May 2006 issue of the Cornell Flower Bulb Research Program Research Newsletter:
One trend in the industry is the development of bulbous products that are more ”consumer friendly”. Perhaps the first such product I saw was in the spring of 1982, during a Cornell field trip when I was in graduate school. We were visiting Ivy Acres on Long Island and Jack van de Wetering was growing and marketing bulbs (tulips, muscari, daffodils) in cell packs, as with a bedding plant. What a concept! His view was that people don’t like to wait 4-6 months after planting bulbs to see the result in the spring. The “consumer” wants instant gratification, and many think they are willing to pay for it.
Read the whole article. Starts on page 7.