When I started in the nursery long ago there were maybe five other women I knew, and two female landscapers, in the entire industry. Well, ok not really. I might be exaggerating. But It was a man's occupation for sure. But nowadays we women are absolutely everywhere! Fabulous! 

I would say that more the half of all the contacts I have in the industry are women. Perhaps way more than half. Once it used to be a female landscaper would come in once a week, now it is more like several times a day. I also get forwarded a lot of plant lists from designers and architects and most of them are women. Even Christensen’s is being taken over by women. There are fourteen of us on staff here now.

Back to that long ago time. There were just four girls at the Plant Center. Problem was three of them worked inside the office and the fourth was me! So it was me and the boys at break, me and the boys helping customers, me and the boys unloading trucks, fixing irrigation, pulling poly, going to trade shows (and hanging out with more boys!). Then I got to hire a girl for the perennial department and then another and another. Before you knew it - it was not the perennial department but the "perennial girls". I was so proud!

Now, new hires of either gender feel comfortable joining our team. A recent hire expressed how pleasantly surprised she was at the equality she found here at Christensen’s. Her experience with another green industry company had not been so amiable and she feared that it would be an obstacle she faced no matter where she went in our industry.

Thinking about how I was going to write this I looked at some statistics and it all made perfect sense, from 2012-2019 Michigan women owned business grew 29%. In 2015, 11% of the landscapers nationally were women, in 2021 it was 21%! I hired my first perennial girl in about 2012-2013 and now there are six of them. Move on over boys, the ladies are here to stay!

Inclusivity is always a good idea in any business, but especially in an industry where a majority of the end consumers are women. It is important to have perspectives that reflect all of the customers to know and understand your clientele.

I am happy to have witnessed the ascent of women in this industry. I may be a little impartial being a woman myself but the rise of women in the industry is the truth.

Do you buy a fresh Christmas tree? I do. Still a traditionalist. December 2020 was a "stay at home" year which meant Christmas tree shopping. Boy did I get a surprise, not just sticker shock - but finally on our third stop I found a tree “I could live with”. I tell this story because the scarcity of all evergreens is scary. Not just cute sheared Christmas trees, but 6’, 7’, 8’, and up, Colorados, Black Hills, even Chamys (can’t spell that word – it would make a great password). Soon Arborvitae? Then…? Get them as soon as you can and lock them up!

Unfortunately plant material in general is going to be scarce. 2020 was a boom year for “gen-whatever” to plant or get planted for yard fun. 2021 is going to be identical – just much harder. No, not harder – “more interesting”, as Tim would say. You might want to come to pick plants with a couple of options. Knowing which is more important: size? color? or location. If your customer really has to have “THAT” plant make sure they know, they may have to wait for “THAT” plant to grow up a little!

We are prepared!! We are working hard to make sure your job is easier. Remember: dull is well, just dull, but “more interesting” has sparkle.

What does it mean to be ready for a delivery? Let me put on my Delivery Driver’s hat and go over some areas where a little forethought can make everybody’s day run smoother.

A good place to begin is knowing who is managing the information flow. How does your crew find out what product is coming to the jobsite, and when it will be there? Someone should decide in advance where the product will be placed for efficient use and general safety, also in what order to bring in materials. You don’t want 20,000 lbs of paver pallets placed in the side yard if a load of aggregate still needs to be dumped in the backyard.

Knowing your jobsite includes knowing the way in from major roads. Look up and around, think about a semitruck driving on that road, unloading, and importantly, getting back out. Confirm the delivery location, especially if it’s new construction that may not be well addressed. Let your Christensen’s Salesperson know about any location concerns ahead of time.

On delivery day our drivers call the contractor before they leave the yard. It’s a quick conversation confirming that a crew will be on-site and ready to receive the delivery.

For plant material there should be enough help to toss cans and stand up trees for your machine to pick them up from the trailer deck. Stage them so they are not in the way and may be watered. Tree balls can be lifted by forks or nursery jaws, or even carefully rolled into a bucket. Potted plants can be slid into a skidsteer bucket or handed-off into the bed of a truck or onto the ground.

Hardscape materials frequently weigh up to 4000 lbs and the deck of a semi-truck may be chin-high. Many skidsteers cannot handle that kind of weight, especially at that height. Consider having a Christensen’s driver unload your product with our Moffett. Our operators are bright and well trained, they can unload and place your product safely and efficiently. Consider having pallets placed near where they will be installed so there are short carrying distances. Keep products that will be blended for color of size patterns near each other. Try to know the ground conditions of your staging area. Stacking pallets on unstable ground can be dangerous. A Moffett is a very large, wide machine. Make sure there is a clear pathway to your staging area.

When there are ancillary products on the delivery consider what must be protected from the weather. For example, polymeric sand must stay dry and glue shouldn’t freeze. Caulk guns and other small tools may “disappear” overnight.

There is, of course, a business component of a materials transaction. Plan payment method ahead of time with your salesperson. Any member of our sales team can accept payment on your order at the Plant & Hardscape Centers or over the phone. Cash, check, credit card, or on your house account. Though our drivers can accept a check, settling ahead of time streamlines the process on delivery day. Whatever the plan for payment is, be sure it is indeed a plan and discuss it with your salesperson.

Did you find some great new people to add to your team? Those first hours with a new employee can set the tone for your entire working relationship, so read on for some tips on making the most of them. Time invested at this beginning point might not seem like a big deal to you, but can mean the world to a tentative new employee.

