Trends in Organic Lawn and Garden Products, 2nd Edition

Trends in Organic Lawn and Garden Products, 2nd Edition

The organic sector of the lawn and garden (LandG) market has experienced stellar growth for several years now, even through 2008. Packaged Facts estimates that the organic LandG sector reached $460 million in retail sales in 2008, a healthy gain of 12% over 2007.

But will this momentum come to a halt in the face of economic crisis? This study examines past, current and future trends in organic LandG and finds reasons to be optimistic. The organic sector, though still small, has taken root, and significant indicators point to strong future growth. In fact, one of these indicators is the worsening economy itself, as the ongoing crisis could actually come to favor organics over synthetics.

This comprehensive study analyzes organic LandG trends from all perspectives. It examines trends in products, highlighting popular and leading-edge developments, and in marketing—focusing in on branding and competitive activity. This study also looks at retail, consumer, professional, regulatory, and regional trends, along with providing a history and explanation of organic growing principles. Finally, estimates of current and projected organic LandG sector size and growth are presented, complete with an evaluation of future growth drivers.

Chapter 1: Executive Summary

Study Focus: L&G Supplies

Current Market Performance

Table 1-1: Retail Sales of Organic L&G Products: Market Size and Growth, 2003-2008 (in millions of dollars and percent change)

Market Projections

Table 1-2: Projected Sales of Organic L&G Products: 2009-2013 (in millions of dollars and percent change)

Organic Growing Principles

Positive and Negative Principles

Positive Principle: Create Healthy Soil

Negative Principle: No Synthetics Allowed

The Products

Compost

Organic Fertilizers

Many Types of Organic Fertilizer Ingredients

Bio-Stimulants

Pest Control: Natural/Organic Chemical Approaches

The Marketers

Number, Size, and Types of Marketers

Conventional L&G Marketers in Organics

Chicken Manure: Major Competition Emerging

Possible Competitive Trajectories

Product Trends

Fertilizer Blends

Newly Trendy F/GM Ingredients

Hybrid Fertilizers

Corn Gluten: An Organic Lawn Care Star

Neem

Bio-Controls

General Trends

Organic L&G Gaining in Popularity

Consumer Statistics Show Gains

The National Mall Project

LCO Trends

Retail Trends

Garden Centers/Nurseries

Specialty Organic Stores

Chapter 2: Organic Lawn and Garden Overview

Introduction

Parameters and Terms

Focus: L&G Supplies

Overlap with L&G Services

Description of Terms

Organic

Natural

Synthetic

Organics vs. Synthetics

The Emerging Green Market

Table 2-1: Selected List of Emerging Green Markets: By Product Category and Type

Momentum and Obstacles

Paradigm Shift

The Organic Paradigm

The Synthetic Paradigm

Synthetic Paradigm Represents Old Philosophy

Conflicting Models: Biological vs. Mechanical

Soft vs. Hard Approaches

Organic vs. Synthetic Superiority Claims

Organic vs. Synthetic L&G Products

Table 2-2: Advantages and Disadvantages of Organic and Synthetic L&G Products

Dynamics of Disadvantages

Organic Growing: Historical Background

Roots of the Organic Growing Paradigm

Organic Pioneers: Howard, Steiner, Rodale

The Environmental Movement

The “Back-to-the-Land” Movement

Baby Boomers and Health

Pesticides: A Brief History

Organic Growing Principles

Positive and Negative Principles

Positive Principle: Create Healthy Soil

Negative Principle: No Synthetics Allowed

Disease Claims

Clashing Fertilizer Formulas: Feed the Plant or the Soil?

Clashing Pesticide Formulas: Negation or Negotiation?

Synthetic Critiques of Organic Principles

“A Chemical Is Just a Chemical”

Chemical Form Matters

Synthetics: Negative Analogies

Organics: Burdensome Requirements

Organic Testimonials

Emerging Organic Benefits

Pricing Equilibrium

Supply Benefits

Numerous Other Benefits

Chapter 3: The Products

Overview

Note on Nutrients

Forms/Packaging

The Products: F/GM Ingredients

Compost

Compost Benefits

Compost Ingredients

Table 3-1: Recommended Compost Materials

Compost Accelerators

Organic Fertilizers

The Traditional Organic Fertilizer: Manure

Table 3-2: Types of Fertilizer Manure

Focus: Guano

Many Types of Organic Fertilizer Ingredients

Table 3-3: Selected Natural/Organic Fertilizer Ingredients

Focus on Select Fertilizer Ingredients

Soil Amendments

Focus: Greensand

Soil Conditioners

Bio-Stimulants

Focus: Humates

Hydroponic/Aeroponic Nutrients

The Products: Pesticide Ingredients

Natural Pest Control: Physical Approaches

Natural/Organic Chemical Approaches

Organic Pesticide Ingredients

Table 3-4: Organic Pesticide Ingredients: By Product Type

High-Tech Organic Pesticides

IPM vs. Organic Pest Control

Chapter 4: General Trends

Overview

Organic L&G Gaining in Popularity

But More Education, Promotion Needed

Consumer Statistics Show Gains

Organic Lawn Care Trends

Consumers: Greater Product Availability

Professionals: Gaining Ground

The National Mall Project

Other Lawn Demo Projects

Civic Efforts

Organic Gardening and Farming Trends

Trend in Organic Gardens: No Groundswell Yet

Institutions Slow to Embrace Organics

New Community Networking Approach

Trends in Organic Farms

Farms in Rural Areas

Farms in Metro Areas

Other General Trends

Geographical Trends

National and State Trends

Local Trends

Canada Trends

U.S. Regions: Positive and Negative

The Northwest: Green Conscious

Media/Promotion Trends

Still No Trade Journal or Association

Magazines

Newspapers

Organic L&G Celebrities

The Internet

Informal Promotional Network

Organic L&G Advocacy Groups

Regulatory Trends

Loose Regulatory Authority

Authority Conflict: Preemption Laws

Loose Regulation Leads to Other Problems

OMRI as De Facto Regulator

Local Bans on Synthetics

Fertilizer Bans

Pesticide Bans

LCO Trends

More LCOs in Organics

Table 4-1: Selected List of Natural/Organic Lawn Care Operators (2008)

