Garden Center web news and social media highlights from February 2018

Multimedia | Video

Software that helps businesses grow

At Garden Center, a sizeable part of our mission is to share success stories from independent garden centers that other retailers can learn from. Sister publication Nursery Management magazine attended the 2018 Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (MANTS) and caught up with Rachel Elder of Homestead Gardens, who described how advanced point-of-sale systems and other retail support systems can help to retain customers and increase market share. Be sure to see the rest of our MANTS video coverage at http://www.nurserymag.com/videos/category/videos/.

Watch here: bit.ly/2rXQzIy

What's trending on social media

The new year is a perfect time to celebrate new beginnings, and at the start of 2018, we wanted to share some insights into the future with a video we recorded last year in partnership with The Garden Media Group. The video details GMG’s 2018 Garden Trends Report, a review of the designs, sensibilities and practices expected to shape the gardening world in the 2018, and our Facebook followers were eager to start the new year with a focus on the future.

See it here: bit.ly/2DSsUPv

Your turn

Each month, we ask readers a different question about their retail operations, inviting them to answer via email or social media. You can send your answers to associate editor Conner Howard at choward@gie.net.

THIS MONTH’S QUESTION:

“Are you hiring seasonal staff this spring? If so, where are you finding your candidates?”

Answers to this question will be published in a future issue of Garden Center.

5 stories in brief

TOP INDUSTRY NEWS FROM OUR WEBSITE

Illegal invasive plants

38 species of invasive plants, including honeysuckles and Bradford pear trees, have been made illegal to sell in the state of Ohio. bit.ly/2BNCrkQ

The future of retail

12 takeaways from NRF 2018 Retail’s Big Show, hosted by the National Retail Federation. bit.ly/2nsffnN

Boxwood blight spread

The destructive tree disease was reported in Indiana after infected holiday wreaths were shipped from North Carolina and sold as part of a Boy Scout fundraiser. bit.ly/2s058LJ

Plants of the year

The Wisconsin Nursery and Landscape Association named its 2018 Plant of the Year selections, including Prairie Dropseed and Little Devil ninebark. bit.ly/2GB6r74

Buying begonias

PanAmerican Seed has purchased begonia lines from Golden State Bulb Growers, with plans for the product to be available in April. bit.ly/2E2g3JV