Friday, February 14, 2014

SPRING 2014 NEW LIFE

What a difference a couple years make.  Two years ago I was being BEGGED to sell trees that were in huge surplus for any amount possible.  Those days are now gone.

The problem is now there are no trees available from 2-3".  Still lots and lots of 5-8" trees no body wants and a smattering of 1" Trees.  You would have to be a fool to dig a 1 1/2" tree right now.  If you just grow it on a little bit you will sell that tree for nearly double what you did.

So what are nursery people doing.  What we always do.  Like lemmings to the cliff you can't buy a budded liner.  The sources are all dried up. I suspect a serious arm wrestle will take place.

What this means is in a few years huge quantities of trees will come available and surplus in about 5 years.

There are surpluses in evergreens.  Not huge, but they are there.

Arborvitae are still in huge supply.

What is not are the shrubs of fancy cultivars.  The luxury landscape architects have had in picky choosy is going away.  We are getting down to fewer.  It's about time, with over 200 flowering crab cultivars, 250 spirea cultivars, and a burgeoning hydrangea palate, the idea that you will find in any quantity the plants you need to fit is becoming a myth.

Of course I am glad to see the growing use of native plants.  More all the time.

So, here we go, fire up the roller coaster.  UP DOWN UP DOWN WHEEE