Marketplace News

Garden Writers Association Foundation survey: Edibles will remain big in 2010
According to the 2009 Edibles Gardening Trends Research Report conducted by the Garden Writers Association Foundation (GWAF) in November, more than 41 million U.S. households (38%) grew a vegetable garden in 2009. More than 19.5 million households (18%) grew an herb garden, and 16.5 million households (15%) grew fruits.

Did edibles gardening grow in 2009? There was definitely a growth in edibles gardening from both experienced gardeners and an influx of new gardeners. Among those that grew edibles gardens this year, 92% had previous experience and 7% (7.7 million households) were new to edibles gardening. One-third of the experienced gardeners reported growing more edibles in 2009 than in the previous year, while 46% reported they grew about the same as 2008, and 19% grew less than the previous year.

Will edibles gardening continue to expand in 2010? When asked if they planned to continue their garden for 2010, 37% of households reported plans to increase their edible gardens, 29% reported they planned to plant about the same as 2009 and only 1% reported they would plant less than this year. Although a significant number (15%) remained undecided regarding their 2010 plans, the strong response for growing more edibles next year should carry the market to a new level of activity.

The main reason given for increasing or maintaining edible gardening for next year was to supplement household food supply. The most common reasons given for planting less next year were: lack of success in 2009 (14%), cost (13%), loss of interest (8%) and time involved (4%).

Consumer information sources. With over 7 million households becoming new edibles gardening participants in 2009, the GWAF investigated where consumers were getting their gardening information. The top response was friends, which has been the leading response in almost every past survey. Having magazines, books, retailers and newspapers in the third through sixth positions was also not a surprise. However, Web sites, now listed as the #2 information resource, were #5 as recently as March 2009. Garden blogs were used by 9% of respondents in March, but listed by 7% of respondents in November.
 

New England Grows attendance up 3%
New England Grows, held Feb. 3-5 in Boston, had 13,044 attendees this year, eclipsing the 2009 draw by three percent. Professional growers, landscapers, retailers and educators joined more than 600 exhibitors for the 2010 conference, the 18th in the event’s history.

This year’s 30-plus seminars offered an assortment of entertaining and beneficial talks for hort pros of all types. Plus, for the first time, the event featured “Ask the Expert” mini sessions, during which GIE Media editors and educational experts traded notions with show-goers.

“This is a unique event,” said New England Grows’ president Jon Ciffolillo, MCLP of Greenscapes, Inc. in Taunton, Mass. “Every year, thousands of green industry professionals come to Boston to experience New England Grows where they find the best new ideas, the finest networking opportunities, and the most innovative solutions in the marketplace today.”

Next year, New England Grows is scheduled for Feb. 2-4, 2011 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. www.NewEnglandGrows.org
 

WHO’S NEWS?

New positions
Shelby Singleton to sales and client relations manager, Carolina Native Nursery, Burnsville, N.C.

Chris Berg to director of marketing, EuroAmerican Propagators, Bonsall, Calif.

Robert Gordon to national sales manager, Border Concepts, Charlotte, N.C.

Scott Morgan to assistant product manager, Olds Garden Seed, Madison, Wis.

Layci Gragnani to ornamental marketing/sales director, Greenheart Farms, Arroyo Grande, Calif.

Associations
Bert Swanson, Swanson’s Nursery Consulting, Park Rapids, Minn., was named president of Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association.

Garden Centers of America announced new officers and board members for 2010. Dave Williams of Williams Nursery in Westfield, N.J., has been elected president of the board. Other officers include Gino Pitera of Gertens in Inver Grove Heights, Minn., elected to serve as president-elect, Kris Shepard of Alsip Home and Nursery in Frankfort, Ill., elected treasurer, and Jim Feeney of Feeney’s Nursery in Feasterville, Pa., who will serve as past president. New directors include Frances Grossman of Grossmans Garden and Home in Penfield, N.Y., Sandy Noten of Bob’s Garden Center in Egg Harbor Township, N.J., Julie Hoffman of East River Nursery in Huron, S.D. and Tim Elbert of Four Season’s Nursery in Central Point, Ore.

Business news
Shippers Warehouse, Dallas, joined the SmartWay Transport Partnership, a collaboration between the EPA and the freight industry to reduce air pollution.

ConservCo Water Conservation Products, Reno, Nev., acquired Cement Solution Company, Indianapolis.

Hort Couture, Daniels, W.V., will premier its new 2011 genetics at Island View Nursery, Santa Barbara, Calif., during the California Spring Trials April 10-17, 2010.

Honors
ANLA’s Garden Center University Class of 2010 graduated in January. During the two-year course, 40+ participants learned and shared business tactics, resulting in an overall increase in net profit of 7.1 percent.
 

CALENDAR

March 2010
6, Proven Winners Outdoor Living Extravaganza, Chicago; www.provenwinners.com
8-9, SAF Congressional Action Days, Washington, D.C.; www.congressionalactiondays.com
8-10, IPM Dubai International Plants Expo Middle East, Dubai; www.ipm-dubai.net
11-12, Texas ASLA Annual Conference, San Antonio, Texas; www.texasasla.com/conference/GieMediaInc.com
13, Proven Winners Outdoor Living Extravaganza, Minneapolis; www.provenwinners.com
21-24, Boston Gift Show, Boston, Mass.; www.urban-expo.com
26-27, Proven Winners Outdoor Living Extravaganza, Vancouver, British Columbia; www.provenwinners.com

April 2010
10-11, Progressive Gardening Trade Association Annual Meeting, San Antonio, Texas; www.pgta.org
10-17, California Spring Trials, various locations; www.ngb.org
15, Invasive Insect and Disease Program, Germantown, Md.; (301) 590-2807
18-21, National Greenhouse Manufacturers Association Spring Meeting, Kahuku-Oahu, Hawaii, www.ngma.com
20-23, United Fresh, Las Vegas; www.unitedfresh.org
24, Proven Winners Outdoor Living Extravaganza, Boston; www.provenwinners.com

May 2010
5-6, Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association 21st Annual Meeting, Tucson, Ariz.; www.toca.org

June 2010
2, California Grown Show, Costa Mesa, Calif.; www.californiagrownshow.com
6-9, North American Horticulture Supply Association Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, N.M.; www.nahsa.com
15-17, National Lawn & Garden Show,  Colorado Springs; www.nlgshow.com
17, MNLA Field Day, Davidsonville, Md.; (410) 823-8684
27-30, Garden Centers of America Summer Tour, Orlando, Fla.; www.gardencentersofamerica.org

July 2010
3-11, Adrian Blooms’ Celebration of English Gardens Tour, England; (866) 642-7120
18-24, Perennial Plant Symposium, Portland, Ore.; www.perennialplant.org