When it comes to gardening trends, fairy gardening sure has had a good run. Not to say that the hobby has completely fizzled out, but it is not the big craze it once was. But do not fret; if this was once a reliably profitable category for you, there’s no need to delete the category just yet. Instead, it might just be time to rebrand it and repurpose the plants and materials for new projects. Because tiny gardening, both indoors and out, is having a growth spurt in 2021.

Times are tight

Space, time and resources are always primary concerns for new and experienced gardeners. Not everyone — especially all the new indoor houseplant enthusiasts — has the space for big houseplants or big outdoor gardens. New plant parents, who hungrily acquired more large foliage plants in 2020 than their apartments or schedules could bear, are even starting to take “plant pauses” to reduce their plant care workload.

With growing interest in food gardening — in tight urban garden spaces, patio containers and indoors — aspiring vegetable gardeners run into struggles with standard herbs, veggies and fruits. Even trying to grow one standard-sized determinate tomato indoors can prove space-prohibitive. Forget about the indeterminate tomato types.

With so many new enthusiasts adopting both indoor plants and outdoor gardening as a hobby in 2020, let’s make it as easy as possible for them to stick with it. No matter their available space or time, or lack thereof. The answer to maximizing plant output and enjoyment when space is at a minimum? Tiny plants — both ornamental and edible.

Tiny is big

As soon as they started hitting the market a few years back, I began growing micro-tomatoes and other dwarf vegetable varieties; mostly indoors with grow lighting. You can still get a lot of harvest off mini-veggies and fruits, even though they do not take up much space. This is particularly handy if you are growing indoors on lighted grow shelves or grow tents. If customers are trying to use some of the smaller self-contained LED growing units, they will soon find that miniature varieties will not only grow better small footprints, but do not often take as much light volume to produce fruit, which I have personally found to be true when growing tiny tomatoes such as ‘Micro-Tom.’

Tiny food

I was excited to see a new book coming out in March 2021: “Micro Food Gardening: Project Plans and Plants for Growing Fruits and Veggies in Tiny Spaces” by Jen McGuinness. From miniature herbs and salad greens to tiny strawberry plants, baby beets and mini cabbages, McGuinness shows how micro gardening offers a surprisingly diverse and delicious array of edible opportunities.

Tiny houseplants

I admittedly have a big crush on all things tiny. So I would be remiss if I did not tell you about my new March 2021 book release, “Tiny Plants: Discover the joys of growing and collecting itty bitty houseplants,” which is geared towards the indoor plant parent. It is also going to hit a nerve with anyone interested in terrariums, vivariums or building mini water gardens or tiny indoor plantscapes.

When it comes to gardening under glass, many of the common plants sold at garden centers for terrarium culture simply get too big, or do not really sustain in consistently wet or high-humidity conditions. Do not get me started on all the arid climate succulents that get pitched as great terrarium specimens. That said, there are genetically tiny species of aroids, other popular indoor plant groups, that are well suited to permanently small gardens under glass.

You might not be selling as many itty-bitty houseplants for fairy gardens anymore, but you could be selling more of them as specialty collector specimens or ingredients for stylish mini bios-spheres or truly tiny terrariums. Same goes for some of the containers or decorative items you marketed for fairy gardens.

Big returns

If you are worried about small sales and small margins on small plants, know that perception of value for these less common plant varieties is high. Just because a plant is itty bitty, does not mean it comes with a tiny price tag. I can assure you, all the tiny plants in my collection cost just as much, if not more, than most of my standard houseplants. Not to mention, tiny handmade pottery is also having a high-priced heyday. Similarly, I never expect to pay less for seeds or transplants of mini-vegetable or fruit varieties. Also, shipping tiny plants is much easier; this category of plants and products may open online sales and direct shipping opportunities for your garden center.

Size, and value, are after all in the eye of the beholder.

From handshakes to hard work, understanding the nuanced differences between the American and Latino cultures can lead to a more productive workplace.

This was the message during the webinar “Lost in Translation: The Five Things Businesses Must Understand About the Latinx Culture.” The education was sponsored by the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA) and went live earlier in November. Given that Spanish-speakers and Latinx employees make up an enormous amount of the green industry’s workforce, understanding ways to bridge cultural gaps became imperative to speaker Bernie Carranza, the manager at Lotus Farms Chicago.

But before Carranza told attendees some of the lessons he’s learned as both a manager and member of the Latino community, Donna Vignocchi Zych, ILCA president, opened up the webinar.

“I deeply believe that this seminar isn’t just about getting more performance out of our teams,” she says. “It’s about bridging an essential gap and how our different cultures interpret words, actions, gestures, hierarchies and traditions. When employees feel safe, they have the ability to excel and better their collective lives.”

