Page 9 - MNLGA Free State Summer 2024_WEB

THIS BUSINESS OF OURS A Mike Hemming

Taking the good

with the bad

ast week there increased sales, which is
was some of the unusual given the time
Lmeanest weather of year.
I’ve seen in a long time. We had to bring in a
Very high temperatures lot of stock this year
and high winds created but haven’t had a lot of
conditions guaranteed trouble getting what we
to dry out container need. Our prices had
grown plants faster than to go up on purchased
they could be irrigated. items, and then our own
Plants that fell over in stock, to keep them in
the high winds didn’t balance. Labor, fuel and
get any water in their shipping prices continue
pots. Top-heavy plants to rise. It seems like the
or plants toward the wage price spiral will
end of their time in that never end.
size pot were dying. My
Our winter-potted stock,
guess is we lost upwards
both home-grown
of 250 plants, some of
and purchased bare
which were 8-to-10-foot
root, are coming into
trees. At one point, we
saleable condition nicely.
had an irrigation pump
Just today I moved
that wouldn’t run. An
Hydrangea Limelight,
electrician came and
Limelight Prime, Little
cycled the breaker and
Lime and Little Lime
the timer. Only after he
Punch into their sale
“wiggled some wires”
area. Personally, I see
(his words) did the
little difference in Limelight Prime, but people do ask for
pump start running. Fortunately, it has been running since
them. I recommended we triple the order for Little Lime
then on a timer and it started itself manually. We watched
this year after selling out so quickly last year; by last
it closely for two days to ensure it functioned properly.
September they were all gone. Some of our own stock
Otherwise, it’s been a good first half of the year, with needs another month to be rooted out enough, though
January, February, March and June as strong sales we will sell it now to a landscaper with a warning to treat
months. April and May were not in the plus column for
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Winter potted liners and protected early deliveries Membership Matters • SUMMER 2024 9