Gardening bloomed during the pandemic. Garden centers hope would-be green thumbs stay interested

By MAE ANDERSON
AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Garden centers enjoyed a pandemic boom, particularly with millennials, as people looked for outdoor activities during lockdowns. Now, as another crucial spring planting season kicks in the question is, will those wannabe green thumbs stick with the habit. Spending on lawn and gardening activities rose to about $616 per household in 2022, an increase of $74 from 2021, but flattened out in 2023, according to the National Gardening Association. As they seek to keep people interested in gardening, business owners must deal with higher costs for materials and labor, as well as volatile weather.