Page 9 - Free State Spring 2022 - June FINAL

THIS BUSINESS OF OURS A Mike Hemming

Taking in Some History

on the East Coast

arch, my wife says, is the cruelest month of the the start, though one did complain to me today that he was
year. This year it proves it by giving us three weeks disappointed so far. Hardwood bark mulch sales have been
Mof day temperatures in the 50-to-70-degree about average it seems to me.
range and no nights below 35 degrees. Then comes the
Of course, prices on everything are going up because of
whammy two nights of mid and low 20’s. Two weeks ago we
"Putin’s war". Just when we need a break from inflation that
uncovered all the houses that were showing no growth of
jerk has to start an unneeded and nasty war. I
any plants. Any house showing tender growth, the
understand that we all have to raise prices to
plastic was left on. New plants in leaf that
keep our heads above water. However,
came in were put in a still-covered house.
a nursery we just restarted using has
Sunday the 27th we closed up those
charged overly high freight charges
houses still covered in anticipation
in our opinion. Charges that rival
of a 27-degree
shipping costs from the mid West
night. Today,
and Oregon, not from a few
Monday, March
states farther south from us. The
28 , we closed
th
order is already on the truck, so
them again before
we won’t cancel it. But if their
leaving. Not a huge
shipping costs remain at the
deal but still a lot of
same rate, it will be our last order
work we didn’t need to do.
with this company. There has to
The expensive part is heating
be a limit we should not go above.
the two large houses we filled this
winter with potted up cuttings that So far none of our customers have
have started to grow. A freeze in those complained about our prices. Larry
would kill most of last summer’s cutting said the nearby big box stores, and
production, a loss we could not afford, for sure. garden centers prices are close to and
So, the heaters were filled and set to go off and mostly higher than ours.
burn a noticeable amount of $5-a-gallon fuel oil, I admit I do wonder
made more noticeable by the fact last year March sometimes if smaller
was a good little month and didn’t do this to us. I think retail wholesale nurseries
of other growers with way more houses that will have can survive in this niche like
far bigger heating bills for the next few nights. Well, we are in.
hopefully this is cold weather’s last blast. As you know I keep an eye on plant
patents that have run out their 20
So far, our spring sales have been pretty good.
years. Actually, a plant patent runs for
Local landscapers have generally been happy with
(continued on next page)
Magnolia Betty
Get Active. Stay Involved. • SPRING 2022 9