Over the past three years, the green industry in Michigan, and indeed the country, has been on a high. But that high has come at a price, and that price has been our supply pipeline. The media has spent the past many months talking about supply chain woes. Anyone that has bought a car recently knows. Our supply chain woes have been slow in coming, and, regrettably, will be slow to reseed as well.

Growers in the nursery industry have spent the last three years trying to keep up with almost unprecedented demand. Unfortunately, our products take significant time to come to market; time that the growers have not had. Since an 8’ tall spruce takes almost 10 years to come to harvest, growers have done the only thing they could do to keep up with demand, which is to sell material early. In 2019, landscapes consumed some of the material slated for 2020 projects. In 2020, landscapes consumed all of that year's crop, and a large part of 2021’s crop, compensating for what was used for 2019 and covering the increase in sales. In 2021, the cycle repeated itself. 

Now we find ourselves in 2022, and there is nothing left to steal. Growers find themselves selling smaller and smaller plant material as landscapers accept smaller sizes to fill a planting. This does not allow for the filling of the pipeline with larger material, as it is all sold in a smaller size. 

With our product that takes between a few months to a decade to produce, the refill will be slow. 

Christensen’s will be a landscaper’s best friend as we navigate this supply issue. We are in constant contact with growers all over the country sourcing material. Our relationships allow us access to material often before it is published on an availability. Please use this resource! Let us use our reach instead of you spending hours trying to get answers.

Christensen’s Plant and Hardscape Centers is honored to be the resource for the landscape industry in southern Michigan. The relationship we have with you drives us every day to make sure that we are doing everything we can. And this year is no different. 

As I write this, I am watching our yard operations crew unload yet another load of trees. With the first trucks of the year arriving in mid-February, we continue our preparations for the 2022 landscape season. Plants and hardscape materials will continue to roll into our yard. I encourage you to use our 91 years of experience.

November 15 is the first day of firearm deer season in Michigan, and like many of you, I will be in my blind before sunup.

But deer camp isn’t about the hunting.

I came late into hunting. It just wasn’t something that interested me in my youth. I had always liked the shooting sports, but just never found the allure in hunting. Sometime in my twenties, my father and uncles convinced me to come to deer camp with them.

I had always thought of deer camp as this place that you went to. A place to basically sleep, as you spent all of your time hunting. I guess that is why I never was really attracted to it. Boy, was I wrong.

Deer camp allowed me to see my grandfather and uncles in a whole new light. I had always enjoyed being around my grandfather and uncles, but this was different. At camp it was only the adult men in the family. No kids, no moms. So, the rules all changed. Not that they suddenly became these crazed people, but they definitely let their hair down. And three of these guys are bald, so you can only imagine…

For the first few years I was the only grandchild there, the advantage of being the oldest of ten grandkids. And so, I got alone time with my grandfather. I got years of alone time with my grandfather. I chose a blind near his so I could have the walks in and out with him. I would get up early, which I HATE TO DO, so I could share breakfast with my early-rising grandfather and uncle. Looking back as I write this, I cannot help but smile at the memories that I made with my grandfather, and continue to make with my father and uncles.

My grandfather passed away from cancer in January of 2005. But he made it to deer camp in November of 2004. He couldn’t go to his blind, and just stayed around the camp and ate with us. But he was there. We still go to the same place to camp every year. We take the same campsites. We tell a lot of the same stories. And I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Out of the seven of us that go to camp every year, we average one deer every other year. So no, deer camp isn’t really about the hunting. Good luck everyone, at YOUR deer camps, and may the memories you make last a lifetime.

It’s time to welcome you back to Christensen’s! We are happy to be back to normal operations, while still observing the safety protocols we introduced last season. Don't worry, the masks won't prevent you from recognizing your favorite salespeople and we can't wait to greet you in return. We have some new employees as well, and we look forward to even better turnaround times when you visit our Plant and Hardscape Centers.

We do have some improvements to share with you, number one being the redesign of our store, with a fresh layout and new products. You really need to stop by and see what we've done!

Several of our flatbed trailers got new decks put on them to better serve your delivery needs. Our fleet of equipment has been serviced and is ready to roll for you! But there is one thing that we could not prep for...

Trucking in the country right now is going crazy, and so are the freight rates. Beyond the trucking regulations in place on drivers for hours of service, the lack of available labor is also affecting the trucking industry. There are currently trucks sitting without drivers for them. Lots of empty trucks. The next issue that came up this late winter/early spring was the situation in Texas. When the winter snowstorm hit Texas, FEMA stepped in and sent aid to Texas. Unfortunately, there is now a backlog of material those trucks would have hauled in other industries coupled with trucks that are still stuck in Texas either due to weather or inability to get unloaded. At least our product was not grounded in the Suez canal.

