First-time gardeners will return in 2021 – will you be ready?

Experts like Katie Dubow, president of the award-winning lawn and garden public relations agency Garden Media Group, are predicting that 80% of last year’s first-time gardeners will return to the soil in the spring of 2021.

The reason for this prediction (and it is just a prediction at this time) is based more on the realities of our calendar year than anything else.

Spring officially begins on Saturday, March 20, 2021. While that’s still a bit early for seasonal planting outdoors, seeds are already being propagated, beds and containers will soon be thawed and ready for preparation and home and garden websites will see an increase in traffic as novice gardeners seek more information to further hone their craft.

With only a few months before garden centers, nurseries and big-box stores begin stocking their greenhouses with plants, flowers and growing supplies, it doesn’t seem likely that normalcy will fully return throughout North America in such a short span of time.

Therefore, it appears that first-time gardeners will return in 2021 with more and more people (young and old) spending additional time in their backyards for DIY gardening and landscaping projects.

For those garden centers and nurseries who weren’t able to take advantage of curbside pick-up, there’s still time to get a plan up and running. This shift in the way customers shop allows garden centers and nurseries to keep a steady profit while making sure everyone is comfortable and safe. For more information on curbside pick-up, click here.

Additionally, it’s important to stay in front of your customers – especially as more and more people are still encouraged to stay close to home for the foreseeable future. While you may not be able to directly interact with your customers in person, you can still market to them, offering them education, information (and most of all) inspiration.

Print and digital newsletters, social media campaigns and appreciation programs are just a few ways to stay top-of-mind with both seasoned and prospective customers.

First-time gardeners will return, and you need to make sure that you’re ready to satisfy their demands.