Sacramento Digs Gardening logo
Sacramento Digs Gardening Article
Your resource for Sacramento-area gardening news, tips and events

Articles Recipe Index Keyword Index Calendar Twitter Facebook Instagram About Us Contact Us

Local nurseries trying to stay open during crisis


The Plant Foundry is staying open but their sign asks customers to maintain a distance from
staff and other shoppers. (Photo courtesy The Plant Foundry)


Coronavirus strikes at worst time for spring-oriented businesses



For nurseries, the timing could not be worse.

March is to nurseries what Christmas is to other retailers: It’s traditionally their busiest time of the year.

Most nurseries depend on brisk early spring sales to stay in business.

So, what happens during coronavirus crisis?

It depends on the individual nursery. It’s also a fluid situation that is changing daily.

Most of our local nurseries are trying to stay open at this time. The Plant Foundry in Oak Park and Big Oak Nursery in Elk Grove are both keeping their gates open to the public.

“Fresh air and sunshine may be the answer? Come out to the nursery!” Big Oak posted on Facebook (
@BigOakNursery ).

“We will remain open and keep you updated as often as possible,” Angela Pratt of The Plant Foundry posted on her nursery’s website, www.plantfoundry.com .

High-Hand Nursery ( www.highhandnursery.com ) in Loomis canceled its big Wings and Wine fundraiser but is still selling plants and supplies. Fair Oaks Boulevard Nursery also is open and offering curbside pickup. "We believe that retail nursery businesses fit into the 'essential' category, since garden centers are part of the food production chain," the nursery posted on its Facebook page .

Veggie transplants await customers at Green Acres.
(Photo: Debbie Arrington)
Green Acres Nursery & Supply, which operates the five largest nurseries in our area, is staying open, at least for now. It’s also asking gardeners to browse their stock online at its website, www.idiggreenacres.com , for quick pick-up at its sites.

“At Green Acres Nursery & Supply, we are taking Coronavirus – COVID-19 – seriously and would like you to know what you can expect from our family as we take safety precautions and make adjustments for the benefit of our community, our customers, and our employees,” wrote owner Mark Gill. “We are currently open during our normal spring business hours, and evaluating our hours daily. Please check our website for updates.”

Gill pointed out that nurseries are unique businesses. They’re outside and naturally conducive to “social distancing.”

“Our nurseries sit on acres and acres of open space,” he wrote. “Customers can shop where there’s plenty of room for required social distancing – two arm’s-lengths or a minimum of six feet. When paying us a visit we request that you be mindful of fellow patrons and follow this ever important rule.”

The positives of gardening make it a worthwhile pursuit, perhaps especially during these trying times.

“Gardening is therapeutic; it offers fresh air, exercise, a sense of accomplishment, reduces stress, and so much more,” Gill added. “Spring is in the air, and we hope to help make your additional time at home better by providing you with ways to take advantage of the benefits of gardening.”

Comments

0 comments have been posted.

Newsletter Subscription

Sacramento Digs Gardening to your inbox.

Taste Spring! E-cookbook

Strawberries

Find our spring recipes here!

Local News

Ad for California Local

Thanks to our sponsor!

Summer Strong ad for BeWaterSmart.info

Dig In: Garden Checklist

For week of March 24:

In between cloud bursts, try to catch up with early spring chores. 

* Attack weeds now! Get them before they flower and go to seed. Take a hoe and whack them as soon as they sprout. Aim for 1 inch below the soil line.

* Start preparing vegetable beds. Spade in compost and other amendments.

* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs after bloom.

* Feed camellias at the end of their bloom cycle. Pick up browned and fallen flowers to help corral blossom blight.

* Feed citrus trees, which are now in bloom and setting fruit. To prevent sunburn and borer problems on young trees, paint the exposed portion of the trunk with diluted white latex (water-based) interior paint. Dilute the paint with an equal amount of cold water before application.

* Feed roses with a balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10, the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium available in that product).

* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs and trees after they bloom. Try using well-composted manure, spread 1-inch thick under the tree. This serves as both fertilizer and mulch, retaining moisture while cutting down on weeds.

* Cut back and fertilize perennial herbs to encourage new growth.

* Seed and renovate the lawn (if you still have one). Feed cool-season grasses such as bent, blue, rye and fescue with a slow-release fertilizer. Check the irrigation system and perform maintenance. Make sure sprinkler heads are turned toward the lawn, not the sidewalk.

* In the vegetable garden, transplant lettuce and cole family plants, such as cabbage, broccoli, collards and kale.

* Seed chard and beets directly into the ground.

* Plant summer bulbs, including gladiolus, tuberous begonias and callas. Also plant dahlia tubers.

* Shop for perennials. Many varieties are available in local nurseries and at plant events. They can be transplanted now while the weather remains relatively cool.

Taste Summer! E-cookbook

square-tomatoes-plate.jpg

Find our summer recipes here!

Taste Fall! E-cookbook

Muffins and pumpkin

Find our fall recipes here!

Taste Winter! E-cookbook

Lemon coconut pancakes

Find our winter recipes here!