Inflation is a dirty word, unless you’re talking about a blow up Santa or turkey on your front yard. But let’s face it, with the price of gas between $3.40 and $3.60 locally, inflation is here to stay. Transportation costs account for almost 33% of the price of the items you are buying. So when fuel goes up so does everything else.
I am already starting to plan for spring 2022 now at the store, and I am finding that greenhouse growers are not locking in prices right now because of the uncertain fuel oil costs for winter. Fuel oil prices are much higher this winter and even the price of coal has increased year over year. As a result growers are finding it hard to really lock in spring wholesale costs.
On one hand they don’t want to be priced too high that the products won’t sell and, on the other hand, they need to be able to make a profit on what they have grown. So with all the other uncertainties about supply chains, covid and inflation for spring, now there are grower issues as well.
Supply chain issues are nothing new, but the expanse of products that are in short supply is. Prior planning prevents poor performance and for this upcoming year prior planning will be key. Last January we ordered an entire year’s supply of canning jars so that we would not run out again in the middle of the summer just when everyone wants them.
Soon we will be ordering them again for 2022 season. We have to get them right away when they become available instead of waiting until we really need them in June, July and August.
Right now it is Carhartt winter clothing season, but most of the items we are selling now came in way back in July and August, because this time of the year Carhartt is having shipping issues as they do not have enough employees to get orders out in a timely fashion. We order from Carhartt about every other day, but each order can take anywhere from two to ten weeks to come in.
And once we hit December 26th, all the attention will turn to planning for the spring season ahead. We have already ordered perennials, berry bushes and fruit trees for spring, but there is a lot more to do. We are finding that simple things that we just take for granted will be available, are not.
This fall we found that there was a shortage on burlap that is used for wrapping plants to protect them from the deer over the winter. Now getting ready for spring we find bamboo stakes in short supply. Also bamboo rakes were in short supply this fall and’ if we could get them’ they were twenty to thirty percent more than last fall.
So what I am getting at this week is “Plan Ahead.” If you start seeds indoors in March or April, get your supplies early in January or February. Don’t expect to just be able to walk in and get what you want on a moments notice.
And this is not just for gardening supplies, look at the grocery store and box store shelves. This issue will affect us for the next year or two, it will not be fixed by spring.
So after hunting for the perfect gifts for family and friends for the holiday season, start thinking about hunting for supplies for your 2022 spring garden.