We will periodically be bringing you highlights of what’s going on across the markets – fresh and hardgoods alike. We’ll touch on topics like supply & demand, season beginnings/endings, weather forecasts and everything in between. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Enjoy!
We don’t have too much to report this week. The market is pretty typical for this time of year. Everyone is focused on Garlands, Wreaths, Poinsettias, Pine Cones, Bows and Ornaments.
Basics
Alstroemeria– Demand for White Alstro has increased GREATLY and so has pricing. White and other holiday colors will remain more difficult to procure through the month, so plan your needs and get your orders to your sales rep. Meanwhile, demand for Assorted Boxes has dropped dramatically as it always does this time of year, so we will be reducing our inventory to follow suit.
Carnations and Mini Carnations– So far we are not forecasting any major shortages of Carns and Mini Carns for the holiday. We will be reducing the number of novelty varieties we carry due to low demand. We can’t buy a box just to sell a bunch or two and throw the rest out.
Gyp- Production is limited at most farms and availability is tightening up as farms curtail production in December in order to gain production later to cover Valentines needs. Meanwhile we do have one farm with heavy production, so check out the great specials for this coming week.
Lilies- Demand for White LA and Oriental lilies will remain high for the month, so supply in most cases will be somewhat limited so we may see shortages from time to time. Plan your holiday and party needs ahead of time. We have a great price on some Dutch Oriental Whites and South American LA Whites for next week, but don’t expect that price to last beyond next week.
Statice- White Statice as always will be limited during December. Statice is a two year plant, meaning once planted, growers expect production for 2 years, on a day in and day out basis. Since demand for White is limited most other times of the year, not many plants are planted.
Roses
Reds and Whites– Prices on Reds have been pretty low, so even with some increases this week they are still reasonable. Whites are pretty reasonable this coming week too. However we expect that to change dramatically for the week of the 12th. Be sure to try some of the 50 cm Freedom from Distinctive Values this week. A portion of each sale benefits a Foundation that helps feed, educate and provide healthcare for the children of the farm’s workers, as they have done for many years. They do some great things for these kids, who otherwise would have very limited access to these services.
Colors– Not much change here. The market is pretty soft for non-holiday colors, and we expect that to remain the case through most of January, with the exception of a few of the most popular varieties. Make sure you try some Sahara and Free Spirit. These popular varieties are very difficult to secure during the peak months of wedding season, but thanks to one supplier that gives us their entire production, we have a great supply the rest of the year. These are awesome varieties you can use year round.
Sahara
Free Spirit
Miscellaneous
White Phalaenopsis – White Double Spike Phalaenopsis Plants are in very short supply right now. They are developing very slowly due to the cooler temperatures. We are getting as many as we can get our hands on, but we expect this shortage to last a few more weeks.
Japanese Sweet Pea– We received our first shipment of the season this past week. They are ony about 40 cm tall so far but will get to 50 or 60 cm tall as the season goes forward. The Japanese Sweet Pea are stunning if you’ve never seen them, but somewhat limited and always very popular.
