Why I don't sell tomatoes early

savannah.jpgI wanted to comment on Sid's comment at my Speak up!post I had mentioned that “We don’t start selling tomatoes here in the foothill until the middle of April. Plant them sooner and odds are they will succumb from a late frost or the cold ground. My local Home Depot already is selling tomatoes. We get people in telling us they have already planted their tomatoes. Well they didn’t get them here! These are my customers, too. They mean well, they just saw all these great summer vegetables at The Depot.” Sid commented, “I don’t see anything irresponsible for selling early plants, just in not getting to know the customer and their expectations and then helping them enjoy eating a fresh own-grown tomato as early as they’d like if they’re willing and able to protect and grow it. If they can do that they can grow a lot of other things, and will be more inspired to do so.” I agree! As a matter of fact if I had a greenhouse or somewhere I could store tomatoes during the cold early spring I would have no problem selling a tomato early. Sure we would not recommend it, but maybe they have a greenhouse and want an early start, or just go ahead and try it in the ground. Fair enough.

This is where I think the regional differences show up at various garden outlets around the country. I was interviewed the other day for a magazine and the writer asked how we were cutting expenses or saving energy in our greenhouse. When I told her we don't have greenhouse she had a “ah ah” moment. This is California and we don't need a greenhouse. Unlike much of the country, most retail garden centers here in California don't have greenhouses. Since I don't have a greenhouse, we bring in our vegetables from our grower that does have a greenhouse. If I take these tomatoes and place them outside for sale in the cool nights of early spring, they will be stunted. Were still getting down into the thirties Fahrenheit at night. If we don't want to lose, or sell stunted vegetables we have to wait till mid to late April.

This is true of the local Home Depot, which like most California garden shops also does not have a greenhouse. They bring in vegetables, straight out of a growers greenhouse and display them outside day and night. The vegetables that are flying out of their store right now are not being nurtured by homeowners with greenhouses or “Wall of Waters”. They are planting them right out in the soil, just like they did where they moved from, Sacramento, the Bay Area, or Southern California. These places are either frost free or have a much earlier planting season than we do in the foothills and mountains. Of course with Home Depots policy of paying the vendors only after the plants have sold, they just throw out any that die in last nights frost and have more sent in. No monetary loss to the store, just some disappointed customers. That's o.k., since you can just take back your dead tomato and they give you a new one. No loss on The Depots part.

We offer a guarantee, too. We just don't have a vendor that will replace them for us. They want to paid, and any loss of tomatoes that we brought in, and had die is ours. A double loss, since we will replace the dead tomato for the customer. Actually a third loss since we have lost the trust of the customer, who finds out later as they get to know people in the area that planting a tomato in the foothills before May 1st is a big mistake. The soil has just not had enough time to warm up, even if we don't encounter a late frost, which we will.

I agree that if we had a place to store a few tomatoes and people wanted to buy them early, thats o.k. Where I have a problem is with displaying greenhouse tender plants outside when the threat of cold nights, mid thirties just the other day, are still a possibility. At that point it's not just a customer taking a chance, but a business selling plants that have not been hardened off for the local climate. That's where proper horticultural practices come into play.

Sid is right! Tomato season really is the beginning of the gardening season for most people. How I would love to capture some of that early season business. Alas, we have the same weather here that my customers have, and if I don't want to loose the vegetables that we sell, I have to wait. Meanwhile some of my customers are buying and planting tomatoes from Home Depot, because we didn't have them! Here is the up-coming forecast for Garden Valley.

The picture above is of my Granddaughter, Savannah. This was from an earlier post.

What's your story?

lawn.jpgI was asked today, does this blog help my business? I don't know. It has morphed far beyond what I might have originally envisioned. We have a web page that we like to think of as our virtual store front. This is where you go to sign up for our e-news, learn about plants, or just check things out, like our hours or location. The blog is something else. If the web page is about the store then the blog is like sitting down on the old pickle barrels with me. We might not talk about what sale is coming up, or which workshops are scheduled, that's at the web page. Generally we talk about whats going on in the business or the larger world of horticulture, as seen through the eyes of a small business owner, me. Sometimes its interesting, and sometimes its not.

