As most of us know, the gardening industry has been using mulch for a very long time—and so have your customers. Mulch will always be a great choice, but there is a new trend afoot; replacing grass and mulch with groundcovers is on the rise, and we think it’s a trend that should stay. 

Why Are Grass and Mulch “Going Out of Style”? 

For starters, grass requires a lot of watering and mowing, which does very little to support the environment. Additionally, lawns are often only one or two grass species; they attract and support very little wildlife. Mulch can do good things for our gardens, but customers are becoming more eco-friendly. One of the trends that we cannot ignore is “lazy lawns.” We don’t mean “lazy” in the sense of doing nothing, but rather “lazy” in terms of creating yards that require less care. 

The Benefits of Groundcover

Many groundcovers do not need much maintenance, which means less time watering, mowing, and weeding a lawn. They are better for the environment because they will eventually become self-sufficient after establishing themselves, and they will support more wildlife, promoting a healthy ecosystem. There are many benefits to groundcover, making this trend easy to sell to your customers. 

Choosing the Right Groundcover

Different groundcover plants offer different services to a yard, and you’ll want to help your customers choose the right one for their needs. Some questions could include:

• Do you want your groundcover to be walkable?
• Are you using groundcovers to replace mulch or grass?
• Is it to cover spots between rocks or pathways?
• Is it for covering areas in your garden?
• Do you have mostly sun or shade in your landscape?
• Would you prefer year-round coverage, or is that not essential?

To market the correct type of groundcovers to your customers, you have to know their starting point and end goals after installation. 

When Is the Best Time to Plant Groundcovers?

We advise planting groundcovers in the spring or summer to ensure that they have an entire season to establish. You should have all of your yard preparation done in the fall or very early spring so that you can get the groundcovers planted right away!

Can You Plant Groundcovers Through Mulch?

Just because we recommend using groundcover doesn’t mean your customers have to stop using mulch! Groundcover can spread and grow over the top of mulch, but its success will depend on how good the soil underneath is. Healthy groundcover starts with the quality of the soil underneath the mulch.

How to Market Groundcovers to Your Customers

Accurate and reliable information is crucial to market to eco-friendly customers who want to do their part and to customers eager to learn more about sustainability and eco-gardening. When your customers consume information constantly throughout the day, having concise, clear, and reliable information readily at hand during their shopping experience will help create a pleasant and successful shopping experience. 

Some suggestions include: 

1. Provide info sessions on environmentally friendly yards and how groundcovers are a gardening trend with a cause.

2. Educate your staff on the possible uses of groundcovers, how to care for them, and why they are beneficial.

3. Set up effective displays in your store(s) for groundcovers with helpful information. You can go above and beyond by dividing them according to:

• lighting needs (full sun vs. full shade)
• what purpose each groundcover serves (walkable, between pathways, garden coverage)
• evergreen vs. perennial groundcovers

4. Hang a custom banner in front of your groundcover display to catch the eye of customers.

Whether your customer is environmentally conscious or simply wants to cut back on mowing time, your staff will know how to help and direct them to the most effective groundcover for their needs. 

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(1) Hubspot. How Interactive Content Can Help You Increase Your Leads by 47% [Customer Story]