Due to these issues, freight rates have spiked by up to 30% over what they were at the end of 2020. Or another way to put this into perspective, freight is up almost 50% over spring of 2020. Rest assured, Christensen’s has your back. We have worked tirelessly to make sure to keep our prices competitive, and that we will have supply in our yard to make sure that you have a successful year.

From the trees to the brick to the sod, Christensen’s Plant and Hardscape Center has what you need to complete your landscape projects. So here is to another successful year!!

Oh, did I forget to mention? It is our 90^th Anniversary year!!!! We are looking forward to taking care of you for another 90 years.

As those close to me know, I love all seasons. I cannot say that I enjoy one over the other, because I really don’t. It drives my wife a little nuts, as she loathes snow. But I really love the little things that every season brings to us.

But this year is a little different. As 2020 has been for its entire existence. This year I am looking forward to the break that the winter provides to those of us in the nursery industry. A time to re-coup and re-group. And I for one am looking forward to having the time to gather myself back up.

As we re-group, we must look forward and start planning for the future. And as I look forward, I have to bring up the storm warning that I wrote about a couple of months ago. The material forecast for the spring is incredibly tight. Plant material grew very well this year, but our industry consumed a great deal of it. To give an example, many of our green goods suppliers have told us this fall that they can fill our orders, but we will be pulling from the spring 2021 crop. So, we can have it now, or next year, but not both. Hardscape suppliers are still reeling from shutdown this spring. Many intend to continue production for most of the winter to try to prevent the same thing happening in the spring of 2021.

So, as you re-group and plan this winter, I implore you. Plan out your jobs. Order your material. Do not wait until the snow is melting to arrange material for your spring projects. As the snow is flying, that is the time to be looking forward to spring.

As I write this, hurricane Laura is ashore in the gulf. In a matter of days, the remnants of this storm will most likely be bringing us some much-needed rain. (Hopefully only rain!)

This event coincides with the start of the last push for the landscape season here in Michigan. With this last push, I wanted to take a moment to remind all our contractors of the need to order all material as far in advance as possible to ensure a successful project.

All material has been moving very quickly this year. Projects are abundant, and we have been blessed with a prosperous economy. However, this has led to issues with availability across the board for landscape materials. This coupled with the coming push for the end of the landscape season is why I am issuing this storm warning.

• Place orders for EVERYTHING in advance!! Do not assume that we, or any other supplier, will “always have it in stock”. 

• Take nothing for granted. Plant material is starting to run thin, and growers are struggling with labor. (H2A/H2B program issues, etc.)

• Hardscape material is showing very long backlogs due to the early spring shutdowns. Many manufacturers have announced several products or lines that will no longer be made at all this year, and other products can have up to six-week lead times.

So please heed this storm warning. Place your orders early to make sure that your projects continue on smoothly for the rest of the year.

Welcome to summer! This time every year we find ourselves having the same conversation with lots of drivers picking up plant material.

This conversation revolves around putting a tarp over their load of plant material. There are two typical answers for this. “I forgot a tarp” or “I am only going a few miles.”

To be honest, we have a chuckle at both of these answers, and the reason for the chuckle is quite simple.

In the case of “I forgot”, we generally know what most of the nursery tarp inventory for most of our customers looks like as we see them often. This also means we know how many tarps the company owns. My favorite “I forgot” comes from a good friend of mine. I sold him a new tarp multiple times when he forgot. And every time he was mad as he knew there were about twenty tarps sitting unused at his shop.

The latter, “I am only going a few miles”, is not so funny. During summer temperatures, damage to the foliage while driving down the road at 50 mph (or more) happens in just a few miles. So really, any driving with the plant material un-tarped will damage the plant.

Here is the beg from Christensen’s. Please tarp everything when you leave our nursery. We will help you tarp your load!!

P.S. We will not accept anything as a return that left without a tarp on it.

Here, at the close of the season, I have the privilege of writing the last Sticks and Stones post of 2019.

It is a privilege for two reasons. The first is because we have made it to the end of the season! We persevered through the trials and tribulations of 2019, and now it is time to enjoy the fruits of our labors.

I look forward to this time of year because winter is when I get to hang out with my kids. I hope that you get to enjoy the same opportunity to spend time with family and friends, enjoying the stepping stones in life.

