According to the National Gardening Market Research Company, a widely recognized authority on the U.S. consumer lawn and garden market, “an estimated 90 million households participated in do-it-yourself lawn and gardening activities last year [2015] – in and outdoors. That’s about 75-percent of all U.S. households. According to the survey, the most important market force was 18-34 year olds. Five million of the six million ‘new’ gardening households were Millennials.”1 How exciting is that!
We have talked to several clients over the years that were excited to get their children into vegetable gardening to teach them about the fun and function of growing their own food.
The report further states that Americans spent about $3.6 billion growing vegetables, fruit, berries and herbs.1 That’s quite an investment—but worth it if we consider the value of homegrown goodness for our consumption and overall health.
Planting day will be upon us before we know it. In our neck of the woods, this past winter season featured spring-like temperatures, prompting lots of garden plants to wake up a bit too early.
As spring begins, it’s a great time to get a soil test and evaluate the short-term and long-term needs of your soil. Whether you farm on a larger scale and prefer to use your own fertilizer dealer, or garden on a smaller scale and would like us to ship you a custom soil amendment blend, the first step is always a soil test. You must know where you are to get where you want to go. If you are having problems with weeds, low yields, poor quality, drainage issues, flowering, fruiting, seed development, or all of the above, we want to work with you to begin the process of maximizing the fertility, balance, and productivity of your soil.
Visit the Get Started page on this site and you’ll find a step by step guide to taking a soil sample and sending it to the lab. After completing all five steps, you’ll soon be on your way to producing greater yields of higher quality, more nutritious, crops and forages.
Feel free to email us from the Contact Us page and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have, and assist you in the process of improving the fertility and performance of your soil.
1 2016 National Gardening Survey, GardenResearch.com