The green industry is laser-focused on developing and growing the highest quality plants by the most efficient means. Improving plant features of color, texture, size, and adaptations to environmental conditions consume much of the time and energy of growers. It is fair to say when a gardener selects a plant off the bench in a garden center, they have no idea of the efforts expended (and exhausted) to raise that young plant, now ready for purchase. At times the challenges are formidable, but that’s part of their job and when healthy plants are delivered, it is a job done well. The plants are passed off to the retail stores where the product’s future is dependent on the expertise of their people. It is truly a team effort of the grower and stores working together to bring the plant to the point of sale.
This means that the plant containers are just as important.
Garden Centers are well aware of how effective marketing is vital to the sale of the plant. The success that comes from product packaging is recognized in every market where goods are sold. The plant industry is no different. Next visit to a garden center, observe the unique display of containers plants are found packaged in. Considerable effort is made to target age and interest groups. We noted that in a previous blog posting The Smashing Success of Succulent Plants. Teens and Millennials are drawn to and buy little succulents tucked in a sea shell, teacup, hollow rock, scrap wood, ceramic unicorns, trolls, and little pouches to attach to their backpacks, to just scratch the surface.
Distinct design themes prevail on containers used with house plants as customers recognize the pot can bring ornamental value inside their home. Containers are available that align in all styles matching contemporary, eclectic, Victorian, Bohemian and beyond. One can only wonder if homes embracing the Minimalism décor forgo the container altogether and simplify with a neat pile of soil around a plant? Something to watch for in Better Homes & Gardens. Themed trends extend outside as styled containers have their place on the patio, porch, poolside and gazebo.
The move towards using a diversity of unsuitable objects as planters has created plant health issues. A little understanding of basic botany can be helpful in the selection of your plant and container. Though the “thing”, however cute or cleaver, may hold soil, does not always qualify it to hold a plant (intended to live). Plants stuck into pockets, slots, and holes far too undersized for a viable root system are common. Allowing excess water to drain down through the soil and out the bottom is critical. Some planters do not drain, are sealed and the fate of the plant as well.
There is the predictable group of gardeners who purchase their plants with no interest in how they are packaged. Containers to them are the means to transport plants from the store and keep alive until installed in their home garden. Traditionally those annual and perennial plants came in black plastic cell-paks, trays and containers. In recent years the packaging appeal has made its way to these bedding plants as well. An assortment of colors is available: red, purple, pink, green and yellow plastic in the plant containers.
Customers complained that the old stick tags identifying the plant were either missing, hard to find, switched to other plants, or taken by customers who wanted to remember the plant. Now the same information, including care instructions and color images of the plant can be placed on a label that is adhered to the container’s side. This approach makes for a more dependable and informative package.
Whether in temporary containers for transport or specifically themed pots to last for years, the plant and its package are developing with the needs of the market. If the changes have a noteworthy impact on sales, we undoubtedly will see more.
-Rob McCartney, Horticulturist
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