All-purpose mix.
"We've developed a variety of soil solutions from organic mixes to specialized
planting mixes," said Chantal Duchesneau,
marketing and communications director
for Premier Tech Horticulture, makers of
the Pro-Mix line of growing mixes. "Most
of the mixes include an all-natural ingredient, MycoActive, a form of mycorrhizae
which stimulates a plant's root system to
take up more nutrients and water to improve health and growth."
Gardening from the ground up
The eco-friendly, sustainable movement
has spread to nearly every aspect of today's
society, but one area that is often overlooked, especially when it comes to gardening, is the soil.
A high-quality and nutritious growing
environment doesn't just happen in today's
landscapes. It's crafted through the addition
of growing mixes and amendments, producing a soil much improved over the
often hard-packed, poor-quality "dirt"
found surrounding many homes. Quality
landscapers already know the value of
amending the soil with soilless mixes such
as Pro-Mix. The company now offers a
line of eight consumers mixes for just
about any garden project, from orchids to
organic vegetables.
Eco-savvy
"We've been following the environmentally friendly trend since the early
2000s," said McCoy. "Today, being a good
steward of the earth is a lifestyle choice."
The organic and natural movement is still
going strong, and has moved into the
lifestyle category for many gardeners.
Planting for the birds and bees has been
in the Garden Media Trends Report for
years, but now with the emphasis on pollinating insects, it has become top of mind
for many gardeners. Showing up at the
100th Chelsea Flower Show this year were
insect shelters, including a "bee hotel"
aimed to show urban gardeners how they
can attract bees without compromising on
the look of the garden. Hole-drilled log
sections, to shelter the bees, are inter-
planted with sempervivums and other succulents to create a decorative and functional garden feature.
Although honeybees are beneficial to
gardens and yards, other creatures are far
less welcome — such as aggressive stinging
insects and plant-eating pests. But not
everyone wants stinging insects in their
gardens. Boomers and millennials alike are
driving demand for natural solutions, particularly for weed and pest control that is
safe for the environment, people and pets.
Products like Rescue! eco-friendly and
non-toxic traps lure and capture wasps,
yellow jackets, flies and other insects with
natural pheromones and attractants.
Up and coming
Looking ahead to the remainder of 2013
and 2014, the growing awareness of the interconnectivity between the forces of nature
and the benefits of plants will influence
LI
what people want in their landscapes.
Katie McCoy Dubow is creative officer at
Garden Media Group, a public relations firm
that specializes in the lawn and garden industry. Garden Media offers innovative PR services
designed to make their clients popular.View
the complete Garden Media report at
www.gardenmediagroup.com.
Rescue stink bug trap.
14 Landscape and Irrigation July/August 2013
www.landscapeirrigation.com
