“ Our glasshouse has always tried to avail people empathize the value of grasses , and we see mass are becoming much more interested in them , ” says Shannon Currey , Marketing Director at Hoffman Nursery . At Hoffman Nursery in North Carolina , they have been farm cosmetic and native grasses since 1986 , and they ship to sweeping customers across the United States and Canada . advertize the beauty and note value of grass over the old age , they recently have see increasing popularity . Currey explain how they are seek to connect with the need , along with some of the improvements they are making as a company as a result of COVID-19.Shannon Currey and John Hoffman atCultivate’21“Greater need than we can meet”Currey credit that the requirement for ornamental and native grasses has recently been very mellow . “ At the import , the need is actually great than we can play . Last year in March 2020 , we had to reduce our minute for several week because of the pandemic . We were able-bodied to return to full - prison term by implementing newfangled safety protocols , but we did have to reduce our product . In the US , plant gross revenue started to jounce back as summer went on and newfangled gardeners emerged during the pandemic . In addition , a former freeze in Texas destroyed a lot of nursery blood and pulled in armory across the Southeastern US . There were shortages across much of the US . Because of that , many wholesalers and retailers were ordering earlier and more for 2021 . With all that demand , we have had some crops that were already sell out before we were even able to list them . ”Hoffman Nursery ’s dope in a playground in Raleigh , North CarolinaThe popularity of grassesCurrey explains that over the preceding decade , Hoffman Nursery has emphasized the ecologic role that grasses frolic . “ For model , people are delirious about pollinator - friendly flora , but they may not realize the importance of grass for pollinators . There are several variety that help corroborate pollinators , such as Little Bluestem , which serves as a host for skipper butterfly . Many North American native species provide food and shelter for birds and pocket-size mammals as well . Lately , there has been more emphasis in the US on ecological planting , and that has been driving interest in native species of grasses . ” In terms of the popular types of grasses , Currey shares that many people are looking for aboriginal selections that conform to well into managed landscapes and are pick out varieties that are more colorful and stay upright throughout the time of year . David Hoffman and John Hoffman with two Little Bluestem cultivarsPerennial Plant of the YearIn the US , the Perennial Plant Association has named Schizachyrium scoparium ( Little Bluestem ) and cultivars as the 2022 Perennial Plant of the Year ® . “ We are thrilled that a grass is named Perennial Plant of the Year , and we are very involved in promoting it . include cultivar means consumers can pick out the ones that cultivate best in their neighborhood and have increase decorative appeal . It adds a morsel of showiness to the bionomic time value this North American aboriginal brings , and there has been a groovy demand for them . Exciting raw pick like Schizachyrium ‘ Chameleon ’ are capturing attention . With green and white diversification , it is an exciting novel looking for fiddling Bluestem . ”Grasses on the output lineLabor shortage and supplying chain issuesDuring the pandemic , Hoffman Nursery has had to treat with the same challenges as many others in the industry . Disruptions in the supplying chain , project shortages , and new safety protocol were take up a lot of direction time . So Senior Director of Sales and Operations , David Hoffman , play in skillful service . According to Hoffman , “ We take a new operation manager for the nursery . He has old age of experience better company processes , increasing customer gratification , and work with expectant team . He ’s been able-bodied to rivet on efficiency in our operations and is helping align across our provision chain . We also hire a new logistics manager who handles all our merchant marine and oversees our facilities staff office . ” The nursery has recently also signed a contract that will enable them to contribute Edgar Guest workers into the land . “ The labor shortage is a major challenge for us . Like many nurseries , we had to dial back on production this twelvemonth because we could n’t get sufficient labor . Now , we are reckon onwards to having a stable , reliable workforce next year . ”Hoffman Nursery ’s current propagation spaceDoubling the propagation spaceCurrey also shares that they have recently been working on an add propagation blank . “ We do across an existing greenhouse locally , which we are moving and reconstructing to create a new propagation adroitness . We have been tight on propagation distance , which has limit what we have been able-bodied to do with seed items and young plant especially . With this new facility , we will more than double our dedicated multiplication outer space . We go for this will countenance us to add even more coinage to our assortment . ”For more information : Hoffman Nursery[email protected]www.hoffmannursery.com
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