Nurseries, Garden Centers & Farm Supply
Industry Profile Report
Dive Deep into the industry with a 25+ page industry report (pdf format) including the following chapters
Industry Overview Current Conditions, Industry Structure, How Firms Operate, Industry Trends, Credit Underwriting & Risks, and Industry Forecast.
Call Preparation Call Prep Questions, Industry Terms, and Weblinks.
Financial Insights Working Capital, Capital Financing, Business Valuation, and Financial Benchmarks.
Industry Profile Excerpts
Industry Overview
The 9,400 nurseries, garden centers, and farm supply stores in the US sell lawn and garden products and farm supplies. Major product categories include grain and animal feed; fertilizer, lime, chemicals, and other soil treatments; outdoor nursery stock; pet supplies; and hardware, tools, and plumbing and electrical supplies. Companies may also sell fuel (oil, LP gas, wood, charcoal), automotive products and supplies, lawn and garden tools, and indoor plants. Services include equipment rental and repair and consulting services (landscape design, agronomy). Companies may offer delivery services for large orders (fertilizer, sod, dirt).
Competition from Alternative Sources
Nurseries, garden centers, and farm supply stores compete with a variety of alternative retailers, including home improvement and hardware stores and general merchandise retailers.
Highly Seasonal Sales
Sales for farm supply retailers are highly seasonal, with peaks during the spring and fall to support crop schedules.
Industry size & Structure
The average nursery, garden center, or farm supply retailer operates out of a single location, employs 16 workers, and generates $3-4 million annually.
- The nursery, garden center, and farm supply retailing industry consists of about 9,400 companies operating 13,400 stores that employ about 157,000 workers and generate about $35 billion annually.
- The industry is highly fragmented; the top 50 firms account for about 41% of industry sales.
- Tractor Supply is the largest farm supply retailer in the US with over 2,200 stores. Large nursery and garden centers, such as Armstrong Garden Centers and Stein Garden Centers, have multiple locations but typically operate in one or two states. Most companies are small, independent operations.
Industry Forecast
Nurseries, Garden Centers & Farm Supply Industry Growth
Recent Developments
Mar 26, 2025 - High Quality Plants an Advantage for Garden Centers: Axiom
- Gardeners shop more frequently at big box stores for their gardening supplies but choose independent garden centers for their highest quality plants, according to the 2025 Axiom Gardening Outlook Study in Garden Center Magazine. The survey revealed that respondents shopped most frequently for their garden supplies at Home Depot (32%), Lowe’s (19%), Walmart (17%), and independent garden centers (12%), followed by grocery stores, online sales, farm stores, and hardware stores. Respondents said they shopped for plants at Home Depot (34%), Lowe’s (16%), and independent garden centers (15%). Independent garden centers were tops regarding where shoppers go for plant quality and knowledgeable associates. Shoppers said they chose garden centers for more plant choices, new plant choices, and help selecting the right plants for the garden.
- Consumer confidence levels, an indicator of discretionary spending, have fallen due to consumer anxiety about tariff effects and economic uncertainty, according to a report in CFO Dive. The consumer sentiment index from the University of Michigan dropped 11% in March 2025, marking the third straight month of declines and hitting the lowest level since November 2022. In addition, the Conference Board index of consumer confidence fell in March 2025. According to Stephanie Guichard, senior economist for global indicators at the Conference Board, “Consumer confidence declined for a fourth consecutive month in March, falling below the relatively narrow range that had prevailed since 2022.”
- New research from Monrovia found that homeowners say that gardening brings them a sense of escape, relaxation, and accomplishment, with a trend toward natural looking gardens, according to a report in Garden Center. Nearly 40% of gardeners say gardening is their “me time,” up 8% from a year ago. About 31% of respondents agreed with the statement, “Gardening has become a new hobby of mine,” up 7% from last year. The report noted that men aged 35-45 who started gardening during the pandemic are still interested in the hobby and are open to communications in more tech-savvy ways such as text messages on new plants in stock or promotions. Other survey highlights were nearly 60% of respondents say gardening gives a sense of accomplishment, 36% say gardening reminds them of simpler times, 26% say they like their garden to have a more natural look, and 26% say they garden to attract pollinators.
- The latest gardening industry trends include lived-in gardens, living fences, music components, a focus on foraging, and social retreats, according to the 2025 Garden Trends Report by Garden Media. Garden centers can embrace gardeners' love of music by introducing music to their functions, enhancing the connection between sound and nature with events like “Bring Your Own Vinyl” nights. Gardening retailers can also use the social component of gardening by collaborating with niche influencers, developing authentic and engaging content for platforms, and hosting workshops based on popular niches. The “lived-in” garden look emphasizes a dense, established look while foraging gardens allow gardeners to use their plantings to create floral patterns and arrangements. Living fences use a mix of layered plants instead of traditional hedges.
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