Good momentum

After a cold and wet beginning to the spring, the weather is finally starting to turn here at the Greenhouse Management headquarters. I have to say I’ve been champing at the bit to get to work on cleaning up my yard and planting. Now, if it would just stop raining long enough for me to get to work.

Many across the country are feeling the same way. Having just purchased a century home, I’ve been running up and down the aisles of my local hardware and home repair stores for supplies over the last few weeks. On my trips, I’ve been seeing more carts full of potting soil, planters, plants and garden décor than pipes and plaster. It seems like almost everyone has at least one plant on their way out of the store.

And the local independent garden centers are reporting great sales. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, Mother’s Day sales were up for many, with some even breaking their sales records. With everyone social distancing and spending more time at home, it seems like all of people’s pent-up energy and spare time is going toward home improvement projects and landscaping.

There’s no better time to keep the momentum going. From the National Garden Bureau’s “Victory Garden 2.0” campaign to Star Roses and Plants’ “Make Any Day Mother’s Day” marketing to the “Gardening Is Not Cancelled” trend on social media, the industry is really working to get the word out about the benefits of plants.

Now is the perfect time to encourage new plant enthusiasts, pick up new customers and cultivate a life-long love of plants. While people are searching for new hobbies to fill their empty social calendars, plants are the perfect fit.

As Briscoe White, owner of The Growers Exchange, points out in this month’s cover story, it’s the companies that choose to double-down and invest in their businesses that thrive in the midst of an economic downturn. He did it during the Great Recession, with great success, and he’s planning to keep expanding in the midst of this pandemic. Hopefully, you also find an opportunity an opportunity you can seize during these strange times.