Many company owners and upper management have been at their company for many years or even started their own company. It can be easy over the years to forget the “new job jitters.” Here are few thoughts from a new employee to help supervisors make the transition go smoothly. 

I think the most critical piece of advice would be, “Don’t overwhelm new employees with meeting everyone all at once.” It can be difficult to process names and positions all in the first day, when everything from the location of the facilities and parking to the technology might be new. If you’re a small company with a handful of employees, meeting everyone might be possible, but anything over 7-10 people could be too much to remember, especially if all of those people are wearing masks.

Additionally, instead of having meetings with other employees, have them shadow your existing staff. This will help create their own bonds, allow them to learn your company from many perspectives and understand the nuances and company culture.

Make the paperwork seem less important than the new employee. The easiest place for a company to start with a new employee is to overwhelm (and bore) them with the paperwork. While the forms and handbooks are important, taking some time getting to know the employee and getting them acquainted with the position will make them feel like you see them as a person, not as a number.

Give them an idea about the rules you’re strict with and the ones you’re flexible on. Communicating the nuances of a company culture can be difficult to do in a handbook. Giving verbal examples, such as, “lunch is at noon and it is important for you to go on time” or “lunch is usually around noon, but if you’re caught up in a project, you can be flexible with your time” helps a new hire to understand your expectations of their behavior. Most new hires are eager to fit in and providing as much communication with them will help them quickly assimilate to your company.

Remember that in our cyclical industry, a new employee might feel new for a whole year. Continue to be patient with their inquiries and think of them as new until they have seen how the seasonality affects their job.

Spending some extra time with a new employee can help improve your turnover rate, which helps with your bottom line. A recent survey from BambooHR showed that as many as 31% of new employees leave in the first six months, citing the top reasons being poor onboarding experiences, a lack of clarity surrounding job duties and expectations, or a less than stellar boss.* Since interviewing, hiring and onboarding new employees can be costly and time consuming, improving on a new employee’s starting experience is an investment in your company and its future.

* https://blog.bonus.ly/10-surprising-employee-retention-statistics-you-need-to-know

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 we approach the end of the 2020 planting season, I feel that most of us in the Michigan Green Industry have been pleasantly surprised by the amount of business this year. Logistics, COVID-19 delays and shutdowns plus supply shortages due to the unexpected demand for exterior home improvement projects have been ongoing challenges this season. And keep in mind that statistically, during an election year consumers normally ease up on spending due to “fear of change in political leadership”. I don’t think we’ve seen that.

Mortgage rates are at record lows, and desirable properties are being scooped up within days of being listed. My wife and I are in the homebuyers market, and this trend has been impressive and frustrating to experience. The saying of “Here today, gone tomorrow” has never been truer in my experience. And as we curtail travel and cultivate our social-distancing lifestyle, vacations have been replaced by “staycations”. If one can’t get away for a weekend, why not create a pleasant space to enjoy at home?

This year’s surge in business was completely unexpected, but what about next year? Will this trend continue? What will the state of our economy be once (or I hate to say, “if”) the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted? Many businesses and individuals qualified for financial assistance at the beginning of the pandemic, but chances are that taxpayers will have to pay it back, whether it’s in one year or spread out over several, further stressing the economic machine.

If the unbelievable demand for material continues into next year that will be good news. But what if demand for landscape work takes a downward spiral? If your business is focused on only one specific area, there could be trouble. It may be time to consider expanding the services of your business. Here are a few examples to consider if landscape or hardscape installation isn’t as easy to achieve in 2021:

• Seasonal fertilization programs to assist in a landscape’s overall beauty and protection.
• Water feature installations, such as fountains and small ponds.
• Landscape lighting enhancements to improve the home’s appearance.
• Winter maintenance programs for year round income.
• Tree and shrub trimming schedules for your existing customers.
• Assist others with your ideas and knowledge in landscape designing for new contractors.
• Insect control programs to help customers enjoy their new outdoor “staycation” spaces.
• Irrigation installation for both new and pre-existing landscapes.

There are numerous directions to pursue and research. I guarantee you that there are dozens of other options to consider. Do whatever you can to keep your business alive and well through these challenging times.

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.

In all bad things, there is good.

COVID-19 has caused havoc in many industries. It has closed many businesses, some never to reopen. Covid has sickened people and some have died from the illness. This is the bad.

Here is the good for the Green Industry:

• People were forced to stay home so they improved their homes
• Money issues were mitigated by a $1200 stimulus payment
• Businesses utilized the Payroll Protection Plan to keep their employees working
• The unemployed received $600 weekly from the federal government
• State unemployment checks continued to be paid
• Many people planted a vegetable garden for the first time or the first time in years
• Less travel meant fewer expenses for fuel, auto insurance
• Vacations were postponed or cancelled so with time and money available home living conditions were improved
• Landscaping and gardening are not impacted by crowds or social distancing
• Landscapers are remarkably busy because of limited staffs, no immigrant workers
• There is pent up demand within the green industry to hire additional staff

So what does the future hold for the Green Industry?

Here’s my view thru a slightly cracked crystal ball:

• Working from home will stay with us into the future
• Zoom meetings will replace much business travel
• Education will transition from the classroom to ??????
• Plants will occupy more of people's time and attention
• Embrace the change - it is happening!

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.