May 2019 - 6

Editor's Letter
language barriers
I just got back from California Spring Trials, a week-long trip down the coast seeing the
latest and greatest breeders have to offer. In the June and July issues, we will be sharing
with you highlights from incredible merchandising display ideas to new introductions sure
to shine on your benches, but for now I wanted to touch on a few conversations I had there.
The first one was about genetically engineered petunias - those orange ones that were
pulled off the market in 2017. The Canadian government has since said that they " pose no
more risk to the environment than conventional petunias " and have chosen not to regulate
them. The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service continues to do testing.
In California, we saw numerous new introductions from various breeders that got closer
to the orange color or to a replacement for a petunia that was lost a couple years ago.
At the very first stop, I was asked the question, " If we end up selling genetically
engineered petunias, how do we market or identify them? " My initial thought was
that most of the world - and a large number of your shoppers - have no clue what a
genetically engineered petunia is and probably do not care.
No one is eating these petunias, but I understand there may be a greater responsibility to
inform consumers, which we won't talk about further here. There is also the possibility that
we frighten shoppers more by the language that we use.
We see this often with fruits and vegetables: organic, GMOs, heirlooms, hybrids, non-treated
and more are used as descriptors with little knowledge of what the buyer really understands.
On page 12, there's a great article on " Catering to Today's Vegetable Gardening, " which
helps you break the myths of heirlooms and hybrids for your customers.
Then we can start having some of the fun conversations with shoppers like how growing
these red jalapeño peppers will be perfect for making homemade sriracha sauce or which
tomatoes make the most delicious salsa. That's really why people are growing their own
food in the first place.
Turn to page 16 to read about some of the latest vegetable trends and what you may want to
add to your mix to be first to market with the next hot thing, as well as carrying the classics.
don't wait
Have you submitted your entry to become Lawn & Garden Retailer's 2019 Merchandiser
of the Year? What are you waiting for?
Entries must be submitted by June 13 for this year's competition. Send up to five
photos of your favorite creative display or group of displays that appeared in your store
this year to me at akleckler@greatamericanpublish.
com. Make sure to include a short write-up with the
purpose of the display, when it was featured, how
you created it or what customers had to say. See
page 41 for more information.
The finalists and the winner will be featured in
upcoming issues of the magazine, and the top prize
getter will receive a package from our sponsors.
Head on over to www.lgrmag.com/merchandiserof-year
for another way to submit your entries. While
you're there, you can view the finalists and winners
from previous years.
In the meantime, flip to page 26 for some
display inspiration. We visited a number of garden
centers throughout Pennsylvania, and here are
some of the highlights.
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
MANAGING EDITOR
GREEN GOODS EDITOR
MULTIMEDIA DESIGNER
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
VICE PRESIDENT, GROUP PUBLISHER
INTEGRATED MEDIA CONSULTANT
INTEGRATED MEDIA CONSULTANT
INTEGRATED MEDIA CONSULTANT
CLASSIFIED ADS
GROUP MARKETING DIRECTOR
AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT
CUSTOM CONTENT MANAGER
ACCOUNTS/BILLING
COO
CEO
Tim Hodson, 616.520.2161
thodson@greatamericanpublish.com
Abby Kleckler, 616.520.2163
akleckler@greatamericanpublish.com
Jasmina Dolce, 616.520.2162
jdolce@greatamericanpublish.com
Greg Ryan, 616.520.2145
gryan@greatamericanpublish.com
Samantha Orsi, 616.520.2148
sorsi@greatamericanpublish.com
Kristina Howell, 616.520.2168
khowell@greatamericanpublish.com
Bob Bellew, 616.520.2164
bbellew@greatamericanpublish.com
Tiffany O'Kelley, 616.520.2172
tokelley@greatamericanpublish.com
Kim Sammartino, 616.520.2173
ksammartino@greatamericanpublish.com
Felix Schilling, 817.731.9352
felixschilling@sbcglobal.net
Kim Meyers, 616.520.2137
kmeyers@greatamericanpublish.com
Melissa Gray, 616. 520. 2153
mgray@greatamericanpublish.com
Becky Stovall, 616.520.2138
bstovall@greatamericanpublish.com
Jess Schmidt, 616. 520. 2141
jschmidt@greatamericanpublish.com
Sally Ostman, 616.520.2136
sostman@greatamericanpublish.com
Kimberly Baker, 616. 520. 2135
kbaker@greatamericanpublish.com
Matt McCallum, 616.520.2133
mmccallum@greatamericanpublish.com
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
Bob Wasson Wasson Nursery
Crystal Cady
John Karsseboom
Pamela Baker
Lisa LeFevre
Stan Pohmer
Christina Salwitz
Sunflower Acres Farm & Garden
Kate Terrell Wallace's Garden Center
The Garden Corner
Baker's Acres Greenhouse
Distinctive Gardens
Pohmer Consulting Group
The Personal Garden Coach
The opinions and views expressed by authors, contributors and advertisers in Lawn & Garden Retailer do not
necessarily reflect those of the editors and publisher. Appearance in Lawn & Garden Retailer does not constitute
endorsement by Great American Media Services or Lawn & Garden Retailer of the advertiser, its products, or services.
Great American Media Services and Lawn & Garden Retailer accept no responsibility of liability for the validity or
accuracy of information supplied by contributors, vendors, advertisers, or advertising agencies. Great American Media
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supplied by contributors, vendors, advertisers or advertising agencies.
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L&GR (Lawn & Garden Retailer) magazine (ISSN 1540-9023) is published ten times a year in January, February,
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Abby Kleckler, MANAGING EDITOR
Winner of 2010, 2012, 2014, 2017 and 2018 EDDIE awards for Best Full Issue
616.520.2163 | akleckler@greatamericanpublish.com
Members of:
@LGRmag
6 | LAWN & GARDEN RETAILER | MAY 2019
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http://www.lgrmag.com/merchandiser

May 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2019