The tulip growth process begins with the use of the forced bulbs from the previous years topping process.  85 bulbs are placed on a 600 x 400mm tray with no soil.  These trays are stacked and stored in a cooling room at 7ºC for four weeks so that each bulb has enough nutrients for the growing process.  The trays are then lifted onto a series of belts to be easily transported to the glasshouse. The growing period lasts three weeks whilst being drip fed 24 litres a day per tray.  The trays are moved again along belts to be processed by the tulip bunching machine once the tulip has budded.  Around 200,000 tulips are produced per three week growing cycle.