Here’s some of what was discussed during the webinar:

Diverse cultures

First, it’s important to understand exactly what demographic of people you’re referring to when you say “Latino.” In this case, it’s anyone from a Spanish-speaking country. Latinx is a more recent term that replaces the “a” or the “o” in Latina and Latino to make the term gender-neutral. And in his experience, Carranza says people who were originally born in one of these Spanish-speaking countries identify themselves as Hispanic, while those born in the U.S. with familial ties to other countries label themselves as Latino. He made it clear, however, that they can ultimately determine how they’d like to be identified.

The presentation was more geared toward Latinos who had not acculturated to American culture. Many are from Mexico; the complicating factor is that their experiences and cultural influences are different depending on what area of Mexico they’re from.

“The employer, when appropriate, should discuss with their Latino employees the cultural differences that exist and how to make everyone comfortable,” he says. “There are differences in simple, everyday interactions. The more we become familiar with these, the better communication we have.”

As it pertains to showing these employees respect, simple things like hand gestures and body language go a long way. Directly looking at someone’s eyes during serious conversations can be viewed as a challenge to his authority, and handshakes for Latinos are supposed to be soft to the touch rather than firm and rigid. Greetings in American culture are brief and to the point, while in Latino culture, they’re more warm, welcoming and expected.

Employers should talk about those differences and clarify with the employee that they’re not trying to upstage them with direct eye contact, for example.

Education

Latinos prefer cooperative learning environments rather than competitive. As an example, Carranza recalls helping other cousins through school lessons growing up rather than trying to outdo them. This carries into the workplace, as training at a company should be done in more of a group setting than individually.

Carranza recommended allowing for smaller meetings to go on during larger meetings for those who learn most comfortably in a communal way. In his experience, these smaller groups lead to more productivity from his Latino workers as they explain to one another what they’ve learned. This is particularly important should language barriers exist at the company.

Another challenge is understanding that Latinos “don’t know,” even when they do, Carranza says. This means that they’d rather not embarrass somebody leading a meeting by upstaging them with the correct answer, even if it means sitting on vital information. This can be avoided by encouraging them to speak up often.

“We should encourage them to ask questions,” Carranza says. “Our style is more formal. What that means is that if you’re the presenter, if you’re the authority of the person presenting, there is this tendency to not interrupt you.”

Understanding ambition

Latinos often credit their achievements to fate or religious circumstances rather than their own ability, Carranza says.

“We look down at our shoes — we downplay our successes,” he says. “When something good happens to us, we don’t credit our own hard work.”

He said because of this humility, Latinos are often labeled as unambitious. Some miss out on raises or bonuses because of this trait. Their politeness can lead to Americans viewing them as subservient.

As Carranza put it, the squeaky wheel gets the grease, and sometimes, people with bad manners get what they want. Latinos’ ambition for career progression is demonstrated quietly, he says, and “the key for you is recognizing that ambition and directing it.”

Carranza says sometimes, Latinos struggle to speak up when things get difficult because they have adopted a culture of hard work and pride in their company. He said it’s up to employers to listen to employees and ask them proactively how the work is going.

“Working hard is in our culture, it’s in our DNA,” he says. “What can we do? We encourage them; we empower them.”

Jimmy Miller is assistant editor at our sister publication, Lawn & Landscape magazine.

As IGCs and other small businesses forge into 2021, many are reporting record numbers of job openings, which retailers are finding difficult to fill.

According to the National Federation of Independent Business' (NFIB) latest jobs report released on Dec. 3, an uncertain economy is presenting a slew of hiring challenges.

“Small businesses are doing their best to end the year on a good note, but the economic recovery remains uneven with some industries near full recovery and others still struggling,” said NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg in the report. “Finding qualified workers for open positions has only gotten worse as the pandemic caused an even tighter labor market. A surge in the labor force participation rate would be welcome news to small employers.”

We gathered some of the key findings from the report examining the month of November.

People who work in retail have all read the common advice about handling angry or uncooperative customers. It’s recommended that we stay calm, and show that we are truly listening to a client’s complaints. This is good advice, although it’s not always easy to do. Human nature is to mirror the attitude of others who are confronting us. It’s increasingly more challenging in the time of COVID-19, when people are feeling generally cranky and on edge. It’s also problematic when any customer, no matter how out-of-line or unreasonable, can post one-sided, scathing reviews online and on social platforms.

Recommendations to keep calm and listen still hold true, of course, as does the practice of repeating back to a customer the gist of what they’ve said. This response shows that you’re actively listening and trying to understand. Some IGCs hold preparation sessions during staff training days, where employees take turns being an irate customer while others practice smiling and responding with composure.

Yet, even after rehearsals for acting with restraint, some situations are especially difficult. IGC employees often benefit from suggestions of useful language for specific situations.

