Deliver Plant Performance As Promised

By Janeen Wright|August 5, 2016

As a horticulturist, I have no excuse for not watering my containers when the weather turns hot and humid. Still, I push the limits. When I came home the other day to find my Bounce impatiens nearly dead, I knew I had neglected my chore too long. True to their name, they rebounded within a couple of days. It’s nice to know plants perform as promised — even when I’m guilty of not extending them the same courtesy.

When I don’t care for my plants properly, I have no one to blame but myself when they die. Some gardeners don’t feel the same way, either because of a lack of knowledge or unwillingness to take personal responsibility. Sadly, they are often our worst critics, which is why delivering on plant performance is even more important. The hope is the voices of those who have success with their plants will outweigh the negativity of those who don’t.

It’s No Secret Plants Have It Rough Once They Leave The Greenhouse

No one would be fool enough to promise garden center or wholesale customers that the plants they buy will always live. We are dealing with live goods, after all, and it would be ludicrous to promise more than you can deliver. But you can deliver more than you promise:
• Educate, answer questions, and be empathetic and responsive to your customers’ needs
• Guide their selections to the best fit for their lifestyles or businesses
• Commit to quality production and doing whatever it takes to give them the tools they need to get the best performance out of their plants

Last but not least, you can’t go wrong if you target your production selection to cherry-pick cultivars with solid breeding and proven garden performance behind them.