 Trying to bring some diversity and hence some profit into the fall season can be a bit of a challenge, especially as you move farther north and fall seasonal plantings have a restricted time frame due to freezing temperatures. For retailers fall is still a valid season for offering fresh product. Plants with seasonal colors and some cold tolerance can drive additional sales as the production season draws to a close.More than mums The standard fall offerings include mainly garden mums and pansies/violas. For retailers there can be other plant options worth pursuing. The fall gardening sales season is generally slow enough that growers can work with retailers. Growers can offer small-scale programs aimed at helping retailers develop a marketing edge with something different to augment the more traditional offerings. In addition to producing garden mums as a cash flow crop, growers can offer something a little higher end with a better price point. The key is to start small and learn what your customer base is looking for. Fall can be a chancy environment to make major purchases, so work with your suppliers (or customers) in late spring to set up fall programs that can be most beneficial. Defining fall crops From the consumer/retail standpoint. Fall crops are those that represent the season, so garden mums have a traditional role here. To a lesser extent asters are also a great crop for bringing another color set to the fall market. Most consumers are looking for a living flower arrangement in the right color schemes to dress up the house for the season. At this time of year, maybe more than any other, consumers want to decorate. They are not really interested in gardening. Pre-planted mixed containers or color bowls are often the easiest products for consumers to purchase and use. However, don’t forget that ‘represents the season’ issue. Most successful plant combinations for fall decoration include a selection of gourds, dried grasses or simply ornamental grasses that give the appearance of harvest and summer’s end. Don’t let your definition of mixed containers be limited to only living plants. Carrying an assortment of the other decorative items can help push sales of flowering plants. From the grower standpoint Fall crops are those that flower naturally or show enhanced foliage color as the days shorten and the night temperatures cool. Don’t let these be the limiting factors. Many traditional spring annuals can be scheduled for fall sales and will continue to flower right up until first frost and even beyond. Nemesia and diascia continue to flower until temperatures drop into the low 20s. Calibrachoa and petunia also bloom well into fall, especially if grown from vigorous starter material. Other options include perennial fall flowering sedum (Hylotelephium), ornamental grasses and the fall colors of heuchera. There are numerous options, but it requires some preplanning to make sure the plants are available and the selection best tolerates temperatures in your region. Sometimes these fall combinations can provide a way to move some leftover summer stock, but avoid selling poor looking leftovers that can spoil the entire concept. Maximizing fall success Know what your customers are looking for. Start early to determine what they think they want. A great idea can fail simply because the audience isn’t there. Know if the consumers of your products are high-end or low-end spenders. Solicit their input before you commit to developing a concept or program that doesn’t match up to customer expectations. Timing and planning For non-traditional fall crops, it can be difficult to even find them once the last weeks of summer arrive. You need to plan ahead and talk with plant suppliers in spring to setup delivery of starter plants in the late summer for fall sales. Availability of traditional spring crops is often not very good by July and August, but it can be if you plan ahead. Be thinking about the specific sales window you want to hit with a fall program.  Consider an orange and black or dark purple theme for Halloween, followed by gold, garnet, bronze and orange for Thanksgiving. Also, look at the types of containers that will be offered, i.e., color bowls and/or hanging baskets. Making these decisions early gives you more options and increases the likelihood to succeed. Suppliers would be happy to work with you on these programs if you provide them with advance notice.Plant selection Numerous breeders and plant supply companies, including Proven Winners provide online fall recipe ideas. Good plant selection for fall is choosing the right colors and making sure the plants can tolerate outdoor temperatures through the late summer into early fall. All plants need to be hardened off to tolerate colder temperatures, so plan to give plants at least a week or two of outdoor finish time. Although consumers will buy the best looking combinations, they will be looking more for fall colors. Plantings that can attract consumers’ attention from 30 to 50 feet should garner greater interest. Consumers are going to be attracted to the plants as they pull into a retailer’s parking lot. Consumers, like retailers want to make an impression from the street, so select plants which have striking colors and drive-by impact. The plants in Table 1 are good choices for fall programs. Note the plant hardiness, as some are better for southern fall mixtures and have less frost tolerance. Plants for fall color Most of the plants listed can also be grown as monoculture crops that add some new color tones. Hardening-off fall crops is essential to their extended shelf life, so plan additional time to toughen up the plants. For southern retailers and growers in frost-free areas, the plant palette can be expanded immensely, but the listing here is aimed at a broader range of the U.S. market. Rick Schoellhorn is the director of new products, Proven Winners LLC, rick@provenwinners.com; www.provenwinners.com. |
Explore the May 2011 Issue
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