This is where I think the future of advertising is leading the better businesses. More and more weleaning-willow.jpg want to know what the companies we do business are really all about. Blogs are an excellent way to allow anyone with an interest to learn more about your business, and who you are. “Whats your story” will matter to more people when choosing a business to patronize. Small garden centers depend on a loyal “fan base” to survive. People who choose to shop at your store not just because you have the best, rarest, cleanest, or whatever, but also because they have had a chance to get to know you, weather its in person or via the blog. They understand that all your pots may not be perfectly uniform, but are being recycled to grow new plants. You have chosen to re-use those plastic pots rather than buy new. These are also the same people who might be more understanding of a few creekside.jpgmunched leaves on an ornamental plant, because you have chosen to use organic pest controls in your nursery. As long as your plants and everything else about the business is the “best” it can be, they will support you because they are “invested” in your story.

Sometimes price is the deciding factor when it comes to a purchase. I have bought things from places that don't have the best stories, but had the best price. More and more though, I find myself gravitating towards places that may have something that “costs more”, but tells a better story. Ifountain-with-moss.jpg want to support the business so it can continue to tell a great story. The more you look at what you buy as a part of a story the more you realize its not just bout the end product.

The pictures you see here are a result of Annie the Transplantable Rose request for pictures of me blogging from my gardens. I have been a bit lax on picture posting so I will include a few here, though since I was taking the pictures none include me. We are just coming out of dormancy here with the native alders, oaks, and willows just starting to send out new growth.

raised-bed.jpgThe picture on top is of the picnic area with the lawn and its second cut of the season. It's sooooooooo lush! We use it for picnics and Frisbee tossing. The second is the willow which we have managed to keep from falling over. Monica has just cut off the willow shoots from last year and sells them in the store. We also added a second stake to help hold it up. The third is our portion of Empire Creek, spring water fed from the mountains.The fountain just above is behind "The Guacamole Shed, hence the color of the wall. The fountain has gotten nice and mossy.The next is the yet un-planted new raised bed we built at our workshop of a few weeks ago. Finally the frog prince hangs out amongst the cut back pennisetum grass. By summer he will be well hidden again, left to doze in peace.

frog-prince.jpg

 

 

Speak up!

My post on “This is what happens when chain stores sell plants” got a lot of interest from people concerned or surprised at whats going on at chain stores when it comes to what they are selling. My most recent comment comes from John Peter Thompson who says “As Chairman of a 78 year old family-owned nursery in Maryland (Behnke Nurseries), I have worked very hard to get the word out to the public and to the industry. I have opportunity to serve on the Maryland Invasive Species Council as the industry representative. And, as the current Secretary of the National Invasive Species Council Advisory Committee (NISC ISAC), I am working to help facilitate discussions at the federal level, and to assist with State efforts with on the ground control and eradication.” He ends by saying, “I think I will pay a visit to the local box stores this spring and see what they are offering up outside of Washington, DC.”

I couldn't find the comment, but somewhere at a post I did someone mentioned how interesting it was that various factions in horticulture were having problems with how the other faction was doing business. There is the idea that somehow since all of us are selling plants, box stores, chain stores, independents, etc. that we are all on the same page. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Since I am an independent and tend to stick up for independents it might be construed that I like all independent nurseries. I know of a number of independents that do a terrible job. It's not about being independent or being a box store. It's about giving the customer a great experience coupled with great horticultural practices.

We don't start selling tomatoes here in the foothill until the middle of April. Plant them sooner and odds are they will succumb from a late frost or the cold ground. My local Home Depot already is selling tomatoes. We get people in telling us they have already planted their tomatoes. Well they didn't get them here! These are my customers, too. They mean well, they just saw all these great summer vegetables at The Depot.

I am also learning that garden centers are vastly different from region to region. I can't say that our experiences here in northern California are like anyone else's. I hear from people who say the local independents just don't cut it, and that the box stores are the best choice. What a drag!

If you are a quality independent now is the time to get the word out about why you are better. I think its important that we don't just say we are better but show people each and every day how much better we are. Using the medium of the Internet its getting harder and harder for these poor horticultural practices to be hidden behind slick advertising and and the perception that they are nursery professionals.

I was at the Sacramento Perennial Plant Club sale over the weekend. I met a bunch of nurserypeople from small nurseries including Sean and Christy from Mad Man Bamboo. All of these people work hard to produce what they believe to be the best they can offer. It's not an easy route. When I think of the competition we face from large corporations with loads of cash to advertise its hard not to get mad at the mis-information and poor plant choices these places seem to excel in. I am not against becoming a large corporation if thats your companies goal. In my mind however it should be coupled with a decent knowledge of proper horticultural practices.

