There's no escaping it anymore, autumn has arrived. You can see it not only on the calendar, but also outside. Shops, garden centres, and even street markets are now bursting with autumn products. This week, auctioneer Erik Boland shares his insights on classic autumn favourites, plant-related "holidays," and some recent developments in the market.

Erik Boland

When you look at the auction clock or visit shops and garden centres, the season is clear. Decorative fruits, Calluna, Cyclamen, Schlumbergera, Hebe, Azalea, and pot Chrysanthemums are the stars of the moment. These plants are performing very well at auction. The warm colours of autumn are in demand and easy to sell. By contrast, Kalanchoë, potted roses, and Begonias traditionally see a dip in popularity during this time of year.

The same trend applies to cut flowers. Buyers are leaning towards autumn shades, with Chrysanthemums, Hydrangeas, and berry products like Symphoricarpos and Callicarpa doing especially well on the clock. The expectation is that demand for these will stay strong in the coming weeks.

Looking ahead to plant celebrations
Halloween is just around the corner, and its influence is already showing in the auction's arrangements section. Pumpkins, ghosts, spiders, and plenty of orange and black are making their appearance. Buyers are also preparing for All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day in early November. Around that time, people traditionally place Chrysanthemums and Calluna on the graves of loved ones. As auctioneers, we adapt our strategies for these seasonal "plant holidays." For example, we adjust the minimum purchase quantities to encourage the sale of larger volumes.

Visiting a grower
On one of my recent market visits, I met a grower who had suddenly managed to sell his nursery. He cultivates Gloriosa, both as a cut flower and as a potted plant. The deal was finalised at the beginning of September, and by the end of this year his greenhouses must be empty. As auctioneers, we see it as our duty to maintain a wide range of products on the clock. Gloriosa is a unique, niche product, and it would be a real loss to see it disappear. That's why we actively tip growers who might be interested in taking it on and share the news with our product and account managers. In this way, we aim to keep the auction's range as broad and diverse as possible.

Changes to plant location draws
To keep prices stable and fair, it makes sense for the most expensive products to be auctioned first. Sometimes, the same product ends up selling at different prices depending on the auction location. From now on, growers can decide the order in which their plants are auctioned across the three hubs: Naaldwijk, Rijnsburg, and Aalsmeer. For now, this option is still experimental and will run until 14 November. Please note, it applies only to plants.

The "Saint Salary" effect
At the end of the month, demand at the clock usually rises. Why? Because people have just been paid. After the expensive summer holiday season in August, by September and October they once again have money to spend on flowers and plants. Traders respond by stocking up garden centres, shops, and street markets. This means prices are likely to stay stable, or even quite good, over the next two weeks.

Source: www.floraldaily.com