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Consumer gardening plans continue to change as presented in the latest Garden Writers Association Foundation research report. The 2011 Early Summer Gardening Trends Survey, conducted in June, is the second of four scheduled national consumer gardening trends surveys this year.
While 55 percent of households with a lawn or garden planned to use weed control on their lawns this summer, that is 5 percent less than in 2010. Planned use of insect control in 2011 remained the same as 2010 at 40 percent of households, but reseeding lawns took an unexpected jump of 10 percent over the 26 percent reported in 2010.
But, the record-breaking plans for new gardening introductions in 2010 rolled-back across the board for 2011. Plans for adding vegetable gardens were reported by 43 percent of households, down 5 percent over last year. The addition of annuals was down 5 percent to 30 percent of households, and the addition of perennials was down 9 percent over the 2010 peak of 47 percent. Herb garden additions took another 4 percent reduction to 19 percent of households for 2011.
When asked about the use of the Internet for gathering gardening information, 55 percent reported they don’t use the Internet for gardening data. Among those who do, 10 percent go directly to a favored website and 32 percent find information online by using keyword searches.
The 2011 Early Summer Gardening Trends Research Report was produced from data collected the first week of June by Technometrica Market Intelligence. Other information from the survey includes:
Reasons for gardening
Three in ten consumers cite beautifying their surroundings as their primary reason for gardening.
Environmental concerns
Nearly three in four (73%) of gardeners are concerned about the environmental impact of products they buy.
Recycling
Consumers were asked about their likelihood to recycle while maintaining or modifying their lawn or garden:
- 56% said they always recycle plastic pots and trays.
- 41% said they always recycle mulch or grass clippings.
- 33% said they always recycle mulch or garden waste.
- 36% said they always recycle yard waste in a local recycling program.
The 2011 Early Summer Gardening Trends Research Report covers consumer expectations and attitudes for activities and purchases planned for June through August. The survey statistically represents the attitudes of over 100 million households with an accuracy of 95% (+/- 3.5% percentage points).