The chain and box stores are not going to go out of business anytime soon. There will always be people who shop these places based on perceived lower price , convenience, or a poor selection of independents in the area. There are however lot's of people who are starting to realize that where you spend your money is about more than just those perceived qualities the chains like to advertise. It's important that we small independents that do work so hard to do it right, get the word out and not be afraid to call out these shoddy horticultural practices and show people who care a better way.

Sacramento Perennial Plant Club Sale

Saturday I will be at the Sacramento Perennial Plant Club sale trying to entice people to make the trip up the hill to see us. I will be selling some special plants that I have picked out from the nursery. Very special prices for the plant sale, too! Every year Saul Wiseman, who is the president of the club has tried to get me to attend. I usually bow out as "we are too busy" this time of year. I think he grew tired of hearing that, so it was more difficult to say no this time. I actually like doing these things as it is something different that gets me out of the nursery. It also allows me to me lots of people who would have otherwise never heard have of us, and what we have to offer.

According to the club, "Beginning at 9 AM we will have 11 different specialty nurseries here with their wonderful assortment of healthy plants to aid us with a great jump-start on this year's gardening season. They will include trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, Mediterranean and California natives; aquatic plants, miniature water gardens, and much, much more, including delightful garden related art."

"The guest speaker, Sean O'Hara, will speak at noon. He is the co-chair of the Northern California Branch of the Mediterranean Garden Society (MGS), which produces a quarterly journal for our area. 'The Garden Resource Guide for Northern California's Mediterranean Climate.' Copies will be available at his talk. MGS is headquartered in Athens, Greece. It is an international forum devoted to furthering knowledge and appreciation of plants and gardens suited to the Mediterranean climate regions of the world."

Stop by and say "hi" if your in the area. It's located at The Shepherd Art Center at McKinley Park, 3330 McKinley Blvd. Sacramento. The event ends at 3 pm.

This is what happens when chain stores sell plants.

044.JPGOne thing I don't get a chance to do much is visit other "garden centers" during the spring. I am just too busy, so when I get sent on an errand outside the nursery I tend to take the long way back, just to get out and about. On the way back from Folsom I passed by a Target with an attached garden center. I stopped because a table full of yellow flowers caught my eye. I knew what they we're since they are an invasive pest in El Dorado County and Sacramento County, Cytisus recemosus (Scotch Broom). We are not even suppose to sell it in our county, yet the Target is in Sacramento County, right next door does. Sacramento County apparently doesn't care about invasive pests. In my last post we talked about Costco selling Leyland cypress (Cupressocyparis leylandii) in the Central Valley. Here is what the Wikipedia entry says about these trees, "it is poorly adapted to areas with hot summers, such as the southern half of the U.S.A., and in these areas becomes very prone to the disease cypress canker caused by the fungus Seridium cardinale. This causes extensive dieback and ultimately death of the tree. In California's Central Valley, they rarely live more than ten years before succumbing, and not much longer in southern states like Alabama. In these areas, the canker-resistant Arizona Cypress is much more successful."

We haven't sold Leyland cypress for years! If I tried to sell Scotch Broom where we are we would get run out of town! Everybody knows this pest, and there are even groups of well meaning people that spend their free time removing these plants. Why do these corporations get a free pass? These are our real competitors for the gardening dollar. They should be exposed for what they really are, opportunists that really don't care about what these plants mean to the person buying them. There needs to be a counter to these sloppy horticultural practices. Thank goodness for the internet, where we can finally get the word out.

Check out the sign in the Scotch Broom. No, I didn't stick that sign in there. The display is just how I found it! Needless to say I am not a fan of sloppy nursery practices. I don't like the idea that as a small independent garden center we work hard to prevent the spread of invasive plants as well as recommending longer lived solutions for privacy screening than Leyland Cypress. Yet the buyers for these companies don't care at all. What about the wholesale places that are growing these things. I guess a quick buck trumps proper horticultural practices.045.JPG

Here is what's cool. We can now speak up and be heard. The internet allows us to spread the word with the chance that someone contemplating buying these plants can find out more about them before they make a big mistake. For years we have been running scared of these box stores and chains with their unbelievable low prices. I have even had customers tell me that they are selling the same thing at Target, Home Depot, Costco, etc. for a much better price. There is no way that can be, I don't buy any plants from wholesale nurseries that deal with these places. We take the time to make sure we can stand proudly behind what we sell.

