New Plant Releases...Frustrated?

Occasionally, the demand for a new plant is underestimated by the industry. Something clicks with the consumer and we can't seem to get enough of that special plant. Simply put supply is inadequate...growers did not think the plant in question would generate the interest. This is usually a happy situation for the industry. While sales are lost in the current season, they can plan on greatly increased production with some confidence for the succeeding year. Again, often the extra year generates additional information that helps our success with the selection.

A variation of this situation occurs when a grower is very unsure of the reception a new plant will receive. He may produce enough plants to offer nominally. In the industry the use of space in a nursery or greenhouse is critical to success. Plants that aren't selling are occupying critical space and requiring maintenance that could be producing plants that do sell. So the grower in effect offers up a trial balloon. If the plant is a hit, then obviously his supply is inadequate. You can bet he won't get caught with his pants down next year. The plant in demand will get his space.

The situation is pretty much the same with your local garden center. They attempt to order in the plant material they think they will have demand for. While a good garden center is usually well stocked, the stock that is present, on the whole, hasn't been there too long. Good garden center managers will want to stock new and unusual plant material. The manager watches the industry trade and consumer magazines to see what is being offered and promoted and tries to respond accordingly. To try to stay in front of the wave and insure availability, he occasionally buys on hunches. You see the garden center manager is faced with the same dilemma as the consumer. If he waits too long to order stock, till he is sure of demand, then it is likely he has missed the boat. Judging future demand for an untried product is the most difficult of chances to take. Some are obvious, some are not.

So if you think you are frustrated, think how your supplier, be it a mail order house or a local garden center, might feel thinking about all those lost sales. No one sacrifices sales intentionally. If they

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