Customers without masks

Even with pending COVID vaccines, it’s estimated that we may need to wear masks in public places into the fall of 2021 or beyond. Retail establishments are becoming accustomed to asking some customers to get a mask or pull one up over their nose. One approach to lighten these situations is to have a box of colorful, disposable masks at the entry or service counter. These are now widely available and affordable in assorted designs that can be offered to an unmasked customer. “I see you’ve forgotten your mask. Well, I’ll save you the trip back to your car, and look! I’ve got one that’s tie-dyed, or are you more of a basic-black kind of guy?”

Repeating the same phase calmly, and making it personal, not political, can help. “My mask is for your protection, and yours is for my protection. We’d be happy to give you one, because it’s a requirement for shopping here.” Be sure that the signage about mask wearing is prominent in your store, so that your customers can point to it as they speak. One of our local stores has signage that reads, “In this store we wear masks over our noses.” Keep it simple and clear. Employees should know to call a manager for reinforcements if the client gets argumentative or refuses.

Spillover

When working in retail, it’s common to deal with people who are rude and unreasonable because something fairly small has pushed them over the edge. That dry and wilted hanging basket that the customer wants a refund for isn’t just an un-watered plant…it’s the straw that broke the camel’s back. This is especially true as we enter nearly a year of dealing with pandemic fears and restrictions.

For these situations, phrases like, “This is such a difficult time,” “I know that a thirsty plant is the last thing you wanted to deal with today,” or “I’m so sorry you’re upset” can be useful. While sticking to your normal procedure and policies for resolving customer complaints and requests, sympathize with the complainer human-to-human.

Some years ago, I dealt with a rude customer whose tree had died. After commiserating with her she broke into tears well before we started to discuss why the plant might have failed. “I’m so sorry you had to come in about this today,” I said after she yelled at me for selling her a tree that “clearly came from a bad batch.” I knew nothing about her, but I continued by saying, “It sounds like this is the last thing you needed right now.” At that point she backed down and listed all the hardships that had come her way lately, from the recent death of her husband to a nasty neighbor who was mad at her garbage pails being put in the wrong place. We ended up giving this woman 50% off of a replacement tree, but more importantly, she was given an opportunity to be heard and somewhat consoled.

The world’s foremost authority

Even before the pandemic, garden center staff have dealt with self-appointed experts who are willing to argue about plants. I remember the day when a customer was shopping for summer squash seedlings at my IGC, and was unhappy at what he saw. We had flats of newly sprouted squash in three-packs, fresh from the grower, but some of the cells in these packs had only one seedling, while others had four or more. Clearly, the machine that the grower had used to plant the seeds had done an uneven job of it. The customer informed me that the latter was how normal, “healthy” squash should grow, convinced the one-seedling pack was defective. He wanted a three-pack where each cell had four stems, and he ended up yelling at me when I told him the singles were normal and the multiples were the result of too many seeds in one place. “I’m a Master Gardener, and I know how plants should grow!” he huffed.

As a master gardener (lowercase, since it’s not a title but a volunteer position) myself, I cringed, but I wasn’t about to argue with him. I’ve found that treating these foremost authorities with at least seeming respect is the percentage play, even when they’re wrong. “Since you’re an experienced gardener, I’m sure you can make any of these squash seedlings thrive. So pick the best three-pack you see, and I’m sure you’ll be sharing your excess zucchini with your neighbors very soon.” Try to show that argumentative expert that while you honor his or her expertise, you still need to stick with store policy. “I know you have a green thumb and more experience than I do, but it’s our policy that annuals can’t be returned three months after purchase.”

Can I fire a customer?

Even with a calm, sympathetic attitude and reaching out on a human-to-human basis, there are occasions when a customer just won’t be mollified or satisfied. For some people, even expressions of concern just make them more unhappy or angry. When a situation is escalating to that level, the first response is to remove yourself temporarily. “I’m going to get the store manager,” you might say, or “Excuse me for a second so I can have a word about this with John.” Your client doesn’t need to know who John is, or if he even exists. The point is for you to be able to break away from their emotional state and energy.

There are some people who, even when given sympathy, respect or time to calm down, remain bad-tempered and unreasoning. These are the times when we must weigh the potential damage that they can do online against the need to preserve our sanity, support the rest of our staff, and provide a pleasant shopping environment for other customers. A peace offering of a $25 gift card might just be worth it. “This is just a small apology for your trouble,” or “I know that we haven’t made you happy today, but I’m hoping that you’ll take this card and come back another time when things might be better,” are possible responses.

When all else fails, admit to your rude, righteous or unreasonable shopper that you’ve done your best but, “I just don’t think I can make you happy here,” or “Maybe we both have to admit that this isn’t the store for you right now.” Make a calm statement that says that you’re letting them go as a customer.

Then take a deep breath, and carry on.

C.L. Fornari is a speaker, writer and radio/podcast host who has worked at Hyannis Country Garden, an IGC on Cape Cod, for more than 20 years. She has her audiences convinced that C.L. stands for “Compost Lover.” Learn more at www.GardenLady.com