In the spotlights
Who doesn't know her? That lovely flower, available in all kinds of soft colors and with that wonderful scent ... the Lathyrus. Extremely popular in the bridal season! A great opportunity for the FloraPodium to visit the Hoogeveen nursery. They grow different types of Lathyrus on 1.5 hectares. In 2015 Kwekerij Hoogeveen changed the trade name to Lathyrus.nl. This week in the spotlight not a soft, sweet color, but a new, tough version with a deep red color, for a colorful occasion!
Sweet pea or sweet pea
Lathyrus Odoratus is a climbing plant that grows very well in the garden. This annual flower is related to leguminous plants (Leguminosae and Fabaceae), which means that they attract the most beautiful butterflies (and not look like a butterfly) with their delicious scent. This also applies to several flowers that do not belong to this family.
The scientific name Leguminosae means vegetables. Many types of vegetables such as beans and peas belong to this family. Fabaceae refers to the bean. In the Netherlands, the Lathyrus is called Decorational Pea or Flaunting Pea . The name says it all, it has a beautiful appearance. But you can't eat her. The seeds are also not suitable for consumption.
Something different!
The name Odoratus (scented) owes the plant to the strong scent that the flowers spread. Characteristic of the flower are the soft colors pink, white or lilac. We visited Rob and Jarek from Lathyrus.nl. They grow 25 colors of Lathyrus almost all year round. Only in December and January there is no production, because there is less demand. All these varieties are bred by the company itself. To be able to grow new varieties, a whole new location is now being built. All varieties are created through seeds in a natural way, after which the most beautiful and exceptional varieties are selected. One of the beautiful yields from their own breeding is the Lathyrus Odoratus "Perfume Deep Red", a particularly beautiful flower with a sturdy stem and large flowers. Not a flower with a lovely soft color, but a sturdy burgundy red flower that really steals the show in a bouquet. As far as we are concerned, it really is an addition to the range.
Care
Place the Lathyrus in approximately 3 cm of water and add some cut flower food to the water. This ensures that the water stays clean and that the flowers hold longer. The flowers have no leaves and therefore breathe through the stem. If there is too much water in the vase and the stems are completely in the water, the flower has less surface for breathing and that does not improve the vase life.
The cultivation
They are very proud of the fact that the nursery is a real family business. They grow Lathyrus night and day, specializing in the versatility of the assortment. Rob, the owner of the company, has been in the business for 26 years. Two brothers and a brother-in-law share the same passion and also breed Lathyrus. Jarek is now responsible for, among other things, the sale of the products. With more than 20 people, the Lathyrus is grown on a 1.5-hectare scale. Lathyrus.nl is by far the largest lathyrus grower with this surface.
Entire business process
During our visit we were introduced to the entire business process from seed to plant. The seeds are sown by the company itself. After 2,5 weeks they turn into seedlings that can be planted in the bags with substrate. Once the seedlings have been planted, the first flowers can be cut after eight weeks under the right conditions. After that they can continue cutting for a few weeks. However, the older the crop, the shorter the stem of the flower becomes. After a while, the crop is therefore "finished" and new seedlings are planted.
The length can therefore vary. In general, consumers are mostly familiar with the shorter stems. But this year they were able to sell flowers as long as 80 cm! The flower has the right ripeness with three open flowers.
Sustainable cultivation
The Lathyrus has few problems with pests, diseases and insects and can be grown in an environmentally friendly way. The plants are all grown in rock wool. This is a substrate that can be reused after cleaning. Giving water and nutrients can be better regulated in these bags, so there is more control. The surplus water will flow back to the shed via the gutter and is purified and reused.
Custom service
In the company there is a lot of love for the profession and especially love for the product. According to Rob and Jarek, consumers do not believe that a Lathyrus can hold for a week, until they have seen the products of Lathyrus.nl. That is why consumers like to come back to the company. Time is also made for private individuals who visit. Often these are customers who want a Lathyrus for a wedding or funeral, because it has a special meaning to them. The company always makes time for that!
New innovation
The company also pays extra attention to export. For example, it is possible to deliver the flowers in a box, if the right attention is paid to the packaging. A bag is put around the stems with a gel so that the lathyrus will hold in the box. The flowers are packed very carefully and on request a specific sticker can be attached to the box. In this way it is possible to supply the worldwide market with this nice exclusive flower!
FloraPodium, 04 April 2019
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