We have been busy this spring! Now that summer has arrived with temps. in the 100F degree range it’s starting to slow 
down. Typical in this business. We will hold a drip irrigation workshop this Saturday at 10 to 11am. Drip irrigation is really big here in northern California where no rain falls all summer. We sell all the parts necessary to install and operate a drip system.During summer our sales are mostly in the fertilizer, pest control and drip irrigation departments. Most folks have planted their gardens and are now in the maintenance mode.
Here in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada our soils are lacking in key nutrients for plant health. The addition of fertilizer to the garden is almost a must. At planting time a starter fertilizer high in phosphorus is applied. Our soils lack phosphorus as well as calcium and other minor nutrients. In addition our soil is typically acid, anywhere between 4 to 5.5 in the pH range. At those readings many nutrients are locked up and unavailable for plants to use. Most vegetables need a pH of about 6.5, while some need a lower pH. Having an understanding of pH and how to adjust it are important. To that end we have been selling pH meters like there is no tomorrow. These $9.99 meters are accurate and quick enough for most people. The most important aspect is it get’s people thinking about their soil and how it affects plant growth.
The meters we sell also have a moisture reading component. After 30 years in the nursery biz you would think I would know when the soil is dry and my tomatoes need watering, not. You can imagine how dry our soil looks with high temps and no rain in summer. It’s common for people to over water here since it’s so hot outside the plants must need water. So the moisture meter is perfect as once you push the probes into the ground you find out that under that dry soil the soil has moisture in it. I have been able to increase the length of time between watering my vegetables making for healthier plants and a lower water bill. Sometimes having a tool that confirms or denies what you think you know is a very valuable asset. For the customer is confirms what we tell them concerning raising or lowering the pH and it’s relationship to fertilizer they will need.
Jodee commented in the last post about holding workshops or classes through the summer for beginning gardeners. I think classes or workshops are a great idea for the garden center. There are a lot of people who find gardening interesting but don’t know how to begin. Yes, there is all sorts of information on the internet but many people would rather connect and learn from people in the garden. The problem with the internet is there is too much info, and often not localized enough.
The only problem with summer classes is the competition with other activities that pop up. I have found that once school gets out in June the attendance seems to drop. Just because the attendance drops does not mean you can’t hold classes that will be beneficial for the gardener and nursery. We will be holding our drip irrigation class in two weeks. By then people will be dealing with the chore of watering their gardens and looking for more efficient ways to water. I think people will respond to most classes if the subject matter is important enough to them.
We’ve had classes that where very well attended, and classes where NOBODY showed up. The important thing is to just do them and try to make changes that will attract more people next time. Workshops are a great way to connect with the community and gain customers. Often the same people who attend the workshops end up enthused and purchase goods turning a slower day into a more profitable one.
We had a class last week on using native plants for fire protection. Fire is our biggest threat here in the foothills and the proper landscaping can mean the difference between saving or loosing ones home. The class was put on by our native plant wholesale partners, Lotus Valley Natives. A couple of weeks earlier we had Carolyn Singer who authored the book Deer in My Garden speak. The Divide Garden Club and guests showed up and everyone enjoyed her talk. Right as she started we lost power to the workshop building. Oh well, run extension cords and get the coffee machines back up and running! We have had it rain on classes, had the wrong date posted, no one show up, too many show up, etc. The main thing is to just keep doing them.
Become indispensable to your community. If all we do is carry the same things that the local box stores carry then we are doomed. Find the areas they are not addressing and build a niche. Become the local information center for all things horticultural. There is a real need out there for information presented in a friendly atmosphere. Most people who are developing an interest in gardening are also aware there is so much to learn. They will embrace a place that provides that information on a regular basis. Many also like the idea that we are a smaller operation that really appreciates their patronage. Their hard earned money can make a difference they can see, both at their homes and your store.
So now that spring is coming to an end how was your season? We we’re busy, but not selling the things we use to sell a few years ago. Consumables are the driving force these days. Grow your own is the new mantra. Soil conditioners, fertilizers, vegetable starts, and seeds all increased. Shrubs, tress, and landscaping are still poor sellers. Small four inch container and jumbo pack flowers sell well. People still want to pretty up the yard, just not with expensive Japanese maples, ornamental conifers and the rest.
We are going to position the garden center as the place to go for the stuff necessary to feed your family. The place where soils, fertilizers, and ideas that you can use to create a sense of self sufficiency for your family is what we are becoming. I am finding it harder and harder to get excited about the next ever blooming hydrangea or Proven Winners introduction. What I find interesting is how we as communities can create a vibrant culture of self-sufficiency. I see the garden center as a critical component of this movement. So many people have lost touch with what it takes to grow your own. Having a place where one can re-learn that lost ability will be critical in our communities future. The garden center can be that place.
True garden centers will become indispensable components in our communities, rather than just a place to buy flowers. The industry is gravitating in this direction now. The large box store garden centers are becoming the places for cheap flowers and landscaping. They have the power of size and vendors committed to them that they now own that space. Why compete with them? Independent garden centers can niche out the “grow your own”, and “self-reliance” field for themselves. When the information you need means the difference between feeding your family or going hungry who are you going to trust? The box store, or your neighbors at the locally owned garden center? Huge opportunity for independent garden centers.
