Among other things, 2020 was a year of discovery. Shelter-in-place orders, combined with social distancing measures in every state, are pushing people to find new ways to spend their time. One such activity is gardening, a hobby that became more popular at the start of the pandemic and looks set to continue.
A survey by StorageCafe revealed that people spent more time growing a garden during the lockdown period but many of them plan to continue this hobby after the restrictions end. The data collected revealed that 17% of respondents wanted to enjoy gardening post-pandemic, a 2% increase compared to 15% who engaged in this activity while bunkering down at home.
The same data set revealed US states where gardening is a preferred pastime both during and after lockdowns. However, what makes a state ready to accommodate its new-found gardeners?
In addition to needing suitable land, growing plants or vegetables requires tools to work on them, and gardeners need a place to put them—and possibly store the crop until they’re ready to eat it. Renting a storage unit gives gardeners the extra space they need. We also researched the dynamics of the self-storage market and the cost of renting a storage unit to provide a more in-depth overview of how states in the US are ready to accommodate gardeners.
Rapid change in popularity of gardening during and after lockdown
The data revealed that the interest shown in gardening was non-linear, leading to significant changes in the rankings in terms of the most popular states: some respondents expected a loss of interest, while others predicted an increase.
California, Florida and New York were the states where people used their green thumbs the most during pandemic restrictions. However, only respondents from Florida expected their interest to increase once the lockdown is lifted. California dropped five spots and New York dropped one spot. Other states with dramatic drops are Maryland (down 5 spots) and Illinois (down 4 spots).
On the opposite side of the coin, respondents from the other four states planned to devote more time to gardening after shelter-in-place orders ended. Ohio rose six spots, closely followed by Texas, which improved its ranking by five spots. North Carolina and Pennsylvania saw increased interest, each climbing three positions.
- Florida
The Sunshine State is most enthusiastic about those who want to make gardening a long-term endeavor. No less than 19% of survey respondents from Florida plan to keep this activity as a hobby in the future, compared to 16% who engaged in it during the lockdown period. The state’s climate is perfect for year-round growing, making things even more rewarding for those looking to grow their own vegetables.
It’s also easy to store equipment without cluttering up space at home because the state has a strong self-storage market. Fewer than ten metros ranked among the top 100 active markets for self-storage in 2019. No problem finding people living around Orlando, Miami, Tampa, Cape Coral, Jacksonville, Lakeland, North Port, Naples, Palm Bay and Panama City. Storage solution. Monthly rental costs for a unit range from $92 in Panama City to $124 in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach area.
- Texas
The second best-ranked state for gardeners is Texas, as data revealed a significant increase in interest in gardening after the lockdown. With 19% of respondents planning to grow a garden, the Lone Star State will likely see more people getting their hands dirty once all restrictions are lifted. By comparison, only 12% engaged in this activity during the lockdown.
Texan gardeners can also rest easy when they find a place to store their shovels. The surrounding metropolitan areas of Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Lubbock, Amarillo, El Paso and Brownsville are booming in terms of available storage units, offering attractive options for those looking for additional storage space. As for prices, storage units start at $73 in Amarillo and go up to $94 in Austin and San Antonio. Amarillo and El Paso rank among the cheapest metros for self-storage, offering some of the most competitive rates in the entire country.
- Ohio
Gardening is also an interesting hobby for citizens of The Buckeye State. Ohio respondents expected their interest in this activity to increase after the lockdown. 17% of them are planning to build a garden after the restrictions are lifted completely, while 11% have done so while they are in place. Unlike Florida and Texas, Ohio only has three growing seasons, because winter is too harsh to allow many types of gardening.
For those living around Cincinnati, Cleveland, Youngstown, Toledo and Columbus, finding a storage unit to keep essential equipment until spring returns is relatively easy. These markets are actively investing in new construction. Toledo also ranks among the nation’s cheapest metros for self-storage, with an average rent of $73. Cleveland, on the other hand, boasts the highest price in the state at $92.
- New York
The state showing the fourth-highest level of interest is New York. Residents are keen during quarantine, with 15% of survey respondents taking up this activity, and gardening set to be a priority once things return to normal for 17% of those questioned. Those looking to brush up on their horticultural skills must plan carefully, as the state has a slightly shorter growing season than many.
In terms of available storage space, three markets in The Empire State rank among the most active, namely New York-Newark-Jersey City, Albany-Schenectady-Troy and Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls. However, New York City stands out as the metro with the most significant new storage construction in the entire country. Those looking for a self-storage unit to keep their garden tools safe and their crops fresh will pay between $99 in Albany and $165 in New York City.
- North Carolina
No less than 17% of respondents in The Old North State said that gardening would be an interesting way to fill their time after the lockdown. This number increased from 12% who gardened while sheltered, demonstrating an increased interest in this activity. North Carolina, featuring three growing seasons, offers an encouraging environment for those looking to plant herbs or vegetables.
