The lawn and garden industry has been experiencing a surge in spending, with Americans allocating a significant portion of their budget to keep their lawns looking good. According to the 2026 National Gardening Report by Garden Research, the U.S. gardening audience contracted for the first time since 2019, yet total spending hit an all-time high of $79.0 billion in 2025, a 13.5% increase year-over-year.

The study revealed that spending per household reached a record high of $740, a 18.3% increase year-over-year. Meanwhile, the number of households engaged in gardening decreased by 4.5 million. The data also showed that per-participant spending surged across nearly every major category in 2025, with several categories hitting all-time highs, including lawn care, which grew by 26%.

Despite the generally positive numbers, one of the leading wholesale brands in the lawn and garden space, BFG Supply, is facing a uncertain future. The 53-year-old company, which sells to businesses rather than consumers, is preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and a possible liquidation. BFG Supply’s financial struggles come as a surprise, given the company’s robust national distribution network, including 15 warehouses and its own fleet, which supports customers in all 50 states and regions of Canada. The company also boasts extensive partnerships with over 1,000 leading manufacturers, offering 100,000+ SKUs to meet every customer’s needs.

The company’s financial woes are attributed to the changing dynamics of the lawn and garden industry. Everyday consumers are becoming increasingly cost-conscious, driving straight to big-box stores like Home Depot and Walmart for their lawn and garden supplies. These massive retailers have significant leverage, allowing them to squeeze commercial growers on price. When these growers get squeezed, they in turn squeeze BFG Supply, making it difficult for the company to maintain profitability.

BFG Supply’s financial struggles have been further exacerbated by the company’s dependence on demand from retailers serving the lawn and garden industry. The company has not commented on what’s causing its financial woes, but 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. While Home Depot’s year-over-year foot traffic fell 0.3% in Q2, Lowe’s year-over-year foot traffic was up 0.4% in Q2.

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. In addition, people who have already paid for the events have not been refunded, and it is unclear if or when any refunds will be issued for payments made to BFG for Expos.

The company’s Events page on its website shows no upcoming events, and all scheduled events have been canceled. An email obtained by the trade organization acknowledges the closures as well as the company’s financial struggles. The email states that BFG continues working towards resolutions to its current challenges in conjunction with its Restructuring partners at Reflect Advisors. However, the company has reached the difficult decision to cancel its 2026 Marketplace Expo East and West, and recommends canceling travel plans as soon as possible.