Posted on 02/15/2010 7:10:14 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
PORTLAND, Ore. — Like his father, grandfather and great-grandfather, David Niklas feels the quickening of spring as the season ramps up at his wholesale nursery in a farming community south of Portland. Niklas and his workers busily package plants for shipment.
These days, his flowers and vegetable seedlings have fewer places to go, as the housing bubble burst and the state and national economies flatlined.
Just three years after reaching a record high of almost $1 billion in sales, Oregon's nursery industry has plummeted into an historic slump. Nurseries are laying off employees, cutting costs and foregoing new buildings and equipment.
A few, like Niklas' Clackamas Greenhouses, have gone bankrupt.
"The family has poured money into it as we tried to restructure it and make new markets," said Niklas, who had to file bankruptcy after losing almost half his sales when his primary retailer was bought out. "Commercial lenders aren't talking to me because I'm coming out of bankruptcy.
"They aren't even talking to GM, so why would they talk to a little nursery?"
(Excerpt) Read more at google.com ...
Garden Ping-Worthy?
Year before last our company (Garden Center) started tightening its belt. And I mean TIGHT. There has been a core staff of FOUR this winter running things, getting ready for Spring. It’s been tough and tiring, but we have jobs!
It’s bad enough that some have had the weather working against them; many southern nurseries went belly-up due to drought, but this man-made DISASTER of an economy is going to hurt many, many others.
Learn to grow your own food. Even SOME of it. That skill is going to come in handy in the near future. :)
Do you ship to other states?
With the upswing in gardening one does not think about this. But I know while I would like to plant a couple fruit trees, they are pricey and I am sticking with vegetables and a grape vine or two.
Yes, it might be a shameless plug, but I have dealt with this nursery and it is one of the best IMHO. And I have no connections at all except as a customer.
With the upswing in gardening one does not think about this. But I know while I would like to plant a couple fruit trees, they are pricey and I am sticking with vegetables and a grape vine or two.
I, too have purchased from them. The plants arrived in WAY better condition than most mail-order plants.
I mean WAY WAY better.
Thank you. We appreciate your business.
This season I am keeping very tight reins on inventory. I’m not going to have the huge selection I usually do, but I will have plenty of the top sellers.
Seed sales were up 30% last season; I’m predicting more of the same. Veggie plant sales were slightly higher than normal, and sales of annuals were steady. Perennials are down. Trees and shrubs went up, overall, last year.
Who knows what this season will bring? But we’ll be ready and we’ll be smart about it. ;)
I’m off to work! See you all tonight. :)
Since I started gardening I have only planted plants that produce something we can eat.
My wife did plant some Elephant Ear bulbs.
I did my part, as well.
There ARE edible flowers...I’m just not planting any of them. :-)
I understand the Elephant Ear bulbs are edible. ???
I do believe your sales will suffer when the coming glaciers cover your parking lot...
DITTO!
What is your best strawberry for growing in the mid-south (Virginia)? I have been trying growing some in past years, but have not been very successful.
hmmm, I just finished building a modest green house (16x16) for my garden. I’ve got plenty of seeds maybe I should start a little local nursery for vegie gardeners? Wonder where I could get the little starter thingies (cheap). Right now I am used old foam coffee cups.
Learn to adapt.
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