What is ahead for 2014?

According to trend forecasters, who are always busy at this time, it seems as if gardeners will be composting more than ever, growing their own super foods (veggies and fruit) and making far greater use of garden apps and other technology.

That’s the message coming out of the US and Canada, where the garden writers’ guild has identified 12 garden trends for 2014. Many of them mesh with our own experience and expectations, showing that generally gardeners around the world are on the same page.

One of the trends is that young men will be getting down and dirty. According to their National Gardening Association survey for 2013 , men between the ages of 18 to 34 spend $100 (R1 045) more than the average person on lawn and garden products some $441 annually.

Wondering how this would apply to South Africa, I checked with JJ van Rensburg from Garden World who agreed, but added that it was young couples together, and not just husbands, who most visited garden centres.

AHEAD OF ITS TIME: The Aquaponics garden by Sonita Young, of Young Landscape Design Studio, started a trend when it was showcased at the 2012 Spring Festival at Garden World.

His analysis is that couples who bought their homes during the property boom of 2007/8 had to focus on bond repayments and are only now turning their attention to the garden.

With this younger generation getting their hands dirty we can expect the trend of organic gardening to continue, especially growing vegetables and herbs. More households will also be making their own compost as part of the awareness to recycle, re-use and reduce.

Van Rensburg predicts a greater interest in growing fruit, a return to the days when every garden had its own orchard. There is already a demand for macadamia nut trees (that can adapt to any garden), apricots, grapes and avocados as well as berries, such as blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. Although berries are grown in the colder parts of South Africa, all can be easily grown in the suburban garden, says Van Rensburg.

This concurs with the international trend toward cultivating super foods like berries, brassicas, capsicums and more. Starting this month one can sow globe artichokes, beans, beetroot (in cooler areas), broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots and spinach.

SUPERFRUIT: Raspberries and other berries are the new super food and are easy to grow in the home garden. Pictures: Supplied.

Home brewing is another trend to look out for. According to Van Rensburg this is the latest hobby among British gardeners and is also a trend in the US. It is the perfect use for excess fruit or herbs ,like elderberry (Sambucus nigra) that can be made into elderberry wine or port.

The best way to get started is a quick search for home brewing information on the Internet. There are home brewing clubs and suppliers of home brew kits at the click of a mouse.

Expect to see more technology- driven gardening, such as hydroponics and aquaponics. Both are soil-less systems that are clean, don’t require much space and can be used to produce food in ultra urban settings, like penthouses, patios or apartment balconies.

At present the garden apps for smart phones tend to be international (and expensive) so there is a real gap in the market.

Biodiversity is still high on the agenda, especially as more than 85% of earth’s plant species require pollinators to exist. But, says Van Rensburg, gardeners are not opting as much for indigenous plants, compared to previous years.