Organic LCOs: Different Approaches

The Future of Organic LCOs

Retail Trends

Expanding Organic Retail Presence

Home Centers

Garden Centers/Nurseries

Focus: Specialty Organic Stores

The Serious Northwest

Services and Events

Mainstream Expansion

Buying Groups

Hardware Stores

Food Stores

Internet Retailing

Consumer Trends

Overview

Note on Simmons Market Research Bureau Data

Upscale/Mid-scale Split

Organic Insecticides Purchasers

Compost Purchasers

Table 4-2: Factors Favoring Purchase of Organic Insecticides and Compost: Index Scores (2008)

Magazine Preferences

Retail Contrast

Common Ground

More Dabblers

Great Potential

Horticulture Professionals

Chapter 5: Market Performance and Prospects

Current Market Performance

Size and Growth

Table 5-1: Retail Sales of Organic L&G Products: Market Size and Growth, 2003-2008 (in millions of dollars and percent change)

F/GM vs. Pesticide Sales

Factors in Future Growth

Positive Factors in a Negative Environment

Economic Factors: The Panic of 2008

Supply Disruptions Would Favor Organics

Price Structure Analysis

Positive Economics for Organics

Climate Change/Global Warming

Landmark Rodale Study on Carbon Sequestration

Other Studies Favor Organic L&G Climate Solutions

Organics Can Better Weather Climate Extremes

Age Demographics Positive

Cultural Factors Positive

Market Factors Positive

Negatives: Education and Labor

Market Projections

Optimistic Outlook

Table 5-2: Projected Sales of Organic L&G Products: 2009-2013 (in millions of dollars and percent change)

Chapter 6: The Products

Overview

Note on Nutrients

Forms/Packaging

The Products: F/GM Ingredients

Compost

Compost Benefits

Compost Ingredients

Table 6-1: Recommended Compost Materials

Compost Accelerators

Organic Fertilizers

The Traditional Organic Fertilizer: Manure

Table 6-2: Types of Fertilizer Manure

Focus: Guano

Many Types of Organic Fertilizer Ingredients

Table 6-3: Selected Natural/Organic Fertilizer Ingredients

Focus on Select Fertilizer Ingredients

Soil Amendments

Focus: Greensand

Soil Conditioners

Bio-Stimulants

Focus: Humates

Hydroponic/Aeroponic Nutrients

The Products: Pesticide Ingredients

Natural Pest Control: Physical Approaches

Natural/Organic Chemical Approaches

Organic Pesticide Ingredients

Table 6-4: Organic Pesticide Ingredients: By Product Type

High-Tech Organic Pesticides

IPM vs. Organic Pest Control

Chapter 7: Product Trends

Trends: Fertilizers and Growth Media

Compost and Soil Products

Table 7-1: Selected Marketers of Compost

Organic Fertilizer Products

Table 7-2: Selected Marketers of Organic Compost

Fish-Based Products

Table 7-3: Selected Marketers of Fish-Based F/GM Products

Kelp/Seaweed Products

Table 7-4: Selected Marketers of Kelp/Seaweed Products

Mineral Products

Table 7-5: Selected Marketers of Mineral F/GM Products

Vermiculture Products

Table 7-6: Selected Marketers of Vermiculture-Based F/GM Products

Compost Tea

Table 7-7: Selected Marketers of Compost Tea

Microbial Products

Table 7-8: Selected Marketers of Microbial Products

Humates

Table 7-9: Selected Marketers of Humates

Coconut-Based Products

Guano Products

Chicken Manure: Major Competition Emerging

Focus: Cockadoodle Doo

Focus: Chickity Doo Doo

Focus: Organic Growing Systems

Possible Competitive Trajectories

Fertilizer Blends: Popular Trend

Critics of Blends

Newly Trendy F/GM Ingredients

Ascophyllum Nosodum

Fish Hydrolysate

Menefee Humates

Encapsulated Gypsum

Biochar (“Terra Preta”)

Miscellaneous F/GM Trends

Hybrid Fertilizers

Botanical Extracts

Finished Compost

Organic Spikes

Organic Gardening Kits

Manure Planters

Product Trends: Pesticides

Overview

Table 7-10: Selected Marketers of Organic Pesticides

Corn Gluten: An Organic Lawn Care Star

Corn Gluten Drawbacks

Bio-Controls: Emerging Popularity

Consumer Bio-Controls

IPM Bio-Controls

Nematode Products

Garlic Products

Vinegar

Limonene

Spinosad

Pesticidal Oils

Bacteria

Neem

Table 7-11: Selected Marketers of Neem Products

Karanja Oil

Appendix: Addresses of Selected Marketers