Top 9 posts of May 2018

As in every month, Garden Center readers had a bevy of garden retail industry news to sort through, with a variety of stories rising to the top of the list. Visitors to gardencentermag.com in the month of May were especially interested in our May issue cover story on Amazon's expansion into the world of plant retail, as well as our coverage of the unseasonably long winter that has disrupted spring operations for IGCs around the country.

See the most-read stories on Garden Center magazine's site from the past month listed below, as ranked by total pageviews:

1. Playing catch-up - Although many independent garden centers reported sales shortfalls in April, customer traffic has improved in May.

2. What's up with Amazon? - From gardening hard goods to live plants, Amazon.com and online selling are changing how consumers shop and IGCs sell.

3. Knupper Nursery closing after 88 years - The independent retailer in Palatine, Ill. will be shutting down on June 16.

4. Opinion: Be aware of the under-35 demographic - Garden retail consultant Ian Baldwin says the younger generation of gardeners may soon surpass Baby Boomers.

5. What mom wants vs. what we buy - Statistics and survey results from Offers.com give insight into common Mother's Day spending habits.

6. Under control - Garden center customers often lack knowledge on how to combat plant pest and disease issues. Here are some common misconceptions and ways IGCs can mitigate the pest problems as well as consumer confusion.

7. Last living Johnny Appleseed tree still fruitful after 150 years - The tree is the pride of Savannah, Ohio.

8. The continuing story of impatiens downy mildew - Sales of impatiens have declined because of IDM and have gone from being the most valuable bedding plant to third most valuable.

9. Carmen Johnston to give keynote address at 2018 Northeast Greenhouse Conference and Expo - Johnston will forecast gardening trends and discuss the importance of social media.

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