Survey Projects Increased Vegetable Gardening
From Garden Writers Association:
Rising gas prices combined with increased food costs and a fluctuating economy are the likely causes of a significant new trend developing in the gardening market. As reported in the 2008 Early Spring Gardening Trends Research Report just released by the Garden Writers Association Foundation (GWAF), more consumers plan to purchase garden vegetable and fruit plants as part of their early spring gardening purchases.
In a national survey conducted last month, consumers were asked what types of garden-related spending they expect to do for spring plants. Lawn and grass expenditures take the lead (54%), followed by vegetable or fruit plants (39%), annual flowers (38%), trees and shrubs (35%), and perennial flowers (31%). When asked the same question in 2007, vegetable and fruit plants were fourth on the list of priorities for consumer spending plans. Perennial flowers that held the number two position in consumer spending expectations for 2007 are now in fifth place for 2008.
While only one percentage point separates vegetable and fruit plants (39%) and annual flowers (38%) for second place, vegetables leaped from a thirty-two percent response in 2007 to a thirty-nine percent response in 2008 while annual flowers increased from thirty-four percent to thirty-eight percent for the same period.
Other findings from this newly released national consumer survey include:
- The new dominance of Garden Centers and Local Retail Stores – first observed in 2007 –continued in 2008, with nearly half (46%) of consumers planning to shop at these types of locations for most of their spring garden plants.
- Since 2005, the “Quality over Price†attitude has been strongly evident among consumers. In 2008, about half (48%) of consumers said they value Best Quality as an important plant selection attribute, while about a quarter valued a Trained and Educated Sales Staff and Best Prices (26% and 23%, respectively).
- In the past, Ease of Care and Color – together – dominated several criteria for spring plant selection, but this year Ease of Care jumped significantly in importance (from 46% in 2007 to 58% in 2008) in terms of influencing spring plant selection purchase decisions.
- When it comes to garden-related products, consumers are most inclined to buy products labeled organic or natural Plant Food or Fertilizer (35%), Pest Control Products (32%), Garden Fruit and Vegetable Plants (31%), Potting Soil (31%) and Garden Mulch (27%).
- This spring, more than a third of consumers will use the Internet to research plant or product information (38% vs. 34% in 2007). Nearly a fifth (17%) will use the Internet for garden design inspiration (up from 10% in 2007), while a tenth will use the Internet to purchase gardening supplies and plant materials or seeds (11% and 10%, respectively).
The 2008 Early Spring Gardening Trends Research Report was conducted February 4-10 and covers consumer expectations and attitudes for activities and purchases planned for March through May. The survey was conducted by TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence, a national consumer polling organization, and statistically represents the attitudes of over 100 million households with an accuracy of 95% (+/- 3.1 percentage points).So remember our Cornell resources related to growing vegetables including:
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