Top Outdoor Tech Trends for Labor Day

We spoke to TecHome Builder about top trends driving the outdoor market. We believe millennials are continuing to drive growth, but a new demographic is starting to catch-up. What do you think? Read the full post here! 

Dogscaping Creates Safe Paws

Pets run through the lawn, roll in it, dig in it and often eat it so it’s no wonder that pet owners are thinking more and more about how to make their gardens pet friendly and pet safe.

Dogscaping is creates a safe place for pets to roll, run and roam outside.

Check out our Youtube video about this top 2016 Garden Trend! And download our 2016 Garden Trends Report to see what's buzzing in the industry. 

For more information about our trends, subscribe to our YouTube channel and see what else we have to offer at gardenmediagroup.com. #LightsCameraGarden.

Notice Anything Different? We've Redesigned our Website for Digital Age

Have you seen our fresh, new look? We've revamped our website to better reflect what we do for brands in the garden industry!

The updated site is modern  and accessible— and showcases Garden Media’s services, successes and personality. From vibrant and crisp visuals to informative e-Books and videos, the website highlights the many ways we ignite buzz for clients.

Garden Trends Video Series Returns

It's s crucial to understand what's trending in order to be successful in the garden industry, so we're behind the camera once again and reviving our garden trends YouTube video series for 2016! 

“Syncing with Nature,” our 2016 Garden Trends Report, highlights eight new trends that demonstrate how people are using technology to connect with nature in different ways. Each video in our series will deep dive into one trend and teach viewers how it is impacting in the industry.

A new trends video will post the first week of every month on Garden Media’s YouTube channel and on social outlets with #LightsCameraGarden and #GardenTrends. 

Celebrate World Water Day with New Keyhole Garden Collection

We think the best way to celebrate World Water Day is to honor the brands that are doing their part to reduce consumption and make a difference. 

Vita Gardens is doing just that. The company is on a mission to help gardeners from North America to Africa grow organic, healthy food in less space with less water. This spring, the company expands its line of Keyhole Gardens with four new portable versions.

Originally developed in Africa as a way to grow food in extreme heat and drought conditions, the keyhole gardening technique works by creating a space for both composting and growing in one raised garden bed. Keyhole gardens use up to 70 percent less water than a typical raised bed and produce more vegetables in a shorter amount of time.

Available for pre-order online, the new line expands on the popular Classic 6x6 African Keyhole Garden Bed by offering the same keyhole garden technology in a variety of sizes and styles. The Classic 4x4, 3x5 and Urban keyhole garden beds provide the same benefits of the traditional bed in compact, portable designs. The minimalist Urban garden comes in a sleek, wood finish with a 10- year warranty while the other options are backed by 20-year warranty.

Eddie DeJong, Vita Gardens’ head of business development and design, says the expanded collection meets the needs of gardeners who are looking to utilize small spaces.  

“The new Keyhole Gardens fit in smaller garden spaces allowing gardeners to grow more food efficiently in a tighter space,” says DeJong. “We want to inspire people by giving them options to grow healthy, organic vegetables, fruit and herbs whether they live on a small plot of land in the city or on several acres in the suburbs.”

For more information about Vita Gardens and its new line of water saving products, visit http://www.vitagardens.com/. 

'Syncing with Nature' connects the garden industry and its consumers

We released our annual Garden Trends Report for 2016! Syncing with Nature identifies eight consumer trends that will shake up the garden and outdoor living industry this coming year.

The industry trends report finds gardening has transformed into a connected lifestyle in 2016. The rising millennial generation is constantly plugged in.

These eight new trends show ways the gardening and outdoor living industries can lure future consumers – and their digital accessories – outside and connect garden hobbyists with a broader community.

“Consumers are seeking experiences that enhance their wellbeing and support their busy lifestyles,” says Susan McCoy. “When used together, technology can bring people into nature and connect one to the other.”

The report says that consumers are merging technology with nature, not as a distraction, but as a way to explore, educate and entertain. 

Check out our 2016 trends infographic and download our full report here. 

2016 Garden Trends Report: Sneak Peek!

For the first time in the company’s history, Garden Media is offering a sneak peek into its 2016 trend research. Below are a few of the trends on the company’s radar for 2016.

Urine Luck! "Peecycling:" the Next Trend in Sustainability

You’ve heard of recycling, and even upcycling, but there’s a new cycle in town. "Pee-cycling" is the gateway to truly living a sustainable lifestyle. This sterile human waste can be converted into a valuable fertilizer. And 2016 is the year it will happen in the U.S.

The stuff that makes up plant food: nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, are all secreted in the average person’s urine. Budget-conscious consumers know that they don’t need to pay top dollar for fertilizer when they can just make it themselves. Plus, since it’s usually sterile, using it as plant food is generally safe: Even the World Health Organization has guidelines for reusing urine in agriculture.

Several wastewater treatment plants in the U.S. have been making and donating biosolids to farmers for years. But the practice has been considered controversial up until now.

Although this trend is just starting to become mainstream (some might still consider it midstream) in the U.S., according to National Geographic, "peecyling" can be documented back to 1867 and is a mainstream notion elsewhere in the world. Nepalese studies have tracked the efficacy of using urine to fertilize sweet peppers and Amsterdam's water facility held public demonstrations to encourage men to use public urinals to collect their urine for use in rooftop gardens. 

 

So think about how you can incorporate pee-cycling into your daily activities, and how can your business capitalize on this upcoming trend.

There's no such thing as waste, only waste of resources.

It All Tastes Like Chicken. We Swear.

In an effort to return back to nature and cut back on carbon footprints, edible pets are on the rise.

Today’s homesteaders and DIYers, proud backyard chicken and goat farmers, have added other high protein animals to their farmettes. From bunnies and ducks to guinea pigs and snakes, these animals are plenty of fun while they’re alive and tasty when they’re on the dinner table. 

“The idea of the good life is rapidly changing,” says Suzanne McCoy president of Garden Media. “People are not only concerned about what they’re putting in their gardens, but also about what’s on their plates. They’re taking charge of the entire food chain — even using organic animal droppings to fertilize their gardens.” 

With most millennials just being dirt poor, raising and eating pets enables this generation to save on groceries and still feel like they’re splurging on the organic food they crave. The added responsibility of taking care of live animals is a bonus for this generation that’s tired of playing Farmville on their smartphones. 

“There used to be this stigma attached to eating your pets,” says millennial Latie Dubow. “But no one cares about that anymore. I’m more concerned about where the food I’m feeding my baby is coming from and there’s no better place than from my backyard. Since you can put practically anything in a stew, we’re raising goats, fish and even some smaller creatures so my daughter can grow up playing and eating all kinds.” 

Garden companies can capitalize on this new lifestyle by offering organic pet foods and hosting pot luck events. 

Stay tuned in 2016 for our full complement of garden trends.