The triumphant return of Mr. Silver Lining

Hello nurserymen and nurserywomen, Mr. Silver Lining here.

Regular readers of this publication know Mr. Silver Lining. They know he battles rampant negativity in this industry. They know he makes bold predictions and has an incredible track record of accuracy.

They know that, for reasons known only to him, Mr. Silver Lining speaks of himself only in the third person.

Well Mr. Silver Lining has been quiet for some time. But he has been listening. He’s heard the whining and pessimism spewing from nursery folks. Finally, Mrs. Rose Colored Glasses had enough and said, “Are you going to do anything about this?” and kicked Mr. Silver Lining off the couch.

It’s time for another round of bold, yet certain to transpire, predictions sure to boost your optimism.

Prediction No. 1. Things get better from here.
Mr. Silver Lining heard the thud. We hit rock bottom.

Housing data looks better. More people are buying new homes and this time around they’re being more sensible. Commercial work is picking up, and government planners are starting to realize the incredible value streetscapes add to U.S. cities.

More plants are going to be installed in 2010. Will the market take off like a rocket? No. But you can predict steady improvement over the next several years.

Prediction No. 2. The glut is de-gluttified.
Has every nursery out there gotten rid of all its excess inventory? No. Are there still nurseries trying to move old product cheap? Yes.

But the massive glut of plants and trees that existed six months ago has dwindled. People have reacted to economic conditions and are planting more cautiously.

So what does this mean? You’re not going to receive as many fire-sale e-mails as in 2009. Availability is going to go down. Prices will tick back up.

Take Mr. Silver Lining’s advice: Lock down your plant orders early in 2010. Don’t expect exactly what you need to be available exactly when you need it. And be darned careful when you’re bidding jobs more than just a few months down the road.

Will we all automatically sell everything we grow like back in the mid 1990s? No, but that brings Mr. Silver Lining to…