Contract Growing: Being Proactive vs Reactive
What is contract growing?
Growers like us at Native Forest Nursery can accommodate wholesale customers' needs through a contract growing system where native plants or hard-to-find species are grown to meet future needs. A wholesale customer can select native plants through this process to meet the future requirements of their property, and rest easy knowing they are actively being grown for them.
Proactive – “Intending to produce a good result or avoid a problem, rather than waiting until there is a problem.”
At Native Forest Nursery, we specialize in contract growing for our customers. We believe that being proactive vs reactive is the best way to ensure you have the planting stock you need for your projects and to ensure that the stock is of the highest quality.
One of the universal truths of growing tree and shrub species is that you have to plan at least a year in advance to end with the crop that you want. This is due primarily to the fact that seeds, seedlings, and container plants undergo a dormant period every year where they simply aren’t growing.
It is also true that in the current market for nursery stock, availability is scarce for good seed and liner stock when proper planning is not involved. In short, being reactive is a risk, and you are unable to ensure that you will end up with the best planting stock possible for your planting projects.
Here is a list of the benefits that we feel our customers realize when they choose to contract grow with us:
Healthy Plants with First Rate Root Systems – Thanks to our root pruning practices, nutrition regime, and plant health management our stock is filled with healthy root systems that are sure to thrive after being transplanted.
Higher Quality Plants – In comparison to shopping from what remains on current availability lists, our contract growing ensures higher quality plants for your projects.
Guaranteed Pricing – Our guarantees allow customers to have more predictable costs and margins in comparison to riding the price rollercoaster in today’s market.
Simplified Logistics – Let us take care of the logistics of getting all the material delivered to the project site on a schedule that meets your needs.
No Surprises – Feedback is provided at several critical points of the growing season to ensure that there are no surprises with plant quantities or growth toward the desired specification.
The common theme of these benefits is less risk to the success of your project. We are proud to be a trusted partner with our customers and to be rooted in the success of their projects. If you want quality plants, exceptional service, and good value, contact us today to discuss your contract growing needs.