It is also easy to find a self-storage unit to keep the equipment without cluttering the house, as the state is well organized from a storage point of view. Six metros experiencing booms in new construction are Charlotte, Greensboro, Myrtle Beach, Virginia Beach, Raleigh and Durham. Rents for a unit range from $78 in Myrtle Beach to $93 in Virginia Beach. Myrtle Beach is one of the cheapest markets for self-storage nationwide.
- California
California is the first state in our top 10 to report a drop in respondents’ willingness to continue gardening after the lockdown. Still, The Golden State is the sixth-most popular in terms of the percentage of respondents who plan to work on the ground. 17% of them engaged in this activity at the beginning of the epidemic and 15% of them intend to make it a long-term habit. Year-round gardening opportunities make things more rewarding, which can encourage people to invest more in the hobby.
Finding a place to store equipment shouldn’t be a problem and storage availability is increasing Eight metros in the state have been very active in terms of new storage facilities: Los Angeles, San Jose, Sacramento, San Diego, Riverside, San Luis Obispo, San Francisco and Madera. As for the price of a self-storage unit, rents start at $89 in Madera and go up to $186 in the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward area.
- Pennsylvania
Respondents in the Keystone State indicated an increase in their intention to continue gardening after the lockdown. 11% took up this hobby during the first months of the pandemic and 14% planned to set aside time for the activity in the long term. Two to three gardening seasons, depending on location, make Pennsylvania convenient for those looking to grow vegetables or herbs.
Planters, shovels, watering cans and all other equipment can be safely stored off-season in a self-storage unit. The state has four markets among the top 100 most active markets. People living in Pike County, which includes the New York-Newark-Jersey City metropolitan area, along with those living in the Pittsburgh, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington and Youngstown-Warren-Boardman neighborhoods, can choose from new to finished units. In terms of price, fares range from $86 in the Youngstown-Warren-Boardman metro to $165 in the New York-Newark-Jersey City area.
- Arizona
Arizona respondents were consistent in their willingness to devote time to gardening. 13% of respondents were interested in this activity both during and after the end of the shelter-in-place order. The Grand Canyon State has a harsh climate that allows for only two gardening seasons, increasing the need for additional storage between seasons.
Only one market listed in 2019 new construction. Nevertheless, it is the second most active market in the entire country. Americans living in the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale area benefit from 2.3 million square feet of new storage space available for rent. Combine that with 1.1 million square feet built in 2018 and 1.3 million square feet delivered in 2017, and the options abound. The average cost to rent a storage unit remained the same as in 2019, at $103
- Maryland
Maryland is another state where the hobby is most popular to experience a decline in interest in gardening during and after the lockdown. 14% of survey respondents revealed that they engaged in gardening and houseplant care while bunkering at home, while only 11% planned to continue this activity. Three growing seasons offer favorable conditions for those looking to master the intricacies of plant care, and storage markets are booming in the Old Line State’s three major metros.
Residents of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria area, along with those living around the Baltimore-Columbia-Tawson and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington areas, benefit from plenty of newly constructed storage space. A unit rent costs $116 around Camden, $121 near Baltimore and $135 in the Arlington area.
- Illinois
The last state on our list where gardening is most popular is Illinois. Although respondents predicted a decline in interest after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, keeping a garden remains an attractive activity. 11% of those responding to the survey planned to set aside time for this activity, less than 14% who used their horticultural skills.The growing season in the Lockdown Prairie State varies considerably from north to south, but there are many rewards on offer for the green thumb.
The most active Illinois market in terms of new storage construction is the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metropolitan area. Another dynamic region is the one around St. Louis, which extends across the Missouri border into Lincoln Land. Renting a storage unit costs between $89 in the St. Louis metro and $96 around Chicago.
StorageCafe data reveals that Americans spend an average of 88 minutes per day gardening. Each state’s dynamic storage market brings an extra degree of convenience to their lives, as gardening gear takes up space from shovels to bags of fertilizer, space that could otherwise be saved by investing in a self-storage unit. The only question is how many respondents are willing to follow their plans and grow gardens after all restrictions are lifted.
Procedure:
This research was conducted by StorageCafe, an online listing portal dedicated to the self-storage sector StorageCafe currently operates approximately 25,000 self-storage facilities – or 300,000 units – across the United States.
Data for this report is derived from a StorageCafe survey conducted between May 14 and May 25, 2020, on the rentcafe.com and point2homes.com websites, StorageCafe’s sister divisions. A total of 1,060 people aged 18 and over participated in the survey.
The market data comes from StorageCafe research that analyzed 383 U.S. metropolitan areas in terms of rentable square footage in 2019. The study was based on data from more than 28,000 facilities available in Yardi Matrix out of more than 50,000 estimated stocks at the national level.
