Miracle-Gro
| Product type | Garden supplies |
|---|---|
| Owner | OMS Investments Inc. |
| Country | USA |
| Previous owners | Scotts Miracle Gro Inc. |
| Registered as a trademark in | UK 2001 |
| Website | www.miracle-gro.com |
Miracle-Gro usually refers to a garden products brand licensed by OMS Investments Inc. made by Scotts Miracle-Gro Company in the United States and Evergreen Garden Care Ltd in the UK.
History
Miracle-Gro, a water-soluble fertilizer, was developed after Horace Hagedorn met nurseryman Otto Stern and learned of Stern's troubles shipping plants in 1944.[1][2][3] They hired O. Wesley Davidson, a Rutgers University professor, to develop the fertilizer.[1] In 1950, the company was formed after Hagedorn's wife Peggy named the product.[1][4] Hagedorn is largely credited with the company's success due to his effective marketing – employing advertisements in various media and working with emerging hardware chains.[1] However, he maintained the company was "in the right place at the right time". In 1963, he became the company's first full-time salesman.[2] He bought out Stern in the 1980s.[citation needed]
In 1995, the company merged with Scotts for $200 million in stock, creating the world's largest maker of lawn and garden products, and making Hagedorn the majority investor with 42% of the company and 3 of 11 board seats.[1][5] Hagedorn's son Jim became CEO and chairman of the merged company.[6] His father retired from Miracle-Gro in 1997.[7]
Co-founder Otto Stern was the uncle of noted historian Fritz Stern. In The Five Germanys I Have Known, Fritz Stern mentions his "very rich cousin Otto, who invented Miracle-Gro".[8]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e Martin, Douglas (2005-02-01). "Horace Hagedorn, 89, Marketing Genius Behind Miracle-Gro, Dies". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-05-08.
- ^ a b Weber, Sandra (1993-07-25). "Long Island Q&A;: Horace Hagedorn; A Small Company's Nuts-and-Bolts Approach, and Voila! (Published 1993)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
- ^ Weber, Sandra (1993-07-25). "Long Island Q&A;: Horace Hagedorn; A Small Company's Nuts-and-Bolts Approach, and Voila! (Published 1993)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
- ^ Perrone, Stephanie (2018-05-16). "The Sands Point Man Who Planted Miracle-Gro". LI Press. Retrieved 2020-05-08.
- ^ Ringer, Richard (1995-01-27). "COMPANY NEWS; Scotts Sets Merger Deal With Stern's (Published 1995)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
- ^ "Jim Hagedorn". ScottsMiracle-Gro. Retrieved 2020-05-08.
- ^ Fischler, Marcelle S. (2006-01-01). "The Legacies They Left (Published 2006)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
- ^ Reiss, Tom (2006-10-08). "Can It Happen Here?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-05-08.