Whether you’re in the middle of planning your wedding or you just want to celebrate someone special, chances are you’ve tried to order some flowers in the past few months. Yet, when you go online to make the order, you keep seeing the same three words: “Out of Stock.”
There is currently a major flower shortage all across the country. This is impacting not only the floral industry, but weddings, funerals, and more. But why, exactly, is this happening? Here we explain the 2021 & 2022 flower shortage and what you can expect in the coming months:
What’s Causing the Flower Shortage?
The flower shortage is a complex issue that isn’t due to just one factor. There are actually several reasons why you’re struggling to buy flowers at this moment:
The COVID-19 Pandemic
Perhaps the biggest factor impacting the flower supply is the COVID-19 Pandemic. During 2020 and into 2021, roughly one third of floral farms were forced to shut down. Some of these farms did not open again. However, even the ones that did struggled to get back up to speed. Closed farms did not tend to their crops, which meant those very crops weren’t being harvested months later. Additionally, the farms that did stay open during the pandemic were working with a smaller staff and were unable to produce the same numbers as they did pre-pandemic.
High Demand
When the pandemic began, many people turned to flowers to remind their loved ones that they still care about them even while they’re apart. As beautiful and heartwarming as that sentiment was, it created a higher demand than normal. That demand hasn’t dropped. In fact, it’s increased now that weddings and other large events are starting up once again.
Extreme Weather
Climate change is causing extreme weather all across the country. These include droughts, wildfires, and storms that are destroying crops and reducing an already limited supply of flowers.
Other Industries
When one industry experiences a slowdown, it creates a domino effect that impacts the rest of the economy. The floral industry relies on transportation companies to deliver their products. However, these very companies are experiencing labor shortages, meaning they can’t deliver products in as quickly as they did pre-pandemic.
What Can You Do?
The flower shortage is likely to continue into 2022, but thankfully there are ways you can cope. We recommend that you start buying your flowers as early as possible. This will ensure that you get the flowers you want on-time. However, there is still a chance that the flowers you want won’t be available. They may also be more expensive than you’d like due to the shortage. In that respect, you’ll need to be flexible and open to changing your floral preferences.
At TLW, we can help you navigate the flower shortage so that you get the flowers you want when you need them.
We remain committed to following the CDC and social distancing guidelines as our employees’ and clients’ health are our number one priority.
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