This year’s stepping stone is driver’s education for my daughter. Now I do not know about the rest of you, but when I turned 16 I drove my parents crazy wanting to go the Secretary of State to get my license. This is my second child to go through driver’s ed. My older son wanted to take driver’s ed (mostly because his friends were in the class) but had absolutely zero interest in getting his license. In fact, he turned 16 in September and my wife and I finally forced him to take his road test in February! Now we are on to my daughter who was eligible to take driver’s ed in April, but was in no hurry to even take the class. Really?? Don’t these kids know that I don’t want to be a chauffeur any more?

The second reason is even more simple. In this last post of 2019, I want to say “thank you”. Thank you for allowing us to serve you for another year – our 88th year as Christensen’s Plant Center. Over the past 88 years many things have changed, but as our staff has has ebbed and flowed, as our customers have started a business that has grown and matured, and have maybe retired, one thing has remained constant. There is a certain quality that makes people choose to enter the Green Industry, and even as our customers become ever more diversified, there is a familiarity that I appreciate. Thank you for being a part of the Christensen's family.

Wishing you all a safe conclusion to your landscaping season, and the happiest of holidays.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I do NOT follow fashion trends. In no way am I a fashionista! In fact, according to my wife I should go on one of those TV shows where the Dad gets a makeover on his wardrobe. On the other hand she knows all of the fashion trends. As a hair stylist, she keeps up on what is hot, what is not, and what is coming back around.

So how are landscape plants like the fashion industry? Well, new plants are constantly being introduced, replacing older models. Other plants fall out of use, some for good reason. We have watched flowering pear go from the tree that everyone planted everywhere, to one that goes on a landscape only rarely. Or how about creeping junipers? Anyone remember those? One of our veteran employees and I were recently lamenting how we used to get a semi-load of creeping junipers almost every week “back in the day”. Now we get them about once a month, and never a full truck load. They are still a great option but it seems that people are planting other things instead. I am betting it won't be long before they come back around.

So plants are like pants. They come into fashion, they go out of fashion, and sometimes they come back in again. And sometimes to be different, you have to look at what is old or out of fashion. For instance, Kolkwitzia (Beauty bush) is a cool plant that no one uses anymore, but should. You see them often where an old farmhouse once stood, or in older neighborhoods like downtown Plymouth. The masses of pink flowers in the spring are really striking and the dark green leaves turn an awesome yellow in the fall. A great plant to use in areas where viburnum or forsythia would go.

So change your p(l)ants! Look at using something old or different and your designs can appear fresh, new, and not like everyone else's. I would still avoid the pear, though.

Last year while attending a business webinar I heard a story that really stuck with me. Frank Mariani from Chicago’s North Shore was talking about the early days of his landscape company and some of the challenges that he'd faced.

His client, from an exclusive community of high-end homes, asked him for a quote to plant two trees in the back of the house near the pool. The 75 year-old client wanted shade while watching the grandkids. Frank wrote up a quote for two 2.5” shade trees, explaining that the fence and stairs around the pool prevented the installation of anything larger.

Two weeks later, when he showed up for the weekly maintenance, he was appalled to see one of his competitors at the house using a very large crane to place 8” caliper trees in the requested spots - by lifting them OVER the house! When Frank asked the homeowner why, the response was simple. “You said you couldn’t, and we found someone who could. The money wasn’t an issue. We wanted the shade now.”

That lesson stuck with Frank. Years later his company was presented with a similar situation. Access only allowed for a 3” tree. Frank, thinking back, told his salesperson to quote in two ways. One, quote 3” trees ball-carted to the desired location. Second, quote 10” trees placed via HELICOPTER CRANE. Of course, the price difference was astronomical. But the client decided he had more money than time and Mariani Landscape placed 10” shade trees via helicopter crane, creating a happy customer and a profitable job.

This story made me think about the odd things that we have had requested of OUR company. Now, we have never had to "helicopter" a tree into place. But we have arranged deliveries to Mackinaw Island - picture a semi-truck on a barge with the waves washing over the bow and under the truck. Or the time we sent send a semi-load of material to Minot, North Dakota. If it is important to the client, money is secondary to the action.

Just last night my wife was flying home from a much needed vacation. Then at 2 AM the last leg of her flight was canceled. There I was, searching flights on my iPad to get my exhausted wife home. Price meant very little to me. Getting her home with the least amount of headache added to an already stressful trip was the most important thing.

Knowing your clients is part of what you do every day. Make sure you use this to your advantage. You never know when your biggest challenge may also become your biggest success, leading to one of your most successful marketing pieces.