The grow-your-own trend continues during 2019 as the nation’s gardeners seek out environmentally-friendly ways of growing healthy, pesticide-free produce with zero food miles. Eco-conscious gardeners are embracing the grow-your-own sector as society becomes more aware of where their food comes from and seeks to reduce the carbon footprint that mass food production has on the environment. This is reinforced by the vegan and vegetarian movement.
 
Rising interest in growing fruit and veg for vegan diets is also a driver for this market - The Vegan Society found there were 600,000 vegans in Great Britain in 2018. The number of vegans almost doubled from up to 150,000 in 2014, to 276,000 in 2016, and is widely predicted to carry on growing exponentially. More than a quarter of all evening meals in the UK are now vegan or vegetarian.
 
In January, The Daily Mail reported that sales of vegetable seeds are outstripping those of flowers, as growing numbers of Brits embrace trendy plant-based vegan diets. In the same month, The Daily Telegraph predicted a “vegan takeover” with more people growing food for vegan diets. Writer Matthew Appleby stated: “I’ve said for the past few years that vegan gardening is the next big thing. As vegan and flexitarian [semi-vegetarian] numbers explode, the animal-free trend is spreading to areas such as beauty products and gardening.”
 
Environmentally-friendly plant care brand ecofective® is poised to respond to this continual interest in growing fruit and vegetables with its expertly-formulated range of natural plant feeds. They’re designed to make grow-your-own easy for novice and experienced gardeners alike, who want to grow food at home and on allotments without resorting to chemicals.
 
Sipcam’s Matthew Jones said: “The rise of vegan and vegetarian diets is ramping-up interest in grow-your-own, with retailers expecting significant growth in the vegan and organic sectors during 2019. Through innovation, ecofective® has brought to market natural, organic plant foods that perfectly meet the needs of environmentally-conscious gardeners who want to grow healthy, pesticide-free produce with zero food miles.”
 
ecofective® Organic Wonder Feed is a natural, organic concentrated plant food for outdoor and indoor plants. It has the added bonus of DELTA+ bio-stimulants, which encourages nutrient uptake and enhances plant development – resulting in strong, healthy fruit and vegetables as well as an abundance of vibrant flowers.
 
Not only is Organic Wonder Feed safe to use around children and pets, but consumers can rest assured that it won’t harm bees, which are vital for pollination of flowers and fruit. The feed’s highly effective formulation is used by professional growers and landscapers across the UK and Europe. A 1.5-litre bottle makes up to 50 watering cans of high-quality organic liquid plant feed.
 
ecofective® Organic Pour + Feed is a natural and organic based feed which also incorporates DELTA+ biostimulants to encourage nutrient uptake and enhance plant development. Due to demand, a new 4-litre bottle has been launched, complementing the 1.5-litre bottle that’s already established in the market. Organic Pour + Feed is remarkably easy to use: simply water plants then apply one capful at the base of the plants, avoiding the foliage, feeding every seven days during the growing season. Pour + Feed is perfect for pots, hanging baskets and growing bags, as well as fruit and vegetables.
 
Houseplants are a big growth area within garden centres, with sales rises expected to continue throughout 2019. Similar to the trend for veganism, it’s often younger consumers who are driving demand, inspired by the fashion for posting images of houseplants on social media platform Instagram. According to The Daily Telegraph, houseplant sales grew by 15-20% last year. The newspaper claimed: “Millennials showing off their urban jungles on Instagram remains a driver of this trend”. Horticulture Week magazine reported that sales of houseplants at garden centres rose by 8.12% in December alone. ecofective® has the perfect line-up of natural, chemical-free houseplant care products to help consumers keep indoor plants healthy.
 
ecofective® Houseplant Defender is a ready-to-use, pesticide-free spray that provides excellent control of whitefly, aphid, red spider mite, mealybug, scale insect and psyllids. It tackles powdery mildew by washing away the spores, and also nourishes plants, promoting strong and healthy growth. Houseplant Defender can be used on edibles such as tomato plants, too, and no harvest interval is required: simply wash fruit and vegetables before eating. It’s safe to use around children, pets and bees.
 
ecofective® Houseplant Boost is the ultimate in convenience plant feeding: simply water the plant and apply one capful of feed – no mixing required. This ready-to-use, organic houseplant feed has the bonus of DELTA+ biostimulants, which encourage nutrient uptake and enhance plant development. Houseplant Boost promotes growth, colour and long-lasting blooms and is ideal for an array of houseplants, including indoor-grown capsicums as well as herbs. Feeds are best applied during the growing season, from March to September.
 
Find out more
To find out more about the full ecofective® range from Sipcam please visit www.ecofective.uk.com.