maria Zampini \u2014 July 1, 2013<\/p>\n

Harmony Hill Nursery of Dowington, Penn., recently gave me a topic suggestion for this column via the Nursery and Greenhouse Production Facebook group. They asked, \u201cHow about a piece on grading plant material on quality standards as well as size requirements? Where is the quality going? Is it increasing to be the best or decreasing to win the race to the bottom? Bids are being awarded to the lowest bidder the last several years, regardless of quality. Where does our future lie?\u201d Hmmm \u2026 I\u2019m not sure, but let\u2019s give it a whirl.<\/p>\n

As some of you may know, besides my own business \u2013 UpShoot LLC \u2013 I am also the Director of Plant Development for the HGTV HOME Plant Collection. Right now we\u2019re focused on putting together and launching our perennial line. Besides genetics in the program, a major consideration has been the pot size. It seems every grower is suggesting a different size and\/or shape container. It\u2019s been a very interesting and educational process, to say the least.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been thinking, \u201cWhy is there what feels like 50 million different container sizes, shapes and colors to choose from in our industry?\u201d Why do we need a 1 gallon, a true 1 gallon, a cheater 1 gallon, and so on \u2026 . And then I saw a friend eating a container of Chobani yogurt. Its container is squat and round, whereas the Yoplait brand container that I normally buy is more of a flared, cylindrical shape. Yet Dannon\u2019s product is sold in a rounded square \u2026 and so on, and so forth. You get my drift. The container size, style, logo and color all contribute to the brand, and that\u2019s one way the product is easily distinguished among its competitors.<\/p>\n

And, just like people, it is really what\u2019s on the inside that significantly counts as well \u2013 or at least it should. Thus, in our example, each yogurt has different tastes, textures and quality. Unless you\u2019re strictly price-driven or brand-loyal \u2013 which many people are \u2013 what and how the product provides could be perhaps the main reason you choose one kind over another.<\/p>\n

So let\u2019s consider quality. But let\u2019s first look at the definition of quality. According to it can be:<\/p>\n

\n
1. an essential or distinctive characteristic, property, or attribute: the chemical qualities of alcohol.<\/li>\n
2. character or nature, as belonging to or distinguishing a thing: the quality of a sound.<\/li>\n
3. character with respect to fineness, or grade of excellence: food of poor quality; silks of fine quality.<\/li>\n
4. high grade; superiority; excellence: wood grain of quality.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

   To me, quality used to be a key differentiation strategy that set a company apart from others. It was an exception, not a rule. Nowadays, from an ornamental wholesale perspective at least, the middle ground seems to have somewhat disappeared; you\u2019ve either upped your game and have quality or you\u2019re among those in the bottom who don\u2019t.<\/p>\n

   Should there be uniformity in plant size and shape? Probably. I mean, why else do we have an \u201cAmerican Standards for Nursery Stock\u201d? I wonder, though, just how many industry people know it exists, let alone use it. I think those who have consistency in plant size and shape crop after crop, are the cream that rises to the top.<\/p>\n

   And is there a difference in plant quality at a box store versus an IGC? Overall, I would say yes \u2013 without a doubt. The box stores are going for the lowest price point, and quite often that means fewer inputs per pot or plants not being trimmed or pinched as often. However, the level of the quality found at box stores is getting better and better, so IGC\u2019s can\u2019t put all their eggs in the quality basket.<\/p>\n

   But just like beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so is quality. I ask you: Where do you buy your clothes, and why? Wal-Mart or Nordstrom? Target or Macy\u2019s? There is no right or wrong answer here; it is a personal choice, just like one\u2019s definition of acceptable quality. And the more often we can look at our product from our customers\u2019 or a consumer\u2019s viewpoint, the sooner we can meet and exceed their needs \u2013 and the better off we\u2019ll be.<\/p>\n

   Steve Jobs once said, \u201cFor you to sleep well at night, the aesthetic, the quality, has to be carried all the way through.\u201d I guess only you can decide how well you want to sleep each night.<\/p>\n

   Maria Zampini is the president of UpShoot LLC. Her company\u2019s focus is \u201cliving, sharing and supporting horticulture\u201d through new plant introduction representation including LCN Selections. She can be reached at [email protected].<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

   maria Zampini \u2014 July 1, 2013 Harmony Hill Nursery of Dowington, Penn., recently gave me a topic suggestion for this column via the Nursery and Greenhouse Production Facebook group. They asked, \u201cHow about a piece on grading plant material on quality standards as well as size requirements? Where is the quality going? Is it increasing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-902","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nursery"],"yoast_head":"\n