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 August 6-7, 2024 | Rosemont, Illinois

5 Gardening Essentials for 2022

2022 is shaping up to be a year in which Americans focus on personal growth, undertaking projects that are meaningful to them. During the pandemic, many have already found satisfaction and meaning in gardening, and garden centers must do their best to help make gardening fun, easy, and satisfying for these customers. This list is just a small sample of the types of products that will help these gardeners achieve their personal goals. What other products do you expect to be big sellers in the coming year?

In 2022, people all over the country will be planting a garden or caring for houseplants for relaxation, a feeling of accomplishment, and an escape from the anxieties of life. For many of them, their interest in gardening coincides with the desire for a more “natural,” sustainable lifestyle. Since gardening for them is all about relaxation, they will come to the garden center looking for tools that make gardening and caring for houseplants easy, low-maintenance, and relaxing. To help these customers make the most of their gardening journey, make sure you have these 5 gardening essentials in stock in 2022.

Macrame pot hangers
You might have this one filed under “styles I never thought would come back.” But consumers who prefer natural and sustainable products are drawn to not only the practical and ethical aspects but the aesthetic, as well. Vintage styles put us in the state of mind of a simpler time (the 1970s? let’s not examine this too deeply), before the pressures and stressors of modern technological society had everyone feeling so on edge all the time. Many of the customers who would be drawn to macrame pot hangers, however, would also likely be interested in making their own. For the DIY crowd, offer macrame kits so they can experience the satisfaction of learning a new craft.

Soaker hose
Water is our most precious natural resource, and more people than ever are committed in using it responsibly. By allowing roots to absorb water slowly, soaker hoses use water much more efficiently than either standard hoses or sprinklers. On top of that, they let you spend less time watering—or remembering to water the garden.

Gardening gloves
A good pair of gloves are essential for gardeners of every skill level. Nitrile-coated knit gloves provide a better grip on tools, keep your hands free of those annoying little scratches and cuts, and make manual weeding much easier. Like latex, nitrile provides a protective barrier that blocks not only water but also pesticides and other harmful chemicals, but nitrile is safe for people with latex allergies.

For consumers who want a natural option and don’t mind using animal products, pigskin or cowhide gardening gloves provide protection and grip support while absorbing sweat. While they are a little more bulky than nitrile gloves, the classic design of these gloves also provides wrist protection, necessary when working with thorny plants like rose bushes.

Whatever the fabric or function, make sure to stock gloves and other gardening apparel like hats, boots, and aprons in earth tones and warm neutrals—shades like gray-green and khaki—as these colors are set to be popular in 2022.

Hori-hori
This intriguing tool gets its name from the Japanese onomatopoeia for the sound of a shovel sinking into the dirt. It’s an eye-catching piece of equipment, and a versatile one, too. The blade is shaped like a shovel, making it well-suited to digging, as its name suggests, but also it has a sharpened edge and a serrated edge, lending this tool a unique versatility. Using a single all-purpose tool, rather than an arsenal of pruning shears, saws, trowels, and hoes, makes for a more relaxing experience and brings the user closer to nature as they plant, prune, and harvest with ease.

Reel mowers
Perfect for the gardener looking to decrease their carbon footprint, reel mowers don’t require gas or oil, they don’t pollute, and they don’t need much maintenance at all. Today’s lightweight models are much easier to use than the heavy contraptions of the past. For those customers looking to cut down on expenses, pollution, and noise, reel mowers from companies like Fiskars and American Lawn Mower Company are easy-to-use options at half the price of a typical gas-powered push mower.