By Karsen Marczuk

Greenhouses preparing for a busy season, highlight benefits during pandemic

May 3, 2021 | 5:08 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB– As spring-like temperatures arrive in southern Alberta, local greenhouses around Lethbridge are busy preparing for the upcoming season.

Lethbridge has seen above seasonal temperatures over the last month and local greenhouses say people are itching to get outside and start planting. Greenhouses have been busy planting seeds, bringing in soil amendments, and trying to time everything perfectly with the weather.

Dustin Napper, Horticulturalist at Green Haven Garden Centre, says they are quickly preparing the greenhouse for the season but reminds people it is still too early to start planting.

“A lot of people are excited with the warm weather right now, but we’re still a couple weeks away before people should start thinking about planting.”

Green Haven Garden Centre has recently brought in their perennials, shrubs and trees in preparation for the spring. Greenhouses are also anticipating a busy season. The pandemic has made a lot of people focus on their homes, with many wanting to create outdoor living space.

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Erich Dyck, Owner of Country Blooms Garden Centre, says his last season was great and he’s hoping to have a repeat this spring, with COVID-19 protocols remaining in place.

“Last spring was amazing, again, we had no idea if we were going to be able to open at all. All through March and April, we were closed, we opened on May 4 last year. It was a really good experience, people at that point already knew what the retail shopping experience was like in other stores they had been to and we had the same protocols here. There were lineups, only so many people in, we followed all the health guidelines with disinfecting and people were amazing.”

Greenhouse staff say there are also benefits to gardening, including people’s mental health. People are encouraged to get outside this spring to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. Dyck says there are many great reasons to garden, however, people may not be fully aware of all the positive benefits that come with it.

“The therapy is huge, the mental health therapy, physical therapy as well, its movement, its exercises, squatting, bending and lifting, but just the mental health aspect. People are anxious to grow things and have success with it. Everybody is trying to find something that they can put their attention to and gardening is one of those things.”

For people new to gardening, greenhouse staff say social media and YouTube are recommended resources to help answer any questions they may have. People are encouraged to research the plants’ needs, such as the amount of water, sun or shade and how to maintain the growth of the plant before they purchase it.

Napper says he has seen an increase of people trying out new trends that have been populating different social media platforms.

“A big trend right now is vegetables are big and trying to grow your own garden. Having the ability to know how your food is grown and where it comes from has become a popular interest over the last year.”

Greenhouse staff recommend people wait until May long weekend before purchasing their flowers and vegetables to plant. People are reminded to watch the forecast as frost is common during spring mornings across southern Alberta.