New Tulip Battle gets underway at primary schools in the Netherlands

On the first day back to school in 2025, Bart Kabout, the alderman of the Dutch city of Aalsmeer, officially started a new ‘Tulip Battle’ in the classroom. In this battle, primary school children compete to grow the perfect cut tulip using a multi-layer growing system.

The Tulip Battle (aka www.tuinbouwbattle.nl) is a great way to get children of primary school age interested in ornamental horticulture by means of fun and hands-on activities. The project prevents pupils becoming disengaged from education and hopefully will lead to a future influx of new green-fingered talents in the sector.

The inaugural Tulip Battle was held in the 2021/2022 school year and ever since the response to the event has been wonderful. In the 2024/2025 school year, there are three rounds of Tulip Battles taking place in fifteen classes across primary schools in Aalsmeer, Hoofddorp, Kudelstaart, Uithoorn, Mijdrecht, and Nijs aan de Amstel.

The Tulip Battle starter kit includes what primary schools need before their pupils can begin growing tulips: an online bulb farming teaching programme, and a mobile LED trolley to kick start the production of cut tulips in a modern, multi layer growing system.

Pupils will battle it out to grow the perfect cut tulip with volunteer Bart Verhaar giving a bit of extra help and guidance. Verhaar says, “Pupils not only learn how to grow tulips but also how to market them. Will we give our home grown tulips away or sell them? That’s ultimately something that the children have to decide. When the majority wants to sell, the next questions are: how many stems do we put in a bunch, at what price do we sell the tulips, how do we pack them and how do we reach potential customers. The Tulip Battle is a prime example of playful learning acquainting pupils with the many disciplines in tulips.”

The Tulip Battle is a project of Greenport Aalsmeer and sponsored by Yuverta mbo, greenhouse construction and horticultural engineering company Bosman Van Zaal, Container Centralen, Economic Board Duin- en Bollenstreek, Rabobank, Stimuflori, and Greenport Duin- en Bollenstreek..

Interested in signing up or replicating the project’s success in your country? Monique Weerdenburg is happy to provide more detailed information monique@greenportaalsmeer.nl