How Does Your Garden Grow?

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Indoors or out, edibles or aesthetics—ScottsMiracle-Gro makes gardening easy.

Do-it-yourself gardening, indoors and out, has been on a steady rise, thanks in part to millennials, foodies and indoor gardeners.

According to the national Gardening market Research Co., 74 percent of u.s. households participated in food or flower gardening in 2016. Edible gardening is one of the fastestgrowing areas, with 35 percent of households growing food at home—a 17 percent increase over the last five years.

It’s against this backdrop that scottsmiracleGro is delivering robust products focused on three key areas: • Edibles and organics • Indoor gardening • simple solutions “We’re meeting the diverse needs of today’s gardeners while innovating in ways that empower younger generations to experience the benefits of gardening,” says michael sutterer, senior Vice President and General manager of the Gardens business.

scottsmiracle-Gro made its mark in edibles and organics with its nature’s Care organic soils and nutrients and by branching into live goods through a partnership with bonnie Plants, the leader in vegetable and herb plants. miracle-Gro and bonnie Plants are co-merchandising products to provide consumers with a total solution to gardening and a more bountiful harvest.

the company is also reaching up-and-coming gardeners. this year, it will launch in select

1924 Scotts provides customers added convenience by supplementing its mail-order business with retail sales. 1928 Recognizing lawns’ specific nutritional needs, Scotts releases the first fertilizer designed specifically for grass: Turf Builder.

markets a Foodie Fresh line of vegetables and herbs that produces colorful and flavorfilled varieties such as meatball Eggplant and Pinot noir sweet Pepper. It also will partner with back to the Roots®—maker of simple indoor gardening kits to grow organic mushrooms, herbs and vegetables at home—to merchandise and sell products at the home Depot and other retailers.

Indoor gardening is redefining the traditional definition of “gardening.” millennials are leading the charge, as scottsmiracle-Gro research shows they are engaging in indoor planting at three times the rate of baby boomers. their motivations differ from those who grow outside, as décor and year-round growing are important.

scottsmiracle-Gro is innovating with hydroponic growing systems for indoor gardening, such as countertop water-based systems under the AeroGarden brand or larger systems under its black magic® and Root Farm™ brands.

“When it comes to simple solutions, we are making it easy for consumers to be successful. our research shows that a ‘fear of failure’ is a key barrier to participation in gardening,

1940 Sales reach a record high, putting the company in the “$1 million club.”

innovAtive firsts

Miracle-Gro developed the first water-soluble plant food for consumers, designed to feed plants as they’re being watered; this revolutionized how consumers fed house plants and gardens. whether your interest lies in growing tomatoes or basil or petunias,” sutterer says.

the company is reducing the fear factor. For example, raised bed gardening has increased since 2014, according to the national Gardening market Research Co., but scottsmiracle-Gro found consumers often are unsure which soils to use. It responded with the successful 2017 launch of miracle-Gro soil specifically for raised beds.

miracle-Gro has bigger plans to give consumers confidence. “In 2018, we’re going to guarantee success for gardeners,” sutterer says. “For the first time ever, we’re communicating to consumers that they can get up to three times the harvest or three times the blooms by planting their favorite plants in miracle-Gro soil and feeding them with miracle-Gro plant food. It’s a simple solution to guarantee success, and it’s backed up by rigorous testing by our research and development team.” m

1940 The Scotts Spreader emerges to ensure even, accurate application of product and better lawn results.