2014 State of the Industry Report: All’s Well That Ends Well

Though the spring of 2014 was basically nonexistent and many feared the worst for retailers in the landscaping business, this State of the Industry Survey, located in this GardenCenter article, reported that 72 percent of stores experiencing increased sales in 2014.

Garden Center Magazine, 2014

Record cold temperatures. Severe snow and rainstorms. A delayed start to the season for much of the country. Things weren’t shaping up for many retailers quite as they would’ve liked them to earlier this year. However, by the time summer was through, our research painted a different picture. More than 540 retailers weighed in on our State of the Industry Survey, and the season ended well for most, with 72 percent of stores experiencing increased sales in 2014.

When it came to what was selling and what wasn’t, there were a few notable departures from last year’s results. Tree and shrub sales showed marginal increases despite a flat housing market, a phenomenon we can attribute at least in part to the harsh winter weather that destroyed many well-established trees and shrubs, even in southern locales. Perennials also made a strong showing this year, with 68 percent of retailers reporting an increase in sales, in contrast to 51 percent in 2013.

As we attended trade shows, visited garden centers and chatted with others in the industry, the vibe has been more positive than in year’s past, with hope for the future. Over the following pages, you can take a look at how your peers did this year, compare that with how your business fared and keep it in mind as you plan for next year. Managing editor Michelle Simakis and I share our commentary throughout the section.

Survey says...


To read the full article and view survey results, follow this link.

Popular Outdoor Design Trends for 2014

With many of the new 2014 landscaping trends requiring some heavy lifting, keep Power Pusher's electric wheelbarrow in mind. Take a look at a few of the up-and-coming techniques you might see this year according to this article from GreenIndustryPros.com 

Glenn Switzer, Flickr.com

Consumers are spending money on residential landscapes, especially those used to relax and socialize. Commonly known as outdoor living spaces, these types of landscape projects, along with sustainable and low-maintenance landscaping, are the most popular among consumers in 2014, according to a survey conducted by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).

Landscape architects who specialize in residential design were asked to rate the popularity of different landscaping elements. Roughly 94% said "gardens and landscape spaces" were either somewhat or very popular. Coming in second at 92% were "kitchens and entertainment spaces". Third was "outdoor recreation" at 76%.

Additionally, the following specific residential landscaping elements were noted as being "in demand" this year:

Lighting – 98%
Seating/Dining Areas – 97.7%
Fire Pits/Fireplaces – 95%
Grills – 94%
Installed Seating – 90% (includes benches, walls, ledges, steps and boulders)

To continue reading about more common 2014 trends, click here.

Diesel exhaust the culprit in some lung cancer deaths

1 Diesel Engine 1930s by Rich701 via flickr.com

With the possible cancer causing effects of diesel, will that impact how you purchase new equipment or replace existing equipment in the coming year? How do you manage the long term impact of job sites on health with immediate business needs? Read more on the topic of diesels harmful effects on ISHN.com.
 
An estimated 6 percent of lung cancer deaths in the United States and the United Kingdom – 11,000 deaths per year – may be due to diesel exhaust, according to a study recently published in Environmental Health Perspectives.
 
The researchers estimate that 4.8 percent of lung cancer deaths in the United States and the United Kingdom is due to occupational exposure to diesel exhaust, while 1.3 percent is due to environmental exposures to the exhaust.

Truckers and miners exposed over their careers to diesel exhaust face a risk of deadly lung cancer that is almost 70 times higher than the risk considered acceptable under U.S. occupational standards. The scientists calculated the lifetime risk for these workers at up to 689 extra lung cancer deaths per 10,000 workers exposed.

Read the full article on ISHN.com. 

Make Fall the New Busy Season

This is an excerpt from a Total Landscape Care article.

For many landscapers, their workflow starts to slow down when the leaves hit the ground — but why?

Of course, there are areas of the country that have already seen snow, but for many, the weather still works in their favor, making fall a great time to add new features and plants.

Plant, trim
Fall is the perfect time to cut down perennials, clean up flower beds, plant new trees and seed lawns, says Dean Savarino, owner of Dean’s Landscaping, to The Times Media Company.

“Anything you plant does a lot better when you plant it in the fall, before everything goes dormant,” he tells the publication.

To read the full article, visit Total Landscape Care's website.

ARA Adjusts U.S. Rental Forecasts but Remains Positive

This is an excerpt from an International Rental News article by Murray Pollok.

The American Rental Association (ARA) continues to make bullish forecasts for the U.S. rental market with 7.0% growth expected this year followed by increases of 9.2% next year and 12.9% in 2015.

The 7.0% figure is slightly lower than the 7.3% estimated by the association in May this year, reflecting a modest slowdown of the economy, but it remains an extremely high rate and in stark contrast to Europe where rental market growth this year is expected to be around 1%.

The ARA figures come from its quarterly Rental Market Monitor produced by consultant IHS Global Insight.

“The U.S. economy slowed more than expected in the first half of the year, but equipment rental demand has remained strong”, said Scott Hazelton, a senior partner with IHS Global insight, “We have lowered our growth expectations for 2013 modestly to reflect this, but rental growth will still handily outperform the overall economy.

“The path ahead still looks promising with employment growth continuing and housing data coming in strong, which implies an improving commercial construction market to follow. Industrial markets, especially those tied to energy exploration and production, also should see growth”.

The full article is available on the International Rental News website.

Staying Safe While Landscaping

As an OccupationalHealth & Safety article, "Landscaping Safety: Tips to Help Prevent Injuries,” points out, landscaping is a dangerous job.  Many worker fatalities occur because of car accidents, while others are injured while operating or repairing machinery.

In 2011, 167 landscaping professionals died on the job, which was 34 more than 2010, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

As the article suggests, awareness and prevention lead to the safest work zone possible, including utilizing the proper equipment, properly using it and safely maintaining it. Equipment and practices that improve efficiency can also make it easier to stay alert and monitor surroundings, because as these unfortunate reports show, it’s important to not only mind your own work, but others’ work as well.

With these concerns in mind, Power Pusher’s E-750 ElectricWheelbarrow is capable of effortlessly moving up to 750 pounds and was designed to make landscaping easier and safer.