P.E.I. monks work to open tulip field despite COVID-19 protocols, plant disease

Every year, Islanders flock to see the thousands of blooming tulips on P.E.I. but this year some of those flowers might look a little different.

Recently, the monks said they noticed something mysterious about the flowers some of them appeared to have specks.

"If you look at them from two metres, six feet away, you can't notice a difference," said venerable Dan, a monk with the Great Enlightenment Buddhist Institute Society.

"Maybe that's their way of reminding us to keep social distance."

Around 70,000 tulips have been planted by the monks in Montague. Over the past several years, the colourful field has become a hot spot for visitors.

"It kind of looks like the flowers have been burned," said venerable Eli, who helped with the planting.

"It's got these little almost looks like scars or burns. Kind of looks like frostbite."

'Most common disease of tulips'

According to an associate professor with the department of agriculture at Dalhousie University, the spots are likely caused by an disease known as tulip fire.

"Either it's in the soil already before the bulbs got planted or it comes with the bulb," said Lord Abbey.

"Tulips grow and form like a cluster so it forms a very dense population and this is very good for the mould to spread."

Abbey said the illness thrives in cold wet weather and from the roots to the petals, he said all of the plant is impacted.

"The most dangerous most common disease of tulips ... it can wipe out all the plants."

Abbey said while tulip fire does have the potential to spread and linger in the dirt even after the season is over, there are solutions.

"The quickest way to fix the problem is to remove all those diseased plants," he said.

The other option is to rotate where the flowers are planted every couple of years.

"Otherwise you increase that density of the problem or that seriousness of the problem in the soil."

Plans to open

The Monks said with many more flowers still set to bloom, they are keeping an eye on the situation. That being said, they are still hoping to reopen to the public on Saturday, pending approval from the Chief Public Health Office.

"Given the circumstances, I think everyone just [wants] any excuse to get out of the house, go for a drive and get out to nature," said Eli.

"I think there will still be lots of people interested in coming out and seeing the site and hopefully having the chance to talk with some monks."

Visits will be different as well. In the face of COVID-19, the monks said members of the public will be allowed 30 minutes in the field, masks are mandatory and people must walk in a certain direction.

Registration will also be mandatory but free and is expected to be available on the About Monks Facebook page soon.

"We're just hoping people are able to come out and have a relaxing weekend," said Dan. "Like Dr. Morrison said, it takes one mistake, careless mistake to ruin what we have right now."

'Working fields'

Over at Vanco Farms, the tulips are not expected to bloom for a couple of weeks.

"We do permit the public to come and view the fields, the biggest things we want the public to remember is that these are working fields," said Dianne Thomson, the sales and logistics co-ordinator.

"As you would see with any potato or corn field in P.E.I., these are working fields that grow a crop and the crop is the tulip bulb that is under the soil."

Thomson said the flowers can be found in Dromore. But if Islanders do choose to come, she asks they admire from afar. The public is not allowed into the fields or rows to protect the bulbs below ground and also to protect the employees who are actively working.

"While the flowers are very beautiful, the valuable crop is underneath," she said.

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