'We are 500% busier': Nurseries overwhelmed as everyone starts quarantine gardens

[Demovictory9]

https://www.sfgate.com/food/slideshow/Garden-centers-victory-nurseries-busy-quarantine-202068.php


"We are 500% busier than we normally are this time of year," said Mario DiGrande, owner of Oakland's Thornhill Nursery. "I've already sold as much soil in six weeks that I do in an entire year. It's just crazy."

Considered essential businesses by California's stay-at-home order, many garden centers have opted to stay open for the past few months - albeit with reduced staff and social-distancing measures such as curbside pickup or appointment-only shopping.

Now, bored Bay Area residents are rising to the occasion, with an abundance of time on their hands and nowhere to go but their own homes. Beginners and seasoned gardeners alike have been flocking to anywhere that sells an herb or vegetable plant.


“People are buying any vegetable they can get their hands on,” DiGrande said. “People are buying it off the truck before it’s even on the ground.”


Herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers, citrus trees, soils and fertilizers are all especially popular items. At Thornhill Nursery, DiGrande, who is currently running the whole operation by himself, says they’ve had to limit customers to one basil plant per person. (And if people aren’t buying edible plants, they’re at least stocking up on houseplants, he added.)

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. You can hardly find anything online, even seeds.

I tried to order some plants from one of the major local garden centers and they hardly had anything. I was able to get a couple of geraniums, some coleus plants and some mulch. They were pretty well picked clean. Got a couple of tomato plants at a local plant sale; the big garden center didn't have any at all.

[DeminPennswoods]

2. One of my neighbors

is restarting their garden that's been fallow for the last few years. Planting swiss chard for myself.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

3. We went to a local nursery a couple of weeks ago (Indiana)

Crowded and no social distancing being practiced (and few masks)

[mopinko]

4. posted the other day on my farm page-

funny thing happens on an urban farm when there is a plague, and the food system goes wonky.
this farmer is having a hard time getting out my front door cuz there always seems to be a customer on my porch.

whodda thunk it?
beside, ya know, every person in this movement.

i sure do love you peeps.
so happy to be here for ya.


**
also, i added a second sale this year, cold weather plants, and i.sold.out.

yup, yup.
can verify this is a thing.

[Demovictory9]

13. that's great to hear. Wish I still lived where I could access farm stands

[txwhitedove]

5. Lockdown early March halted garden plans, but big pack of 40 variety vege heirloom

NonGMO seeds from Amazon came in. Just checked and they still have them. Bought a dwarf lemon tree at Moon Valley Nursery this week on their first day to reopen. Now to get the raised beds in and all planted, then pray our big vege eating husky stays away. Edit to add check dollar stores cause they sometime so have seeds. And sprout your own carrots and potatoes.

[fierywoman]

6. How do you sprout carrots?

[txwhitedove]

8. The tops of whole carrots can be just put in a little water on a dish, as potato, lettuce or

onions. My potatoes sprouted eyes in bag in the pantry, so I'll cut those up to plant. Check Pinterest for pics. You can check everything there, how to grow mushrooms, make a cheap compost bin from trash can, etc.

[fierywoman]

11. I knew about potatoes and green onions but not carrots. Thanks!

[MissB]

10. Green onions work too

Just whack off about 1/4” of the white part plus the root. I take it right out to a planter off my porch and stick it in the dirt each morning.

I need to stop buying them as my seed green onions are about the right size. But if I burn through those, the greens from the planted roots will probably be ready.

I’m wary of planting store potatoes though, just because of potato mosaic virus. YMMV

[fierywoman]

12. I read a while back that potato farmers won't eat the potatoes they grow.

[Demovictory9]

14. why not?

[fierywoman]

15. Because of the way they are forced to grow them in order to make a profit. Something to do with

chemicals used, sorry I am lacking in specifics.

[Midnight Writer]

7. As anecdotal evidence, my neighbors all around are out working in their yards all day every day.

Planting bushes, gardens, perforating, seeding, fertilizing, trimming.

Busy, busy, busy.

[MissB]

9. I delivered tomato plants yesterday and today

I grew too many; gave out the extras to friends and siblings. Next up will be the hot peppers.

I am out in my yard every afternoon after work. I usually am this time of year; my commute is just much shorter. I go out and pull weeds for a few minutes during lunch.

I’ve given away various seedlings on my local nextdoor this spring and shared seeds with someone that was tending a grade school garden. It’s what gardeners do.

If you’re looking for seeds, ask a gardener.