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Many changes have occurred in the bedding plant industry since I began working as a clerk at Ball Seed in 1972. Four of the most significant changes are: global consolidation; the rise of the big-box stores; proliferation of new genus and species; and basic confusion.
“Living” the industry for 37 years has given me first-hand knowledge of many events. While I have not been employed by a company in the bedding plant industry per se, most of the members of the National Garden Bureau are companies that I have worked with for 25 years.
Global consolidation
I’ve watched companies like Royal Sluis, American Seed Co., Fredonia Seed Co., Waller Flowerseeds, Flowers of Tomorrow and Denholm Seeds dissolve like sugar in hot coffee. Each company offered products for global or niche markets.
What has been lost by the demise of these companies is diversity. There are fewer people employed by fewer companies to envision new products, new markets and new marketing tools. The result has been a kind of inbreeding with too few new ideas and too few risk takers.
What about genetic engineering? In the home-garden market it doesn’t exist because the risks are too high. Consumers were brainwashed by Jurassic Park. We know how that movie turned out. Fear of the unknown still rules.
Rise of the big boxes
The entire greenhouse industry had to gear up to service the huge retail market created by the big-box and DIY stores. Plugs, automation equipment, computer-operated environmental controls, robots and conveyer belts changed the look of the greenhouse to a plant factory. This was necessary to lower costs to meet the demand for billions of plants sold through these retail outlets.
Plants moved out of the greenhouse into the box stores where people buying cleaning supplies could also pick up a six-pack of impatiens. Sales increased dramatically and independent garden centers had to accelerate their marketing efforts to keep satisfied customers. The big-box stores enabled more people to purchase plants at less expensive prices. The big-box stores rapidly expanded the bedding plant industry.
Plant proliferation
In the last 15 years, many genus and species have been introduced to the commercial trade. Some of them sound more like diseases than flowers. The genus may be unfamiliar and the variety name unpronounceable.
The burden of having too many plants from which to choose falls on the retailers, who make critical decisions about which species to sell. Choice is good. Overselection just confuses the retailers and consumers, which may result in no purchase.
This is an example of a good idea gone bad. Someone has to begin the selection process to offer the right plants to novice gardeners. Experienced gardeners have a better idea of which plants to purchase since they network, conduct research and are looking for something new.
Creating confusion
Which coleus is bred for the sun and which does best in the shade? Have you seen a comprehensive list of coleus with their light requirements? Me neither. No wonder growers, retailers and gardeners are confused.
Education is the key. Botanic gardens and arboretums offer classes, but they can be expensive. Garden writers are underpaid and have lost their foothold with newspapers as this ancient form of communication continues to suffer double-digit reader and profit losses.
Breeding innovation
Breeding innovation is necessary. Imitation leads to generic products with no outstanding qualities. “Me too” varieties lower product value and can lead to declining profits. We must move from commoditization to distinctly different cultivars.
Follow consumer trends. Use the Garden Writers Association’s Garden Trends to forecast the most popular plants. This national survey of American gardeners provides timely, pertinent market research. This survey predicted the vegetable trend two years ago, before it happened. Become a member of the association (www.gardenwriters.org) to learn from its members and to benefit from its market research.
Marketing plants
The bedding plant industry needs to transition quickly from producing to marketing plants. Micro-segmentation provides products targeted to the specific needs of specific groups of people. For example, promoting eggplant to ethnic groups that use the vegetable in cultural cuisine. Growers and retailers need to do a better job of finding out what consumers want and satisfying those needs.
Maintaining a tight-knit group
The bedding plant industry is global but remains like a family. All the players know each other. There remains this old-fashioned value – trust. Business is still conducted face to face. People care about each other. Compassion, trust and genuine concern are expressed. Competitors are friends, and life-long friends can become competitors. Let’s look for a few great crusaders who can lead the gardening industry to new heights as edibles or vegetables rise in popularity.
I sign off knowing that we have the ability to save the Earth by planting trees, annuals and vegetables; feeding the hungry and seeking the truth.
For more: All-America Selections, www.all-americaselections.org. National Garden Bureau, www.ngb.org.
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