By Emmy Powell
Communications Specialist

Despite drought, supply chain issues and increased input costs, Cherokee County nursery owners have had a successful year so far.

“I’ve experienced, since COVID, three of the best years. I’ve been in this (business) 30 years, and I’ve experienced three of the best years,” Rodney Williams, owner and operator of Williams Plants in Ponta, said. “When everything was getting shut down in 2020, I thought the world was coming to an end. Then, all of a sudden, the weather cleared up, and we went back to selling plants. Every year since has been, actually, a little better than that.”

Williams said his sales are higher this year than last year.

Although they work year-round, they are closed for business during the summer.

“The nursery is busy. We’re working year-round, but we’re only open for 10 weeks, starting March through Mother’s Day,” he said. “Every season’s a little different. Generally, we try to get shut down on Mother’s Day. Then, we open back up in September and run to mid-October. But again, we’re busy and open year-round as far as work goes, but as far as sales go, we just have those two seasons.”

Business has been going well for the Texas nursery, even though freight prices, fertilizer, other input costs and shortages have made an impact.

Williams said he now orders supplies a year out from when he needs them, as does Rhonda Jones, who owns and operates Jones Plant Farm in New Summerfield.

“We are having to turn our order in for the next year. I booked back in mid-spring for next season and hoped to get it,” Jones said. “You don’t have the luxury just to call up one of your vendors and ask for baskets on a short turnaround, because they’re not there. So, then you’re forced to grow in different sizes of pots of what you have on hand or what’s available instead of what you would normally do.”

Along with having to order supplies earlier than normal, they have had to adjust their prices. Jones said the cost of baskets, fertilizer and increased labor are factors when raising their prices.

“We had a tremendous amount of labor increase this past year,” she said. “You can’t find extra help if you need it.”

Despite this year’s challenges, Cherokee County nursery owners Williams and Jones remain optimistic going into the fall season.