Maybe nothing is. If I were a dogcatcher there would be days……….
I have been working with various growers to supply landscapers nursery stock for a couple decades now. I didn’t just fall off the pickle truck.
Sometimes I get frustrated with the amateurs. This morning I get a call from a guy who wants a 14’ spruce and wants to haul it in the back of his pickup truck. What? I tried to be as nice as I should be, finally I just blew him off. Amateur landscapers are the worst. They don’t know what they are doing, expect more than anyone can provide and don’t know why we on the grower end don’t get excited at their call.
I have been working with a few growers who are new to selling wholesale. I have tried to be nice and considerate of their naiveté in the marketplace. But, my time is worth something too. Learn the market or get out. If you don’t believe me, believe the fact that you have trees in the nursery that were 3” last year and are now unsaleable.
I get calls from people wanting help them establish a nursery. I did that a few times. Those nurseries are up and running. My check for my consulting help? Not yet on the way. I’ll not do that again.
So, I’m harder now, I’m less tolerant now, I do business on my terms, not theirs. I am unwilling to bend my core principles. I learned long ago that no good deed in the nursery business goes unpunished. We do business my way or not at all.
I have lots of people who want to buy product. I just need to figure out what to do about all the amateurs in the business who don’t know how or when to sell their product. Then they whine when things don’t sell and they have to push them over with a bulldozer.
My old boss, Jerry Rice, used to say, “Every plant in the nursery will find a buyer given enough time and the right price”. He was exactly right.
Time and Price. That’s the rub.
So, to whom am I talking here? ME.
Thanks for letting me blow off a little steam.
Back to work.
2 comments:
I bought four flats of tomatoes for free this spring because the nurseryperson didn't know which variety they were. I asked, "..what if they're those goofy yellow tomatoes?" She told me, "...double your money back." (They turned out to be Roma.)
I also bought a dozen starts of Kholrabi in July. Neil, the nurseryperson, told me, "...I won't charge you for those...you're supposed to plant them in the spring." Well...ha ha. I took them for nothing...planted them in the heat of July and they're just right..right now.
NG, do you know Neil Holland at Sheyenne Gardens, Harwood, ND? He's a wizard...like you.
Neil is one of the reasons I went in to horticulture. Neil along with Don Hoag and Earl Scholz (Both now decesased) were my favorite college professors.
I admired them, Still do in Neil's case. I wish I could see him more often.
My regret is that NDSU has effectively gutted the Hort Major program. They have some anemic efforts but nothing like it wasn in it's heyday when Dr Lana was in charge.
I lived 1 mile from him for 15 years (69-86)cross country north of Harwood. Before interstate 29 went in I used to routinely go see him for coffee.
Now not so much. Say hi to Dr Holland next time you see him.
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