Planting stock is withheld for replanting.
Planting: planting takes place between September 1st to September 2nd. Prior to planting the ground is ridged, bed tilled and de-stoned. The bulbs are planted using a modified potato bulk planter which plants the bulbs into ridges like potatoes.