What a deal?

sequoia at costcoKatie at garden punks sent me a link to another article on the solar vs. tree issue. In this article we have a picture from the solar panel side and its pretty clear that the solar panels will be shaded. Oh well, the courts decided in favor of solar man so the trees will now be topped or removed.

Over at the Costco in Folsom near where Katie lives there are 15 gal. sized Sequoia sempervirens (redwoods) for $29.99. These trees are at 9-10 feet tall. I have asked my vendors, but no one seems to be able to tell me how it is that Costco can sell these trees for a price less than what I as a nurseryman can buy them for. Whats up with that? Could someone out there tell me how it's possible to grow a tree for a number of years only to sell it for $29.99?

I am wondering is if there is a correlation between plants sold as commodities, like these redwoods and their mis-placement in the suburban landscape. There are all sorts of large sized plants, like the redwoods for sale at Costco. Leyland cypress, palms, photinia trees, etc. They are all displayed on pallets inside the store. How do they water these things? Do they even have too? My guess is that at $29.99 they expect all of them to sell out BEFORE they have to water them. Maybe one to two weeks.

The home owner who shops at Costco loves a deal, and so you see truck loads of these trees and others be distributed and planted around theleyland at costco neighborhood. “Honey, I'm home and I have a surprise.” Next thing you know you have redwood trees growing larger than most suburban lots have room for, blocking the neighbors solar panel, view, sun deck, etc. I have a special issue with the Leyland cupress they we're selling, which are better suited to the coastal areas. Here, in the hot interior of California they have a short life span of about 7 to fourteen years, by which time they are attacked by borers and die. Last year it was Queen palms that people we're getting real cheap, planting in the foothills and having die that winter.leyland at costco

There is something strange about seeing all these plants on pallets, shoved together, and kept inside a warehouse. Water, that will have to wait. The proper planting instructions, who need those? How big will these things grow, and are the appropriate for you small Folsom neighborhood? Why would they be selling them if they weren't. Who grows these things? Are they proud of how their plants are being displayed? Must not be since I can't find any labels proudly displaying their name. I guess they want to remain behind the scenes.

Right across the aisle from the Leyland Cypress are all the fertilizers you'll ever need to keep these things healthy. Giant boxes of Miracle-Gro from Jim, who loves independents!

 

Do you guys have an association?

I wrote a post about what to do with the empty nursery pots here. I just got a comment from faboomama. She asks “It would be nice if there was a comprehensive statewide effort to reduce the waste of these pots, but barring that, I’m looking for anyone who can take my pots and recycle them. I’m actually really surprised that there is no concerted effort among nursery owners (do you guys have an association?) where you can direct gardeners to dump them.

Well faboomama, we do have a California Association of Nurseries and Garden Centers (CANGC). This was at one time a powerful and influential organization. What has happened to them? I joined when we started our business here four years ago. I soon dropped out because I sensed it was an organization that seemed to have lost it's way. I tried to e-mail them a couple of times concerning a number of issues and never heard back.

I have come to the conclusion that it's up to each independent to do what needs to be done. Counting on associations to help, at least here in California is a uphill climb. Am I missing something, or can someone tell me what the C.A.N.G.C.'s position is on recycling plant containers?

Apperances are not always what they seem.

I want to address Jays concerns with my last post, Reducing inventory while increasing sales. Jay says,“They (the chain stores) offer the most popular items which account for the major percentage of their sales and give up the opportunity to sell slow moving items (which either don’t contribute to profit or do so minimally).” He continues, “The downside to this is that the shopping experience becomes homogenized. Walk into any Box and it’s predictable.”

I agree with Jays assessment of the homogenized shopping experience that is encountered at these stores. I don't however think that by simply reducing the number of items you carry will make you become homogenized like the chains. The very nature of being independent allows us to pick and choose which items we carry. The only way you can experience a homogenized experience at my store would be if I choose the same items that my local Home Depot carries. We don't! I choose in most cases to buy from those suppliers that do not service the chain stores. My goal is to give you the anti-homogenized experience.

