How to sell organics

There is no need to use scare tactics with potential organic gardeners. They have more than likely already read about the risks to people exposed to pesticides. The likelihood that children who live in homes where chemical weed and insect killers are used will develop cancer is particularly scary – they are four times as likely to get such a disease, according to a 1995 study in the “American Journal of Public Health.”
The Environmental Protection Agency has also noted that pregnant women, infants and children, the aged and the chronically ill are at greatest risk from pesticide exposure and chemically induced immune-suppression.
But when gardeners look for products that better protect themselves, their families and their pets from harm while advancing the health of the earth, they don’t always choose wisely. A 2004 national survey from the National Gardening Association revealed that 5 million homeowners use only organic lawn practices and products and 35 million people use both toxic and non-toxic materials. A little more than half say they read and follow labels carefully when using pesticides and fertilizers.

 

Encouraging gardeners to make a complete shift to chemical-free gardening is often a matter of pointing them to others who are doing so successfully and feeling good about it.
Organic gardening clubs provide a community of like-minded folks who can offer practical tips and suggestions. Other organizations that encourage wildlife preservation are by nature allies for organic practices. To support bugs, animals, fish, or birds is to prevent the degradation of soils and waterways that are so critical to their survival.

Testing

One old argument against organics used to be that organic methods hadn’t been scientifically tested. But as consumers have demanded more organic gardening products, research has caught up. Sources of information such as county extension offices now offer certification courses in organics and organic fertilizers have been tested alongside synthetic counterparts. It’s that research, along with firsthand experience, that is helping to drive the huge surge in people buying organic gardening products.

 

Biocontrols

Today’s consumers want to know about biocontrols for pests like bacillus thuringiensis and others. They’re purchasing and encouraging beneficial insects like Praying Mantids, Lady Beetles and Trichogramma wasps. And they’re considering beneficial microorganisms like nematodes when it comes to dealing with pests such as Cutworms, Grub Worms, Fire Ants and others.
Unfamiliarity with such methods isn’t enough to keep gardeners tied to chemical-filled aerosol cans. The studies linking pesticide exposure to cancer in children and adults provide the impetus for change. Convinced of the health and environmental advantages, gardeners know they’ll also be saving money by using a combination of low impact Gardenville products and homemade sprays.

 

 

Lessons in Nature

And there is this, as Malcolm Beck has detailed in “Lessons in Nature.” “Many growers have learned that artificial fertilizers are only good to grow plants; artificial fertilizers do nothing to build soil fertility or even sustain soil fertility…With the natural or organic methods of soil building such as composting, cover cropping, and adding natural rock minerals, the soil fertility increases each year and artificial fertilizers become unnecessary.”
All of the increasing positive news about organics is making people seek it out at garden centers, especially those with a staff that is knowledgeable about the products and how to apply them for best success.