News & Education
There’s no denying that the propensity towards gardening has certainly changed since the pandemic began back in March of 2020. But the real question on everyone’s mind is how many first-time gardeners will return in 2021? According to Katie Dubow, president of the award-winning lawn and garden public relations agency Garden Media Group, she anticipates 80…
Read More
It’s no secret that the horticultural industry has struggled with labor issues both in terms of cost (minimum wage increases) and availability (immigration reform; lack of skilled workers). To provide some perspective on the severity of the situation, we reference a recent study conducted by the American Society for Horticulture Science. What they discovered is…
Read More
During AmericanHort’s recent State of the Industry address during CultivateVirtual in July 2020, the leading national association for the green industry covered many topics not surprisingly related to COVID-19. One obvious and positive highlight focused on consumer spending and the “record year” the industry is having as a result. Through June 21 (week 25), the…
Read More
The growth of the horticultural industry has been tremendous during COVID-19. This comes as many other industries have sadly experienced significant losses as they try to adjust to the unexpected changes in consumer behavior and increased governmental regulations. There are few statistical studies in existence on the growth of the horticultural industry as it pertains…
Read More
Labor shortages continue to remain an issue in the horticulture industry, and automation-friendly containers are looked upon as the solution. Many greenhouses and nurseries are turning towards contract employees to fill the labor void. But while they provide the physical assistance required in the operation, they often have no or very limited industry experience and…
Read More
Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932) is often referred to as one of the first women in horticulture. Gertrude created over 400 of the most beautiful garden designs throughout the United States and Europe during her lifetime. She called Surrey, England home for most of her life, which is where she ran a modest garden center where she…
Read More
“What we learn from plants is not always obvious, yet that doesn’t mean they’re not teaching us something all season long.” – Anonymous These are challenging times, where closures and quarantines show no prejudice. Where nature seems unaffected by an innate need to emerge from dormancy and prosper – even in the face of unprecedented…
Read More
The history of plant containers is not something many people ponder when they have a few minutes to spare. But it’s of interest to know that plant containers (or flowerpots) date back to the Egyptians. As it turns out, the Egyptians were the first civilization to use plant containers (outdoors) as a secure method of…
Read More
Garden Media, a garden communication and consulting organization, recently compiled data on the industry trends for spring 2020 and beyond. For growers, gardeners and more, this information is invaluable as societal and environmental changes continue to alter our day-to-day familiarity. Here’s a sampling of their report. Supporting circular economies In his book The Circular Economy,…
Read More
From grower to gardener, everyone’s awaiting the arrival of spring weather and the beginning of a new growing season. We’re eager to slip on our gardening gloves, break out the patio furniture, tune-up the lawn mower and clean out our planting beds and flowerpots so they’re ready for the beautiful blossoms we’ll purchase from garden…
Read More