My goal with the last post was to suggest that we in the small garden center business sometimes try to carry everything, just like the old fashioned hardware store that Jay mentions. We have the oldest continuously running hardware store west of the Mississippi right here in Placerville. Placerville Hardware is a joy to visit. Exactly what you would have expected Grand Pa to shop at. Pot belly stove, hundreds of drawers with all sorts of nuts, bolts, etc., wood floors, and those cool ladders that run along a rail so they can get to the real high stuff. Tourists stop to visit and spend money. The locals do too, but not to the extent that it would survive strictly on local business. The tourist traffic on Main street keeps this store alive. It's more like a living museum. It's not making it because it has every little thing you want, it's making it because it appears to carry every little thing you want. Its a representation of what we picture the “good 'ol days” to be. Locate this store off of Main St., away from the tourist trade and I doubt it would still be operating.

I think that re-creating the old fashioned nursery atmosphere is a viable business model. The kind of store Grand Ma would have shopped in. It doesn't mean that you would have to carry every item an actual garden center would have carried in those days. The competition for the gardening dollar makes it impossible to compete with the infinite selection available through the Internet or a well stocked chain store these days. So yes to re-creating the ambiance or feel of the old fashioned garden supply store, but to try and carry everything that they would have in those days won't work now. They didn't have box stores or the Internet back in the "good old days".

Reducing inventory while increasing sales.

I thought this post has a lot to offer the smaller independent garden center, even though it involves bookstores. Recently Borders cut it's inventory by 5 to 10% and saw it's sales increase by 9%. What they did is start placing more of their books on the shelves facing with the cover out, rather than with the spine of the books showing. I love this stuff. It's not about the volume of books you have, but rather how you display what it is you do carry.

This method assumes that maybe most people don't know what it is they have come into the store for. They may have a basic need, privacy from a nearby neighbor, or they want to try vegetable gardening. It's up to us to show them all the possibilities for reaching this goal, in ways that they may have never thought off.

This is a very hopeful way to think of our business. Realizing that the amazing choices that are available from Amazon.com or some cool mail order nurseries is a great thing, but doesn't resonate with everybody all the time. There are plenty of people that really don't need a large selection of varieties, but are looking for new ideas, excitement, or different way's of using the varieties that we do carry. More and more I feel that the small garden center shouldn't be about just stuff to buy, but rather a place that inspires, rejuvenates, and surprises with every visit. Do that and sales will follow.

The Poison Garden

northumberland_alnwick.jpgThe San Francisco Garden Show is being held and two traditions continue. The garden show is one, the other is my non-appearance. I remember the garden show when it was held at Fort Mason, before the Cow Palace. I never made it since it's held in spring and thats when we are the busiest. Some of my customers show pity and bring me photos, or I can head over to Jasmines Blog and read about it there.

I would have loved to met Jane, the Duchess of Northumberlund. She was there to promote her book, The Poison Diaries. The book is about poison plants which sound interesting but what really interested me was her Poison Garden, located at the families castle in Northumberland. The castle is where Harry Potter was filmed! Alnwick Garden's, opened in 2002 contains a section known as The Poison Garden. It contains such plants as strychnine, cannabis, devil's eye, stinking nightshade and mandrake which - legend has it - because its fleshy root resemble a man, emits an ear-piercing scream when pulled up, and begins to sweat blood. When you tour the gardens you are escorted by garden marshals since some of the plants are quite dangerous to those not in the know. Very Cool.

I had never heard of these gardens but the post at Jasmines Blog had a picture of the Duchess signing books, and she seemed so young, petite, and accessible. Not quite what I picture a Duchess to be. Besides anyone who would plant a poison garden gets my interest right away. She uses the garden to help teach children about the affects of drug addiction. Actors portray drug addicts throughout the garden and after the tour, children see a musical presentation focused on drug education and resistance. What a fantastic idea. Usually the effects of various drugs, good and bad, and where they are from is clouded in mystery and prefaced with, “stay away”. Well , you know what that means. Children are a curious lot and I think seeing these plants, especially at the place where “Harry Potter” was filmed is quite an education. Heck, I would take the tour in a heartbeat.

Now that you have that nursery...

I wanted to address Jodie's concerns concerning my last post, Before you start that nursery... She asks, “... what does everyone else do with the dribs and drabs of stuff that doesn’t go? That odd garden stepping stone, or a chipped statue that’s been here gathering dust for 5 years–yes, 5–or more, years.”

