Flower Power
Gardening activities grow popular during COVID-19 pandemic
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LAKE COUNTY – As the Mission Valley weather becomes a little warmer, many residents are following a growing national trend created by the COVID-19 pandemic that involves getting their hands dirty and growing plants.
“It’s been crazy,” said Hannah Potter of Delaney’s Landscape Center, which is a full-service garden center, located in Polson. “We have had a lot of customers come in looking for an excuse to get outside and out of the house because they don’t really have anything else to do.”
While many businesses struggle to stay open due to the novel coronavirus restrictions, local nurseries and garden centers were deemed essential by state authorities. For many garden centers, business is in full bloom even beyond the usually busy spring season. Shoppers are heading into the stores to purchase flower plants, vegetable seeds and gardening equipment.
“We have been seeing a lot more customers,” said Lacy Cates of Bev’s Bloomers, located south of Ronan along U.S. Highway 93.
Cates said the store has seen a spike in traffic from experienced gardeners with a renewed interest in gardening to first-time gardeners. “I feel since customers are stuck at home, they want their homes to look pretty,” said Cates. “Besides, flowers make you feel better.”
People are utilizing gardens as a way of combating pandemic created stress. “It’s just a great feeling, being outside (and) digging in the dirt,” said a masked shopper looking through a group of hanging flower baskets. “It’s very relaxing and if you mess up, it’s not the end of the world.”
While going outside can benefit mental health, growing a garden can also make putting food on the table a little easier. Both Potter and Cates have seen a noticeable uptick in people’s interest in growing harvestable crops, possibly due to the perceived fragility of the food supply chain.
“A lot of people are coming in to buy their flowers and grabbing a tomato plant, a few vegetable seed packages or a couple strawberry plants where they would have normally just picked up some flowers,” said Cates.
Potter said the seed potatoes in her shop are going quickly. “Our vegetable seed packages have been flying off the shelf, our seed potatoes are nearly gone and customers have been wanting tomato plants since the beginning of April.”
Gardening also has a list of physical benefits. According to the National Gardening Association, a gardener can burn between 200 and 300 calories while participating in the act of gardening and lower their blood pressure.
Gardens need an abundant amount of sunlight, adequate watering and proper feeding. Being prepared to protect your garden from the cold is crucial for a healthy garden. “Watch the weather and keep in mind that it can still frost,” advised Potter. “Gardens are like getting a puppy. You can’t just expect to enjoy it. You also have to take care of it.”
Potter said gardening could create a great learning experience for both parents and kids as they care for the new plants and find out how things in nature work. Although the pandemic has, undoubtedly, been a tragedy that will not soon be forgotten, perhaps some digging in the dirt while gardening will provide some fond memories during this tumultuous time.
