Vegetable garden centres seeing hike in business
Garden centres across the East Coast are reporting an uptick in business with beginning gardeners ready to try their hand at gardening.
“We're seeing a renaissance when it comes to the home gardener. People are calling and asking questions about vegetable transplants,” said Peter Meijer, operations manager at Vankampens Greenhouses in Charlottetown, P.E.I.
Anxiety about COVID-19 accelerated the trend. Meijer heard worries about going to the grocery store.
“People … are thinking, ‘what can I grow at home instead?' so they don't have to the grocery store as often.”
Daina Budde, owner and operator of Glad Gardens in Waterville, N.S., agreed.
“Customers are worried about the safety of food purchased elsewhere … they feel safer with food they've grown themselves,” she says.
Beginner gardeners Questions about gardening began even before the snow ended.
“We opened earlier than ever, simply because of the volume of inquiries we were getting. People are getting more in touch with eating and cooking,” said Budde.
Newfoundland is also seeing an increase in novice gardeners.
“Many are interested in growing their first veggie garden this year, while others just want to brighten up their new homebased workspace with some tropical plants or a window-sill herb garden,” said Evan Murray, general manager of Murray's Gardens in St. Philips, N.L.
The garden centres are working to offer assistance to beginner gardeners and guidelines for starting their gardens. Murray offers advice for first timers planning a garden.
“Always take some time to plan at the start and don't overextend yourself,” Murray tells first-time gardeners.
“If you're starting a vegetable garden for the first time, lay it out on paper first; thinking about how best to fill your plot, both in space and time, during the length of the full growing season. Also, certain plants are easier to grow than others; particularly in our cool, wet climate. For instance, lettuces, brassicas (i.e. cabbage, turnip, mustards, etc.), and peas can handle cooler weather, better than peppers, tomatoes, and squash.”
He also refers gardeners to online information sheets, which includes a “how to grow vegetables guide” for tips on growing your own food.
In P.E.I., Meijer is also talking to beginner gardeners.
“I'm talking to a lot of new gardeners with no experience or knowledge. It's about understanding the space you have, and the light requirements needed for different vegetables. You have to be smart with the space you have,” he says.
“What are the vegetables you love to eat? For me, I covet that yellow bean from garden – I love it fresh. I don't want to go to the grocery store to buy it. Plant what you like fresh. A lot of lettuces are sprayed with pesticides, but you grow beautiful fresh lettuce and by staging crops, you can eat lettuce all summer long.”