Gertens

What Gertens does

Gertens is a privately held, family-owned garden center and greenhouse operator headquartered in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, operating continuously since 1920 under the motto "Buy Direct from the Grower." The company runs a 100+ acre flagship retail garden center complemented by three dedicated landscape supply and yard waste recycling yards in Inver Grove Heights, Eagan, and Denmark Township, plus wholly owned subsidiaries covering wholesale (Gertens Wholesale at gertenswholesale.com), rental equipment (Gertens Rental), and a four-decade-old fundraising program serving schools, churches, and community organizations.

The core offering is a vertically integrated plant and outdoor living catalog covering annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, vines, houseplants, Minnesota natives, and pollinator plants propagated through in-house greenhouses under the proprietary "Gerten Grown" label. This is augmented by landscaping materials (mulch, soils, composts, rock, sand, paver base, natural stone, retaining walls, and sod), outdoor grilling and pizza ovens (Weber, Traeger, Big Green Egg, Recteq), garden and power equipment (Stihl), pots, planters, fountains, bird and wildlife supplies, and weather accessories. Supporting technology and proprietary features include a Plant Finder tool, Project Calculators, and a seasonal Pre-Order system.

The revenue model is omnichannel and transaction-based across retail (in-store and e-commerce at gertens.com with curbside pickup and delivery), wholesale to contractors and commercial landscapers, fundraising commissions (15% on Plant Cards), equipment rental fees, gift card sales (physical $10-$2,500, e-gift $10-$500), and bulk landscaping material delivery. Customer segments span residential DIY gardeners, professional contractors and commercial landscapers, other retail garden centers, schools and community organizations, and wholesale buyers. Primary marketing channels include Instagram (@gertens_), email newsletters, seasonal events, an annual print catalog, and digital tools such as the online Plant Finder and Project Calculators.

Name

Gertens

Legal name

Gerten Greenhouses & Garden Center, Inc.

Website

https://gertens.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Gertens is a 100+ acre family-owned garden center in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, serving residential gardeners, contractors, and community organizations with plants, landscaping materials, outdoor living products, wholesale supply, and equipment rental since 1920.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Garden Center & Nursery Retail

NAICS

Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (44424), Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (444240)

SIC

Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply (5200)

akta.pro primary industry

Plants, Seeds & Nursery Retail (Garden Centers) (CRAIAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Soils, Mulch, Fertilizers & Lawn Care Chemicals Retail (CRAIAIAC), Landscape Plant & Nursery Stock Wholesalers (Grower-Wholesalers) (AFAGAHAM)

Keywords

• Garden center retail
• Landscaping materials supply
• Wholesale nursery plants
• Outdoor living products
• Plant cultivation

Headquarters

HQ city

Inver Grove Heights

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Plant Sales: Core revenue from selling plants including annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, houseplants, and Minnesota natives through physical retail store and e-commerce platform
2. Landscaping Materials: Sales of mulch, soils, composts, rock, sand, paver base, sod, retaining walls, and landscape fabric for DIY and professional landscaping projects
3. Outdoor Living Products: Grills (Weber, Traeger, Big Green Egg, Recteq), patio furniture, fire pits, firewood, and outdoor décor
4. Garden Supplies: Pots, planters, garden tools, lawn care products, fertilizers, seeds, and pest control products
5. Gift Cards: Physical gift cards ($10-$2,500) and e-gift cards ($10-$500) sold for use in-store and online
6. Equipment Rental: Rental equipment for landscaping and outdoor projects
7. Fundraising Programs: Seasonal plant and poinsettia fundraising programs for schools, churches, and community organizations with 15% commission on Plant Cards
8. Wholesale Operations: B2B wholesale sales to contractors and commercial landscapers through dedicated sales lines and separate wholesale website
9. Delivery Services: Delivery of bulk landscaping materials including mulch, soil, rock, and sod

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Gertens is a 100+ acre garden center operating under a direct-from-grower retail model. It sells live plants (annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, houseplants, Minnesota natives), landscaping materials (mulch, soils, rock, sod, pavers), outdoor living products (grills, fire pits, patio furniture), and garden supplies. It also operates wholesale, equipment rental, fundraising, yard waste recycling, and gift card programs.