Why do we small garden centers allow are selves to get in the situation where we end up with these odds and ends that just sit around? I remember one winter when we had just about run out of money and as I walked around the store it became crystal clear what the term “money tied up in inventory” meant. When I would rather have had $1000 in the checking account all I could see where plants and merchandise that represented that $1000 and then some just sitting. Being winter I knew there was not much hope of releasing the money these good represented until spring. Geez, I wished we had put this stuff on sale earlier so we had some money instead of product thats just sitting around getting older.

It seems to me that we become attached to the items we have bought. We know that they should command full price and are disappointed when they don't sell. So we move them around, create new displays and wait. Meanwhile the product, weather its plants or “dry goods” gets older and less likely to sell. Let's take an example. We pot up a bunch of daffodils in fiber pots for spring sales. They start to bloom and we wait for them to sell. Now it starts raining and sales slow and you just look at the daffodils and know they will be done blooming soon. Why not put them on sale while they still look good? Half-price, our buy one, get one free. Because we hate to see quality walk out with little or no profit. Yet, if we don't sell them, even at cost, they will eventually just be planted out in the nursery, donated, or dumped. A complete loss in time and money. It would be even o.k. To GIVE them away with every purchase of $50 or more. Think of the good will that generates. They key is to bite the bullet and get rid of them while they still look good.

We came up with a great way to prevent that last plant of a group remaining while the rest we're bought. You have 11 Arctostaphlos “Emerald Carpet” and a customer wants 10. Normally we would have left it at that and that one plant would just sit there. Now we pick up that last plant and put it on the cart, free. Yup, no since in leaving that last lonely plant there while all its friends get to go off to their new home. The customer loves it since it represents an extra plant they really could use and it allows us to get a group of fresh Arctostaphylos that won't have that one “off” looking plant from the last group. Yea, we didn't make the full profit we could have but, that plant wouldn't have sold otherwise.

We brought in a bunch of Master Gardener, and Moon Phase Calendars this year. Not all of them sold, so Monica has them sitting at the counter for half off. Wait, we are already in March and we are still trying to sell these things? I have been giving them to our special customers when they come in. Lady just bought $50 in stuff, we hand them a calendar worth $11.99. Better to have that customer think of us every time they look at that calendar than to have tried to eek out a buck. Customer relations.

I am starting to think that there is really no reason that we shouldn't have a time limit to sell on EVERYTHING! Yup, even those really cool Weeping Norway Spruce. Sure they are a little unusual, and should have been sold out by now, a year later! But the reality is at this point it would be better to slash the price, get them out of the nursery and get in a new crop or something different. What are we, a arboretum where every thing is in cans? A museum of un-sold merchandise?

We are going to be a lot more aggressive this year in moving stuff. We are going to keep track of the date when various items we're put out for sale. At the end of a agreed amount of time we are going to bite the bullet, despite how great the items still look, and aggressively mark the price down, or offer buy two get one free, or something that is going to get peoples attention. One other thing is we are not going to timidly make them down 10%, wait a little, then mark them down again, etc. One great markdown and that's it. Get them out of the nursery and into someones home.

The reason this is so hard for many of us is we think like gardeners, not business owners. As gardeners we know the value of these things. We know that the plant that just doesn't look that good, could with proper care be a excellent addition to a garden. That chipped fountain really would be cool in the herb garden. Well you know what, I want it to be an excellent addition in somebody else's garden, not mine. Isn't that why we are in the nursery business? To supply OTHERS with items for THEIR gardens.

 

Before you start that nursery...

Just read a great article on the difficulties, and rewards of starting a small retail garden center. The article can be found here at The Green Beam. It follows owner Cliff, who had a dream of starting his own garden center in Alabama.

What I found interesting and you may too is how long it takes a start-up to become profitable. In Cliff's example 6 years we needed to break EVEN! So much for the dream of over night success. Cliff and his wife even had to take on jobs outside the nursery to keep the boat afloat.

I was interested in the fact that to pay of the debt Cliff didn't buy in any inventory for three years. I don't know how they did that, but they did pay off the loans. Three years without adding new inventory? I would be afraid the customer would leave and never come back. But it worked for them.

