Growing young plants is a lot like gambling, it seems to me after reading many of your responses to our Young Plant Grower Survey. Orders coming in later means growing more on speculation, extending order deadlines and being more flexible overall.

How are our survey respondents managing the risk and standing out among other young plant growers? Many say they can’t ignore the call for larger plugs for upscale containers and planters. Growers are imbibing plugs with high light levels and using disposable racks and pallets for shipping.

Glass Corner Greenhouses in Grand Rapids, Mich., is making the future marketing of its young plants a priority. The company’s survey response tells us tags are shipped with the plants, not separately. Also, Glass Corner provides combination kits that produce baskets and decorative pots. Consumers like easy-to-grow combos, and they like it even more when growers do it for them. Read more results from our survey here. 

Dangers In Transportation

While trucking costs have made headlines recently because of gas prices, the real transportation issue for many growers is the condition of the plants when they arrive at their destination. Our survey respondents say they use both their own truck fleets and common carriers, depending on the company and situation. Refrigerated trucks are one option, but not available for all growers or shipments. For some tips for getting cuttings in tip-top shape after a long, possibly overseas, trip, check out research by Faust, Rapaka, Dole and Runkle here. Get your infrared thermometers ready – they come in handy here. 

Finish Growers – This Is For You

Finish growers, we haven’t forgotten about you in this issue. Our Live Inputs directory is back again this year, and it’s an even more complete resource for your young plant needs. More than 20 new young plant growers are included, and many suppliers have changed up their product offerings. Take a look beginning on page 26. You might find some surprises from your current suppliers or from a new one just around the corner.