California Weather
You have probably seen what’s happening in California over the last two weeks. They have had heavy rain all over the state, covering all growing regions from North to South. While this is great in the long term, in the short term this causes some problems. There is a limited supply of all field crops and crops grown in hoop houses. Farms cannot get to some of their fields due to flooding, and most crops can’t be harvested when they are wet or they will just become moldy during shipping. It’s too early to tell if this will impact Valentine’s Day but that will become clear soon.
Novelties
Stephanotis- Production in California is limited right now. We will have limited quantities for the next two weeks. Canadian production is good so we will be supplementing with those. We can also get Stephanotis on the Vine.
Ginestra- We have the ever popular Ginestra now coming in from California and Italy. This week we have Pink, White, Yellow and Lavender.
Anemones- Our supplier in Ecuador is having some problems with their crop, so we won’t have those for a while. Meanwhile, California is in season and we have started getting some of the beautiful New York Anemone.
Dahlias- One of our farms in California is have a bit of a flush right now, so we have more than usual coming in at great prices.
Stock- Stock was limited already, and the rain has only made it more difficult. California production is weak, and rains in Ecuador have caused some quality issues with the South American Stock. We expect shortages in some colors this week.
Dutch Novelties- We will have lots of Dutch items this week, including Hyacinth, Daffodils, Allium and Lilac.
Peonies- The Peony season in Chile is winding down. Our shipment for this week will probably be our last for this year. There will be a short gap before the ones from Israel start, probably the last week of January.
Heather- Sadly, it seems that Heather from California is done for now and will not be available for Valentine’s Day. The good news is that one of our suppliers has planted a good amount that should be in production this time next year.
Flowering Branches- Flowering branches will be in season soon, starting with Forsythia towards the end of January. Note that we ship all Flowering Branches at a swollen bud stage. We cannot ship fully bloomed flowering branches because the blooms will get damaged, dehydrated and brown. You will need to finish forcing open the branches by putting them in water and in a warm/sunny location. The length of time for the branches to bloom varies with each item code and can sometimes take up to 20+ days. Consult your sales rep for more detailed information on specific items.
Botanical
Re-Stocking Sale- Make sure you take advantage of our Botanical Restocking Sale, now through the end of January.
Primrose– We got our first shipment of Local Primrose this week. Check them out- a great way to add a splash of color to your store.
Bulb Plants– We have started to see small quantities of Daffodils, Hyacinths, Tulips etc. from Canada. The local will be ready in a few more weeks.
Roses
Valentine’s Day- The holiday is right around the corner. We are predicting a very strong year with the holiday falling on a Tuesday after the last three years being on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We strongly suggest prebooking now, especially if you prefer the premium farms and colors. So far we expect to have a good inventory, but that will start to change quickly.
Colors- Not much change of the last few weeks. Prices are average and availability is good. Check out this new variety called Sunset Glory:
Reds- This is a little tricky. Last year we were getting some premium Reds at very cheap prices. This year those farms have very little to offer and prices are very high. Other farms have good availability and more normal prices. After next week we will start to see how the crops are expected to fare for the holiday.
Basics
General- Laceflower, Solidago and longer grades of Liatris continue to be somewhat limited. Most other items are good, but in a week or two farms will begin to hold product for the holiday so availability will start to tighten up and prices will start to climb.
Alstro- We have a good supply of Alstro for this week, but looking towards the holiday the supply will be very tight as it is for every major holiday since Alstro can’t be cropped specifically for a holiday. Prices will be high, and you would be wise to prebook what you need. Check out this new variety called Cherish:
Carnations and Mini Carnations- These are starting to move up in price, but the crops look to be right on time for most farms.
Mums and Pom Pons- Lavender Poms are somewhat limited for this week. Otherwise our inventory is good. Prices are starting to climb as farms start to ship to bouquet makers.
Leatherleaf- We think we will have good inventory for the holiday, but we have been seeing some suppliers not offering it for the holiday, or offering it at very high prices.
