NURSERY KNOW-HOW: Organized Ordering

It’s that time already – time for landscape professionals to start creating their orders for bedding plants for the 2005 season. There are several steps you can take to make the ordering process simple and successful. Researching new varieties, placing your order early, giving your supplier all the information he needs up front and avoiding common roadblocks to good service will ultimately lead to a successful installation, which is what matters to the most important person of all: your client.

THE HUNT FOR NEW PLANTS. It’s fine to incorporate reliable varieties you’ve used in the past into your plantings, but to keep things fresh and your business current, you need to be on top of what’s new and different in the industry. Literally hundreds of new bedding plant varieties are introduced each year. Some of these are color additions to series you might already know and use. Others may be completely new series of well-known classes like impatiens, petunias or vinca, boasting unique traits that haven’t previously been available in those plants. And still others are brand-new plants with names you may have never heard before. The search for new plants can be a little overwhelming, but it really doesn’t have to be. It just takes time, a little research and some planning.

Before you begin your new plant search, have an idea of the types of bedding plants you’re going to need for 2005. Know the conditions of the major sites you’ll be planting, including the light exposure (sun or shade), the type of soil (clay, sand, boggy, well-drained, etc.) and humidity levels, and have an idea of what has worked well for you in the past. Choose color palettes early – when it comes to bedding plants, you can find just about any color you want for just about any site. Start now to determine your client’s preferred color scheme for next spring, and begin preliminary designs. If you know generally what you need (a drought-tolerant purple flower for the shade, for example), it will save you countless hours of wading through new plant information you can’t really use.

Any of these sources can help you learn what’s new and if it’s right for your client’s needs:

• Internet. Almost all plant breeding and production companies have Web sites, and they will all tell you what’s new in bedding plants from their company for 2005. Your grower will be ordering from these sources to get your plants, so note where you found each item. Other related Web sites, such as www.balllandscape.com, can make specific recommendations for plants well-suited for large in-ground plantings. Or use your favorite Internet search engine, type in a simple phrase like "new landscape plants" and see what you get.

• University Trials. Universities across the country conduct trials of new varieties throughout the year. The trials for 2005’s new bedding plants most likely took place this past spring and summer. If you didn’t get to your nearest university trial this year, get a copy of its trial report. It will give you detailed information about which plants were trialed and how they performed, and they are usually scored and rated so you can simply see for yourself which ones were stellar. Trial reports are sometimes available on the university’s Web site, but you may also call the university’s extension office, which is usually responsible for publishing the trial results.

• Trade Shows. There are hundreds of horticulture industry trade shows each year. Check the Internet or ask your local landscape or growers’ association for a list of trade shows in your area with a strong bedding plant focus. Most of the exhibiting companies will have examples of their plants on display as well as catalogs and other promotional literature you can take home. Many of the shows take place in the winter, so there may still be time for you to attend.

• Trade Magazines. Magazines for landscape professionals usually do brief synopses of a few new bedding plants each year. For a more complete listing, try grower trade magazines. Your grower can tell you which ones he finds most useful for new plant information.

• Grower Recommendations. Your grower should be on top of new variety trends, too. Sometimes, growers may receive small quantities of new plants to grow out and evaluate for themselves before the products are officially released. Yours may have already tried several new varieties and be able to give you a first-hand evaluation of their performance.

PLACING ORDERS. Some growers require more or less lead time than others, so check with yours well before ordering to make sure you know the schedule. In general, you should place your order at least four months – but preferably about six months – before installation. In other words, spring bedding plants should be ordered in the fall or winter. Planning ahead allows you to get the products you want in the quantities you want, and gives your grower plenty of time to source the plants you’ve requested and notify you if substitutions are necessary.

NOTE: Ideally, you will have selected the grower you’re going to be working with well before it’s time to order. If you still need to find a grower, it will reduce the time you can spend planning and getting your order completed early. If this is your first time ordering directly from a grower, ask your local landscape or growers’ association for a list of growers in your area that supply landscape professionals, or check online. For instance, www.balllandscape.com has a resource for locating suppliers.

WHAT GROWERS NEED FROM YOU. Your grower will require detailed information from you in order to provide the best service. Have these three basic types of information ready before the ordering process gets underway.

• Variety and color selection. It helps if you know exactly which variety you want, and it’s easy if you’ve done your research, but if not, have enough information to let your grower make an educated recommendation. For example, if you know you’re looking for a red-flowering petunia for a large mass planting in full sun, your grower will be able to easily recommend new Easy Wave® Red.

• Container size and type. There are many different container sizes available for bedding plants. The most common are traditional flats, larger-celled packs or 4-inch pots, but there are larger pot sizes as well. In addition, most of these packaging sizes are made not only from plastic but also from different biodegradable materials. These relatively new biodegradable containers are gaining in popularity because they can really save time when installing large jobs – there’s no need to remove the plants from the pots or to clean up and recycle the plastic after you’re finished. Discuss options for containers with your grower. Some plants grow better in larger or smaller container sizes, which could affect the quality of the plants you receive, and each size and type has a different price point that could affect your bottom line.

• Delivery schedule. Your grower will use the required delivery date to set his growing schedule, and for this reason alone it’s crucial to be as detailed as possible about when you’re planning installation.

Talk out as many details as possible up front, making sure you’re clear on the grower’s policies regarding changes to the order or to the delivery date, payment, etc. Make sure your grower understands what you want and that you feel confident you’ll get it from him.

GROWERS PET PEEVES (AND HOW TO AVOID THEM). Your grower should be doing everything he can to make sure you’re satisfied with the service you’re receiving. However, there are also several things you can do as the client to make it easier on the grower to provide that great service. Beware of the following grower "pet peeves."

• Not enough lead time. A common complaint among growers – it’s hard for them to give their customers what they want if they don’t have enough time to find it. Get orders in as early as possible (six months in advance is ideal) and be sensitive toward the grower’s order requirements.

• The client doesn’t know what he wants. If you don’t know what you want, the grower can’t deliver it. Research new varieties and discuss potential choices with your grower well ahead of ordering time.

• Late payments. Know your grower’s policy regarding payments, and pay your bills on time.

• The client doesn’t meet order minimums. Consolidate orders to meet minimums if necessary. Know the grower’s policy on minimums, if there is one, and discuss options for items you need in small quantities only.

• Changeability (of orders, delivery dates, etc.). Growers can be flexible and work with you, but only to a point. Establish a firm delivery date, keep order changes to a minimum – if you change them at all – and be aware of the ramifications if you do have to make excessive changes regarding your order.

Remember that a successful bedding plant order doesn’t just involve you and your supplier. It also involves the ultimate consumer of the plants you’ve chosen – your landscape client. By learning what’s new and different and following the proper steps in the ordering process, you’re able to give your client everything he wants and more – and the confidence that you can do it again next year.

The author is in marketing and public relations at Ball Horticultural Co., West Chicago, Ill., and she can be reached at 630/588-3457 or jatchiso@ballhort.com.