Sid Raisch, owner and consultant with Horticultural Advantage in Hillsboro, Ohio hands out some advice in the article which I find interesting. I am most interested in the idea that inventory should be bought in with the idea that it be turned (sold) within 30 days or when the vendor bill for those items comes due. This means being tough and not becoming too attached to what you are buying for re-sale. After thirty days you would put the items on sale and move them out. This is harder than it sounds as often what you as an owner thought was so cool and would fly off the shelves, now needs to be put on sale. Our sin has been to try and eek out the last full profit margin on stuff we should have put “on sale” and blown out of earlier. We are going to try and do a better job of that this year.

If you have ever been interested in starting your own horticultural business, especially the small retail garden center this article would be a must read. Even if you don't want to start your own business it will give you some insight in why there are so few small garden centers opening and why competition from the box stores, with their ready supply of investor cash, is so tough.

Check out the new Scotts Miracle-Gro website!

About a year ago Scotts Miracle-Gro started a ad campaign in various nursery trade publications, most notably Nursery Retailer Magazine. The campaign called “Jim Loves Independents” is designed to woo independent garden centers with their new line of fertilizers and pest controls designed just for independents. The ad has printed in LARGE letters “Jim Loves Independents”. It shows owner Jim Hagerdorn traveling to different larger independents looking “concerned” while listening to “us” independents.

You see Scotts has been supplying the box stores for years, and really could have cared less about the independents. But now “Jim Loves Independents”. I am sure it has nothing to do with the fact that sales were declining at the box stores and Scotts needs another market. The first time I saw the ad it made me laugh. The man that owns the largest lawn supply company around and largest supplier to the box stores suddenly “loves” independents.

Now word comes from our friend Sid that Scotts has revamped its website to appeal directly to the consumer, bypassing the independents all together. Lets see how much "Jim loves independents." Go to their retail locater and type in my zip code 95633, and some products I am looking for. Lets see, Scotts Turf Builder All-Purpose Lawn Food. Ta Da! I can find this wonderful product at Lowes, Home Depot, or K-Mart. Not one independent listed. “Jim Loves Independents.”

Lets hit the “connect” tab. Hey cool, they have blogs. Not one blog but space for 10. They are also looking for authors to write their blogs for them. I like the one called “ItsMeAgain...talkinaboutdalawn”. Here is what “Male, Age 41 recently had to say, “I'm cocked and loaded. I have a bag of Dimension from Southern States left over from last year. That will cover 5000 sq ft of our acre lawn. I stopped in at the local farm supply and bought two bags of Howard Johnson Enterprises professional pre-emergent. These bags cover 1/3 acre each per the label and contain TeamPro pre-emergent. Minus the house, porches, driveway, landscaping, etc, I think that will cover my lawn.” What interesting information! Check out the other blogs. Are these things for real? Do people really care this much about their lawns to shill for Scotts? To comment you must register with Scott's.

As an independent nursery owner I would invite all independents to shed themselves of Scotts and its products. There are so many other quality products out there that can set you apart from the box stores. We carry no Scotts products, and as soon as we sell out of the last bottle of Osmacote (Scotts owned) that will it for that product here. Even with their so called "independent" line the name Scotts is still imprinted on the bags. Let the box stores carry Scotts, after all they have been for years.

Set your self free, and be truly independent. Just say NO to Scotts.

Gardening Revolution?

Over at Garden Rant Elizabeth ask, “Are we in the middle of a gardening revolution?” She sites a number of gardening articles at various newspapers that all speak to this new awareness, especially in vegetable gardening.

What I find amusing is that all of these main stream media outlets save one, cite “pinching pennies” as one reason people are returning to the garden. The Arizona Republic says, “The price of food is sending them back to the garden.” The Ocala Star-Banner says, “in this day of tight economic times, gardens can help stretch the family budget.” The North Andover Eagle Tribune says, “Home vegetable gardens appear to be booming as a result of the twin movements to eat local and pinch pennies.”

None of my customers vegetable garden to “pinch pennies”. The days of growing your own food to save money are long gone. How can we have tomatoes in the middle of winter and complain at all about the cost? If people think they can grow food less expensively than the huge agricultural concerns they are in for a disappointment. The real reason people are growing there own vegetables was summed up by a commenter. “Mostly, the younger crowd is concerned about pesticides and decreased nutrition in their food.” In addition, once people taste fresh vegetables the flavor is so much better than whats available in the store it's hard to go back. There are additional reasons, but saving money is generally not one of them.

