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Greenhouses ready despite delayed spring

Apr 26, 2013 | 12:46 PM

Greenhouses will start to open this weekend for the season, but with gardens still snow covered many operators around Prince Albert anticipate the normally eager green thumbs, will be delaying their purchases until things dry up.

Garden of Dreams Greenhouse owner, Marilyn Boyer said it’s been a challenge just getting ready to open this weekend.

“It’s hard because we have to keep everything inside the greenhouse. We haven’t been able to put things that we would normally have outside already in here because of the weather, so we’re very crowded.”

Despite the snow keeping people out of their yards, Boyer is still hoping gardeners will buy potted plants to make up for lost time. However, she’s not holding her breath adding the delayed start to the season will have an impact on business.

Betty Rancourt, owner of Obsession Greenhouse in St. Louis is also prepared for a slow opening weekend, but says business will pick up with people eager put winter behind them.

“Product will go. Everyone is waiting for spring. Everyone wants to see something growing,” she said, predicting a quick turnaround once things eventually dry up. “We’re going to be really busy, really fast in a smaller area.”

“In a few weeks we’re going to get a bang.”

But not all greenhouses are opening when they normally do. Al Sulymka, manager of the Peavey Mart in Prince Albert, said because of the snow they’ve had to push back the opening of their greenhouse to around Mother’s Day on May 12.

He said there isn’t much gardeners can do right now until the snow melts and that it’s just too cold to bring in any kind of plants to the greenhouse.

“Right now what we’re doing is we’re selling some starting potting soil so they can start plants inside. We sell all the goods to do that, so that’s what people are doing now and that’s about all they can do right now because some of the [seeds] you have to start early enough before you can even get it in the ground,” Sulymka said.

“Even with the weather changing you’re still looking at mid-May before anyone can even think about finding a greenhouse,” he continued.

“We’re selling the seeds and things like that, but other than that very little is going on from the gardening aspect. You can buy seeds but can’t do anything with them, it’s just a wait and see thing right now.”

The prolonged winter has also pushed back the start of the Prince Albert Farmer Markets from its usual May long weekend kick off to the middle of June.

With files from Sarah Wallace

bbosker@panow.com

On Twitter: @brentbosker