Schaefer Greenhouses in
High-quality, beefy plants command a high value, and Schaefer Greenhouses does not grow or market “commodity” items, said Mike Schaefer, a fourth-generation grower.
“Our plants, like our mums and poinsettias, have four cuttings per pot. We produce a premium product,” Schaefer said.
Although Schaefer Greenhouses specializes in potted flowering plants, it also produces spring and fall annuals and interior foliage plants. It also wholesales poinsettia cuttings.
Finished plants are available for wholesale in sizes ranging from 4 1/2-12 inches.
The plants are grown on Midwest GroMaster ebb-and-flow benches that allow the grower to recycle water and fertilizer. The evenness of the irrigation provided by the benches contributes to the production of uniform crops. Plants are produced in Pro-Mix with Biofungicide from Premier Horticulture, which has reduced the need for disease treatments.
“It pays off in the long run,” he said. “It’s more forgiving, and you can cut back on fungicide use dramatically. It more than pays for itself.”
Big boxes need not apply
Schaefer sells to retail flower shops, independent garden centers and “select” supermarkets. The grower also sells to landscapers in the
“That’s a market we’d like to venture into more,” Schaefer said. “We do a lot of custom growing for landscapers -- things we don’t carry in our store or old-fashioned varieties that are hard to find. It’s what the landscape architects want, and in great quantities.”
Fundraisers for schools, churches and civic organizations provide a steady stream of sales. Plants for fundraisers include bedding plants, hanging baskets and geraniums in the spring, Easter lilies and poinsettias.
“We got into fundraising a couple of years ago, and orders have been growing steadily ever since,” Schaefer said. “There’s limited space in the greenhouse during the spring, but we’ll continue the program.”
About 20 percent of Schaefer’s production accounts for its own retail inventory. The production and retail divisions share greenhouse space.
Because of the many new cultivars released each year, the company monitors trends in trade and consumer magazines and visits the nearby Ball Horticultural trial gardens in
“There are so many new and improved varieties coming out, but we find people tend to like the old-fashioned varieties,” he said. “The novelties are usually hot at first, then fade in popularity.”
Turmoil to triumph
Schaefer Greenhouses was in the middle of a major renovation in 1996 when a major weather event altered its construction schedule. In July, an unprecedented 17 inches of rain fell in 24 hours. Flash floods resulted in 6 feet of water rushing through the greenhouses and the store, just as the company was putting up new structures. After some intensive cleanup and construction delays, a 1-acre Rough Brothers house was completed.
On June 14, 1999 a devastating fire destroyed much of the retail facilities, except the garden department. Fortunately, the 3-year-old greenhouse addition was not damaged.
“It affected the whole business, not just the retail end,” Schaefer said. “It destroyed our gift shop, our design room and our boiler room. We had to scramble to get boilers in, which we were able to do by October, which is cutting it pretty close to freezing temperatures.”
The post-fire reconstruction included better traffic flow in the store, a consultation room, an improved floral design room, bigger coolers and mobile work tables.
For more: Schaefer Greenhouses Inc., (630) 896-2099; www.schaeferwholesaleplantgrower.com.
Founded: By Frank Schaefer Sr. in the early ’20s.
Location:
Size: 250,000 square feet of combined production and retail space.
Crops: The wholesale division grows florist-quality flowering potted plants, poinsettia cuttings, spring and fall annuals, and foliage plants.
Employees: 30 full-time, 100 during peak season.
Schaefer family supports business for 5 generations
Schaefer Greenhouses is an 80-year-old grower and retailer with five generations involved in the business.
The second generation, brothers Eric and Ed Schaefer, visit the greenhouses every day “to check up on things, even though they’re in their 80s and 90s,” said Mike Schaefer, production manager. Eric and Ed’s brother, Frank Jr., died about 15 years ago. The three brothers are sons of the original founder, Frank Sr.
Mike’s second cousin Brett heads up the garden department, and their cousin Maryann Kutnick is the retail manager. Brett’s dad, John, is the company president. John’s brother Jim works in the wholesale division. Brett’s daughters, Stephanie and Deanna, mark the fifth generation working at the company.
Mike’s family didn’t expect him to go into floriculture, but “it gets in your blood,” he said.
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“I’d come and help my dad as a kid, and my career path started from there,” Mike said.
- Kelli Rodda