Plant Prices Increase
Plant prices are rising as costs increase.
Over the last 20 years I have seen many changes in the industry that have influenced the cost of plants. The three most relevant increases are the results of plant breeding, plant patenting, and plant marketing. I can clearly recall talking to other growers 20 years ago about the lack of new plant varieties. Well the old saying “Be careful what you wish for, you just may get it” is all too true regarding new plants. 20 years ago, there were three varieties of Coneflowers, now we have a hundred or more varieties. Breeders have been working overtime producing new varieties of just about every plant species known. This has been a double edge sword for us growers.
With so many new varieties of each species, the questions we asked are; What variety should we grow? What are the best performers? Which varieties will have the marketing behind them? How much do the starter plants cost, and how much do I need to sell them for to make a profit?
Those factors did not exist 20 years ago when we only had limited varieties. Also, 20 years ago, most plants were not patented and could be propagated inhouse inexpensively by rooting cuttings, seed, and other methods of propagation. Today ninety percent of the over 3000 varieties that we sell are patented and cannot be freely propagated and must be purchased from specific growers that either own the plant patent or are a licensed grower for that plant. For example, typical starter perennial plants know as plugs cost less than fifty cents each 20 years ago, now it is not uncommon for some to cost as high as five dollars.
As growers we must sell what we grow, and knowing what varieties will sell, is key to being profitable. This is where the expense of marketing comes in. I have seen many fantastic older less expensive varieties be dropped from growers planting lists just because a newer variety will have the marketing behind it. This new way is not a bad thing, it has facilitated the development of many new and improved varieties, Homeowners and landscape designers also want these new plant varieties included in their landscapes. The quest from breeders and marketing companies to claim they have the newest and best varieties keeps competition strong and constantly moving forward.
Like all industries, business changes and the plant industry just entered the world of marketing a little later than others. Plant brands like Proven Winners®, Garden Debut®, along with a list of others are now all competing to bring us new and exciting plants to grow and enjoy.
The labor shortage has greatly affected all industries and the plant industry is no exception. The need to mechanize within plant nurseries has never been greater and the costs to do so, does not come cheap. Because many of the nursery jobs require hands on labor, the development of robotic machinery for our industry has been slow to roll out and the cost to modify existing farms for such mechanization leaves most smaller operations without many options.
So, for now the increased cost of production must be covered by the increased retail price of plants.
