Punjab's first tulip garden to come up at PAU, Ludhiana

Manav Mander

Ludhiana, December 17

Come February and flower lovers will be able to witness tulips at the state’s first tulip garden in Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana.

2,000 bulbs procured from Holland

We have planted over 2,000 bulbs of eight different varieties of tulips. These have been procured from Holland through a private firm. We are expecting the flowers to bloom by February. Parminder Singh, head, floriculture dept, Punjab Agricultural University

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Taking inspiration from the initiative of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-Institute of Himalayan Bio-resource Technology (IHBT), the PAU came up with an idea of having its own tulip garden.

The CSIR-IHBT worked on tulips agro technology for five years and were able to grow some bulbs by creating similar temperature conditions. Besides these were grown by around 25 farmers of Lahaul and Spiti in Himachal Pradesh.

As the PAU has its own research station in Keylong, Himachal Pradesh, the authorities would multiply tulips and and re-plant them in October again.

Dr Parminder Singh, head, Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, PAU, said, “We have planted 2,000 bulbs in the flower bed with eight different varieties of tulips. These have been procured from Holland through a private firm in Delhi. We are expecting the flowers to bloom by February.”

He said, “These plants required a specific temperature to produce where nights are colder. We are anxiously waiting for February and expecting some beautiful tulips.”