Americans spend a lot of money to keep their lawns looking good, but new data reveal some headwinds facing the lawn and garden industry.
“For the first time since 2019, the U.S. gardening audience contracted — and yet total spending hit an all-time high,” according to Garden Research’s 2026 National Gardening Report.
Some key data points from the study showed:
- Total market spending in 2025: $79.0B (All-time high, +13.5% YoY)
- Spending per household: $740 (Record, +18.3% YoY)
- Households left gardening: -4.5 million
“Per-participant spending surged across nearly every major category in 2025. Several categories hit all-time highs, including lawn care, which grew by 26%,” according to the data.
Despite these generally positive numbers, one of the leading wholesale brands in the lawn and gardening space, BFG Supply, is preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing and a possible liquidation.
BFG Supply considers a Chapter 11 bankruptcy
While BFG Supply may not be a household name, since it sells to businesses, not consumers, it’s one of the leading players in the lawn and garden space.
“Our robust national distribution network, including 15 warehouses along with our own fleet, supports customers in all 50 states and regions of Canada. Our extensive partnerships with over 1,000 leading manufacturers allow us to offer 100,000+ SKUs to meet every customer’s needs,” the 53-year-old company shared on its website.
The brand, however, is facing an uncertain future.
BFG Supply is preparing to file for Chapter 11 in the coming weeks, according to sources in a report from Octus.com, which delivers credit news and updates.
“The company is expected to conduct a sales process in court with proceeds used to pay creditors, including lender Ares Management,” the sources said.
The restructuring comes as the company faces mounting financial pressure.
“BFG Supply is working with Goodwin as legal advisor on a restructuring, including a potential liquidation, according to sources,” the Octus report states. “The aforementioned liquidation may be implemented on an out-of-court basis or through a bankruptcy filing,” the sources said.
The situation has not been settled, according to GreenHouse Grower.
“Plans are not final and could change, the sources cautioned. The company is said to be laying off employees and declining new orders amid severe financial difficulties,” sources said.
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BFG has canceled all events
BFG normally runs multiple annual trade shows, but has canceled all scheduled events, according to Greenhouse Product News.
An email obtained by the trade organization acknowledges the closures as well as the company’s financial struggles.
“As BFG continues working towards resolutions to our current challenges in conjunction with our Restructuring partners at Reflect Advisors, we have reached the difficult decision to cancel our 2026 Marketplace Expo East and West. If you were planning on attending either event, we recommend cancelling your travel plans as soon as possible,” the email said.
The company’s Events page on its website shows no upcoming events.
In addition, people who have already paid for the events have not been refunded.
More Bankruptcy:
- Outdoors retailer closing 91 stores in Chapter 11 bankruptcy
- 97-year-old aerospace manufacturer files Chapter 11 bankruptcy
- 60-year-old dining chain franchisee files Chapter 11 bankruptcy
“There are currently no details on if or when any refunds will be issued for payments made to BFG for Expos. The Reflect Advisors team is working through details and will advise when possible. More details will follow as they become available,” the email said.
In a Chapter 11 filing, people who paid for event tickets would be behind secured creditors, such as the company’s lenders, in line for any payments from an asset sale or liquidation.
BFG does not sell direct to consumers
As a wholesaler, BFG sells to retailers serving the lawn and garden industry. That makes its business dependent upon demand from those customers.
While BFG has not commented on what’s causing its financial woes, and did not immediately answer a request for comment from TheStreet, two of the biggest players in the lawn and garden space, Home Depot and Lowe’s, saw mixed traffic in the second quarter, according to data from Placer.AI.
- Home Depot: Year-over-year foot traffic fell 0.3% in Q2, and average visits per location were down 0.6%.
- Lowe’s: Year-over-year foot traffic was up 0.4% in Q2, while average visits per location fell 0.4%.
“Lowe’s saw a similar trajectory in traffic growth as The Home Depot, with March showing a significant slowdown. While May and June also saw a decline, the report notes that an ‘accumulation of deferred maintenance, or an easing in prices’ could lead to growth later this year,” according to Placer.AI.
Those aren’t dire numbers, and both Home Depot and Lowe’s sell much more than lawn and gardening supplies, so the data provide only a limited indication of broader consumer demand.
RTM Nexus CEO Dominick Miserandino explained to TheStreet how BFG Supply is having financial problems, despite the overall lawn and garden industry being generally healthy.
“Look, people see gardening spending up and wonder how a company like BFG Supply ends up heading toward Chapter 11. But this isn’t about whether people are buying plants— it’s about where they’re buying them and how BFG got caught in the middle,” he wrote.
“Right now, everyday consumers are being cost-conscious and driving straight to big-box stores like Home Depot and Walmart for their lawn and garden stuff. Those big boxes have massive leverage, so they squeeze the commercial growers on price. When those growers get squeezed, they squeeze BFG,” he added.
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