US Lawn & Garden Growing Media

US Lawn & Garden Growing Media

The market for lawn and garden growing media – including packaged potting soil, garden soil, topsoil, compost, peat, perlite, and a variety of niche soil mixes and soil amendments – is expected to grow 1.4% per year through 2026 to $1.5 billion from a high 2021 base. In volume terms, demand will moderate significantly, but remain above pre-pandemic levels. Consumers and business owners became more interested in maintaining and improving outdoor spaces, causing demand to spike in 2020 and remain at record levels in 2021. The challenge going forward is to retain those gardeners and produce products that are effective and easy to apply so that that more consumers will consider using growing media, especially higher value versions, in their lawns and gardens.

Inflationary Trends Impact Lawn & Garden Growing Media Spending

Near-term growth rates for many segments will be challenged by an inflationary environment that has fostered price sensitivity. Consumers are looking for value, not just a low cost. In some cases, gains in value terms in 2022 stemmed from price increases more than sales volume gains. However, interest in value-added versions temporarily slipped as customers found the high prices challenging to their budgets. Price increases were also upheld due to shortages from products such as peat moss, which has been challenged by reduced supplies coming from Canada as wet weather in 2022 limited harvest and extraction for the 2023 season, while regulations make expansions slow and challenging.

Return to DIFM Services Impacts Growing Media Sales

Many US consumers have embraced a DIY ethic for lawn and garden projects. The widespread availability of gardening information – both practical advice from experts and inspirational content from social media influencers on TikTok, Instagram, and other outlets – helps to maintain this trend.

However, use of DIFM landscaping services has grown again as consumers return to pre-pandemic habits. This is particularly important with growing media, which is typically applied seasonally as consumers seek to condition their lawns and establish their garden beds or containers. Increasingly, consumers are relegating these seasonal cleanup tasks to professionals who are more efficient and have the skill and knowledge to select the right growing media and apply them properly. Still, that trend has been somewhat counterbalanced by rising inflation, which has led many consumers to economize and cancel some services. Furthermore, the shortage of professional landscape workers has made such services either too expensive or too unreliable for some homeowners.

Product Innovations Continue to Support Value Gains

Market value gains will be bolstered by an ongoing shift in the product mix toward innovative, value-added products. Key value-added growing media types include pre-blended soil mixes that offer improved performance characteristics, such as moisture retention, added fertilizers or pesticides, and the inclusion of soil amendments, and products that feature improved sustainability.

This study analyzes US demand for lawn and garden growing media by end user (consumer, professional), market, application (lawn care, gardens and borders, other), and product type.

Market segments include:

• residential
• golf courses
• government and institutional
• commercial and industry
• other, including nurseries, sod farms, and sports venues

Product types include:

• packaged soil
• potting soil
• garden soil
• topsoil
• planting mix
• soil amendments
• compost
• sphagnum peat moss
• perlite
• humus
• manure
• vermiculite

Historical data (2011, 2016, and 2021) and forecasts for 2026 and 2031 are presented for lawn and garden growing media demand in current US dollars (including inflation). Annual data is also provided from 2018 to 2025.