In Recession-Era Nursery Industry, Changes Take Root

The sea change sweeping through California's nursery business continues to make waves.

Target is phasing out its garden centers while adding more space for groceries. Meanwhile, Home Depot, the nation's No. 1 nursery retailer, is making more space for vegetable plants and fruit trees, plus succulents and colorful annuals.

On the other end of the scale, small mom-and-pop nurseries have seen business tick upward as they focus on personalized service and expert advice.

"On the growers' side, a lot of companies have gone out of business," said Tim Obert, Home Depot's lawn and garden buyer for the West Coast. "On the consumer side, with the lack of construction, sales of big-ticket landscaping (for new homes) have gone way down. People aren't buying big trees and foundation plants."

To read the rest of this story please go to: The Sacramento Bee