Product overview

Gertens is a garden center and greenhouse offering a comprehensive product portfolio centered around plants, landscaping materials, outdoor living, and related services. The core offering is an extensive plant catalog featuring Annuals, Perennials, Trees, Shrubs, Houseplants, and Minnesota Native plants. This is complemented by landscaping supplies (Mulch, Soils, Composts, Rock, Sand, Paver Base, Natural Stone, Retaining Walls, Sod), outdoor grilling equipment (Weber, Traeger, Big Green Egg, Recteq, Pizza Ovens), garden tools and supplies, lawn care products, and outdoor décor. Services include plant pre-orders for seasonal availability, gift cards (physical and e-gift), fundraising programs for organizations, wholesale/commercial sales, rental equipment, yard waste recycling, and curbside pickup. The company operates multiple retail and landscape supply locations in the Twin Cities area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Plants & Plant Catalog

Quantifiable outcome

• 15% commission on Plant Card sales for fundraising organizations

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• KDWB RadiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerRadio station partnership for Gertens After Dark events. Falen from KDWB provides on-site entertainment, curated soundtrack, and prize wheel giveaways during after-hours shopping events. KDWB Street Team attends events for customer engagement.
• Brick Oven Pizza BusminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFood truck vendor serving wood-fired sourdough pizzas at Gertens After Dark events.
• La Troquita Del SurminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFood truck vendor serving Birria Ramen, loaded burritos, tacos and more at Gertens events.
• Philicious Phillys Food TruckminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFood truck vendor serving philly cheesesteaks and onion rings at Gertens events.
• Cold Front CruiserminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIce cream vendor serving homemade ice cream, root beer floats, and ice cream sandwiches at Gertens events.
• Weber GrillscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPremier grill brand sold at Gertens including gas grills, griddles, wood pellet grills, charcoal grills, electric grills, accessories, and replacement parts.
• Traeger GrillscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWood pellet grill brand carried at Gertens including grills and accessories.
• Big Green EggcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCeramic kamado grill brand sold at Gertens including grills, replacement parts, and Eggcessories.
• StihlcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOutdoor power equipment brand sold at Gertens including chainsaws, lawn mowers, trimmers, edgers, blowers, shredders, sprayers, batteries, and accessories.
• Green LooncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLandscape supply brand supplying mulch, soil conditioners, and soil products sold at Gertens.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bachman's: Bachman's is a family-owned Minnesota garden center, florist, and nursery founded in 1885 with multiple Twin Cities locations. It is the most direct regional peer to Gertens, competing head-to-head on plants, landscaping supplies, and floral/garden services in the same Minneapolis-St. Paul market.
• Armstrong Garden Centers: Armstrong is a large multi-location independent garden center chain in California offering plants, landscape design, and gift items. Like Gertens, it is a destination independent with a strong in-store experience, a large plant catalog, and dedicated landscaping services, making it a strong operating model comparable.
• Calloway's Nursery: Calloway's is a large Texas-based independent garden center chain selling plants, trees, and garden supplies with a Texas-grown branding program. Its vertically integrated grower-retailer model and regional brand positioning closely mirror Gertens' 'Gerten Grown' direct-from-grower strategy.
• Pike Nurseries: Pike Nurseries is a multi-location Atlanta-area garden center offering plants, landscape design, and outdoor living products. Comparable in scale, footprint, and product mix to Gertens, with a similar mix of retail plant sales, landscaping materials, and design services.
• Sloat Garden Center: Sloat is a long-running Bay Area independent garden center chain with a strong plants, landscape design, and gift offering. Comparable to Gertens as a high-service regional independent emphasizing plant expertise, design services, and curated outdoor living product.
• Roger's Gardens: Roger's Gardens is a destination independent garden center in Corona del Mar, California with a premium plant catalog, gift/home department, and design services. Comparable to Gertens in positioning as a high-service destination garden center with broad lifestyle appeal.
• Hicks Nurseries: Hicks is a 100+ year-old family-owned garden center and nursery on Long Island, NY, offering plants, landscaping, and outdoor living. Like Gertens, it is a multi-generational independent with a long heritage, strong community ties, and a destination-store positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Monrovia Nursery Company: Monrovia is one of the largest U.S. wholesale nursery growers, supplying branded plants to independent garden centers and retailers nationwide, including Gertens' competitors. Comparable as a grower-retailer brand in the nursery space, with broader geographic reach.
• Home Depot Garden Center: Home Depot is the largest U.S. home improvement retailer and competes with Gertens on plants, mulch, soils, grills, and outdoor power equipment. A broad incumbent rather than a direct specialist, but its scale and pricing set the competitive floor for the category.
• Lowe's Garden Center: Lowe's is a national home improvement retailer with a sizable garden center offering plants, landscaping materials, grills, and outdoor power equipment. Comparable as a broad incumbent competitor overlapping on most of Gertens' core product categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/gertens_
• Xx.com/gertens
• Facebookfacebook.com/gertens

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gertens