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Jun 18, 2023

Weekend Reading 9/1/23

Welcome to Garden Center magazine's Weekend Reading, a weekly round-up of consumer garden media stories meant to help IGCs focus marketing efforts, spark inspiration and start conversations with

Welcome to Garden Center magazine's Weekend Reading, a weekly round-up of consumer garden media stories meant to help IGCs focus marketing efforts, spark inspiration and start conversations with consumers.

This week: An unexpected potting soil replacement, an exploration of urban gardening, a possible pseudo-science practice that aims for the roots, fire resistant and flammable plants, and flower preserving tips from Joanna Gaines.

Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate, or LECA (also sometimes called LECA balls), has been escaping the hydroponics world. It's being adopted by houseplant growers as a less messy, aesthetically pleasing planting substrate. Here's how consumers are using it.

When Planting Gets Political: Urban gardening for social reform, The McGill International ReviewThis is the first story in a short series exploring the interconnected benefits of urban gardening, which McGill says has "risen in the ranks from an eclectic (and, admittedly, geriatric-seeming) hobby to the focus of numerous academic investigations," for reasons including "a desire to grow fresh produce amidst sprawling food deserts, to resisting urban decay from government mismanagement, or donning a fresh appearance to drab concrete streets."

Electro-culture Gardening, Homes & GardensCan you really channel energy into the roots of your plants with copper wire? A growing number of gardeners using social media seem to believe so. But as with everything on the internet, the reality is a bit difficult to untangle.

Some plants are more flammable than others. How gardeners can reduce the risks, Associated PressIn light of the recent deadly wildfires in Hawaii, the AP shares information on fire resistant and flammable plants.

Here's How to Preserve Your Favorite Summer Flowers Like Joanna Gaines, Better Homes & GardensMany IGC consumers aspire to emulate Magnolia Home star Joanna Gaines. This week, she talked to BHG about her method for preserving all the summer blooms that hopefully started at a garden center just like yours.

Enjoy your reading, have a great weekend and we'll see you next week!