So Elizabeth asks, “Are we in the middle of a gardening revolution?” We must be since the main stream media is reporting on it. If you wanted to see the beginning of the revolution, or keep up to date on whats really happening, keep reading the blogs. We talked about this upcoming interest in vegetable gardening a year or two ago when the main stream media we're reporting on the "Death of Gardening"!

Congratulations on Garden Rant being noticed by the big media outlets like The Washington Post. Any of us bloggers would most likely be thrilled to be noticed. I was excited when The Sacramento Bee noticed the web site and blog, yet I find certain sadness at the fact that our blogging world, which was initially off the radar of “Big Media” is now getting noticed. It's like we have been having this really cool party, but now the “professionals” have showed up and they want to party too. Oh well, a good party is hard to keep under wraps.

No, I am not turning into a bitter old man as Monica is want to tease me. It's great that we citizen journalist are being recognized by the pro's. As a matter of fact according to Angela, The Sacramento Bee wants reader submissions on gardening. You will not be paid for the submission, and it will become the property of The Bee. Sure, there will be people all to happy to see their name in print and do The Bee's work. But don't be fooled, the real action is at the gardening blogs where the work is a labor of love.

Yesterday standing in the grocery line I automatically picked up Garden Design, and Sunset magazines. I have been doing it for years, and yet now I wonder why. I get more excited reading about garden bloggers and what they are up to than the latest "Euro trend" in Garden Design, or how Sunset according to it's latest issue has been "Eco friendly" since the late 1800's. I use to buy The Bee on Saturday's to read the garden section, but not any more. It seems they are more interested in nosy neighbors than gardening.

So yes, we are in the middle of a gardening revolution. Remember where we heard about it first? To find out what the next big thing in gardening is all you need to do is look no further than the blogroll of your favorite gardening blog.

Solar panels vs. trees

250px-coastredwood.jpgOver at Edenmakers' Shirley has a post about a couple of neighbors who each feel they are environmentalist, yet felt it necessary to head to the courts over their dispute. This is a suburban neighborhood and as such one neighbor wanted to plant a row of Sequoia sempervirens, (Coast Redwood) as a privacy screen. Later the other neighbors installed solar panels on their roof, as well as on a lower trellis. Why head to court? The neighbor with the solar panels sued since the trees had started to block the sunlight reaching the solar panels on the trellis. The bottom line is the neighbors with the trees had to remove a couple of them so light could reach the panels.

When I first read the story I, like Shirley, automatically sided with the tree people. After the automatic “I am for trees” reaction I started to think that maybe those redwood trees we're the wrong choice for a privacy hedge. When you realize that the Coast Redwood can grow up to 100' plus in a residential situation it soon becomes obvious that redwood trees are not the best choice for suburban situations. Yes they grow fast, and are evergreen, but their shear size makes them inappropriate for most suburban situations. Better to have planted trees or tall growing shrubs that max out at a height that provides privacy, but doesn't turn into a giant. These trees can drop all sorts of material over the year and having the trees right next to the fence line means the neighbors might have ended up in court anyway, solar panels or not.

Was this a case of poor research by the home owners? We're these trees recommended by a nursery person who didn't find out what the situation was that these trees would be used in? Redwoods around here are very popular for screening, but we are a mostly rural area. So after siding with the tree people at first, I changed my mind and sided with the solar panel neighbor. Even though the solar panels came after the trees, the neighbors have the right to expect a certain amount of sunshine on their home, and these (eventually) giant trees would have blocked that out. An excellent reason to research the plants you are planting, and finding out their eventual size.

Now fast forward and I head back to Shirley's site and follow the link to the original article. If you look at the picture and read the article, the solar panels in question are mounted on a trellis BELOW the roof, about halfway down the side of the house. Just about anything you plant will shade these panels! Gee, if I put panels on the ground do I still get same expectation of light that a roof mounted system would have?

I think the solution to this problem would have been choosing a more appropriate type of plant for privacy. Something that grows to about 20 feet, but not much taller. Certainly not something that will grow up to a hundred feet tall, and not right on the property line. Even though the panels on the trellis are mounted really low the trees would have eventually, depending on the angle of sun, likely shaded the roof mounted ones anyway.

This could have been prevented by doing a little more research on the type of privacy screen plants available, or talking to an experienced nurseryperson or designer.