Council Post: Plants Are Still Trending: What Consumers Want To See In The Fall

Tammy Sons is the CEO of and an expert plant advisor that studied Horticulture. Enjoys her family, outdoors and loves nature.

In 2020, the plant surge began as consumers turned to landscape and home renovation in lieu of cross-country trips and cruise vacations. Sales at TN Nursery nearly tripled that year and have continued to peak throughout 2021. The fall gardening season has arrived, but what does that mean for the businesses that support this trending hobby?

Fall is a critical time of year for the plant industry. The truth of the matter is, no one likes to garden in the heat of summer while they’re dreaming of water activities and vacations. In the dead of winter, the holidays make for a busy season of hustle and bustle. Fall and spring, however, are the busy seasons for gardeners and the businesses that support their beloved hobby.

1. Information On Plant Preservation

The fall season is a key time for businesses and influencers to connect with gardening audiences and meet their plant needs. With the plant trend continuing to grow, businesses can reach gardeners through these fall planting needs.

With the harsh winter season ahead, gardeners are planning how they will protect their plants. This need leads hobbyists to search for preservation information and dive into DIY methods to begin the process.

Every year, I see gardeners looking for methods and supplies from what they have at home to prepare for winter. Typically, they don’t want to go out and buy container covers and more. They’re looking at such methods as using dried leaves around the base of plants to protect them from freezing.

My own grandmother would drape old bedsheets over her rose bushes to protect them from the elements. In fact, that savvy strategy isn’t just a good idea, it’s a well-practiced gardening process called blanketing. Gardeners can even use materials like simple burlap or tarp to accomplish the same thing.

2. Peak Tree Planting Season

With fall preservation plans at hand, gardeners are looking for homemade methods and natural ideas rather than fancy products. This gives businesses a good opportunity to build relationships with gardening audiences by providing them with the information they need to reach their gardening goals this season.

Fall is the prime time to plant anything, and this especially goes for trees. The reason for this is dormancy. If you plant trees in the spring, the plant doesn’t have time to develop and may go through transplant shock. On the other hand, the fall weather that brings on tree dormancy for months gives the plant time to grow fibrous roots and prepare to bloom.

This season is the time of year that gardeners order their trees. Nursery businesses should note that pine trees, privacy hedges, fast-growing trees, and fall foliage trees are always popular.

3. Vibrant Colors Of Fall Foliage

Interestingly, the Covid-19 pandemic and renewed interest in natural treatments led to an explosion in demand for Elderberry Trees in 2020. Our 3,000 acres at TN Nursery sold out in four weeks. This shows how important it is for businesses to be aware of what plants are gaining popularity in wellness circles in addition to audiences focused on aesthetics.

Each year consumers seem to embrace the colors and scents of fall to a greater extent. When October hits, gardeners flock to the vibrant fall foliage autumn has to offer. They hit nurseries on a search for the reds, oranges, and yellows that exude the season’s ambiance.

In recent years, native plants and wildflowers have been a top trend. We’ve seen customers of every size get back to their American roots and make the switch to native plants. Even the folks behind the Washington Monument decided on woody native perennials for their landscaping.

For nurseries everywhere, the native plant trend continues with fall foliage. Some popular native fall foliage plants include the burgundy black gum tree, the bright yellow American beech, and the red maple tree. To connect with consumers who are crazy for fall, businesses can focus on the vibrant colors of fall foliage and the seasonal joy they create.

The gardening surge trending across the country isn’t over yet. Businesses can continue to meet the needs of plant-savvy customers by embracing fall trends and providing information to preserve plants in the winter. This busy gardening season offers an opportunity to make the world more beautiful for all.

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Originally published at https://www.forbes.com.