Will vegetable plants be available this spring/summer? [Archive]

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CathyA

3-26-20, 10:57am

I've been buying some seeds to start myself in case there will be a poor supply of vegetable plants this spring. Problem is, I'll need to start them far ahead of knowing if there will be any plants available. At this point in time, growing my own will be sort of a hassle. Any predictions on whether there will be a shortage of vegetable plants to buy this spring/summer?

As they say....Life is what happens while we're making plans.....

rosarugosa

3-26-20, 11:08am

That's a good question, Cathy. I've wondered the same thing about ornamental plants. I feel bad for our little local garden center, which came under new ownership last summer. I know that spring is when these folks make their money, so what a difficult time to be a new owner. I hope they survive.

razz

3-26-20, 11:15am

The local greenhouses around here have been propagating seeds and cuttings and using extended lighting as usual to ensure that seedlings will be available as usual. Not to worry, IMO.

CathyA

3-26-20, 11:56am

Thanks rosarugosa and razz. That's a good thought......there's a big nursery in another town about 35 miles from here and they grow their own, so they're probably doing that now. Whereas the places that order stuff from, like, Bonnie's plants, etc., might have a more difficult time. It's good that we're not just going into winter now, and can at least grow some veggies this summer, if the economy continues to spiral down. Victory gardens return! (or.....Virus gardens). ;)

KayLR

3-26-20, 1:50pm

I don't know why there wouldn't be. I'm sure things were started long before COVID-19. BUT our local nurseries have been closed as of this week. (WA State) I was just thinking of running over to get some barkdust when Inslee locked us down.

pinkytoe

3-26-20, 2:18pm

I tried to buy some seeds online yesterday and their website said they were overwhelmed and understaffed so add 10 extra days to delivery time.

Yppej

3-26-20, 5:44pm

I've been wondering the same thing. I figure if hardware stores stay open I can get some at Home Depot or Lowes.

flowerseverywhere

3-26-20, 7:50pm

Once the Coronavirus started in China I made a list of what to do to prepare if it spread. Seeds were on the list and I got mine at a local hardware store. I’m n Zone 3 so I have tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, green beans, beets and lettuce growing. I got more seed varieties than what I usually get. I’m close to tomatoes and zucchini.

I would not hesitate to support a local store and pick up some seeds. I used to save heirloom seeds but I got lazy. Time to start again.

Another cool thing about romaine lettuce is use can grow it from packaged lettuce

https://dengarden.com/gardening/Growing-Romaine-Lettuce-from-Cuttings

it works!

bae

3-26-20, 7:59pm

The local insane gardening community are busily producing starts on a large scale, as folks seem to be quite interested in Victory Gardens.

Gardnr

3-26-20, 9:18pm

My CSA also does a plant sale out at the farm. This year, it is an online purchase and a curbside pickup-stay in your car. They are offering mixes of variety. IE: 6 heirloom variety tomato.

So we can't select exactly what we want, BUT we can still get their high quality plants. I'm so proud of them!!!!

ToomuchStuff

3-27-20, 12:00am

I'm not sure what is available locally, or what is considered "agricultural", but employer's girlfriend (who had a microgreen farm) has been getting all kinds of discount offers, as many of them are expecting to have to throw lots of this stuff away.
So I guess the next question is how to get them?

flowerseverywhere

3-27-20, 6:20am

The local insane gardening community are busily producing starts on a large scale, as folks seem to be quite interested in Victory Gardens.
Insane gardening community cracked me up. I have about seventy five African Violets and about 3/4 at any one time are blooming. People are stunned when they come to my house. I’m always giving away plants and leaves. Irislilly can probably relate.

rosarugosa

3-27-20, 10:48am

Insane gardening community cracked me up. I have about seventy five African Violets and about 3/4 at any one time are blooming. People are stunned when they come to my house. I’m always giving away plants and leaves. Irislilly can probably relate.

I love African Violets, but Silvio loves them too, to eat, so none in our house.

razz

3-27-20, 11:24am

iris lilies

3-27-20, 12:49pm

flowerseverywhere

3-28-20, 10:36am

I would love to have a healthy collection of African violets. I don’t do houseplants well at all, tho. DH had some for years, but they have since died We went to the African violet show last year at Missouri botanical Garden’s. The show was wonderful.

one of my racks3144

not sure why it is sideways. I think I have the perfect conditions to propagate and grow them.

CathyA

3-28-20, 11:06am

Here ya go flowerseverywhere...

3145

Yppej

3-28-20, 11:08am

I called my neighborhood garden center today and got no answer no voice mail.

rosarugosa

3-28-20, 1:11pm

Flowers: Those are wonderful! Thanks for re-orienting, Cathy!

mschrisgo2

3-28-20, 2:57pm

Beautiful African Violets!

On my way to get groceries, I noticed the parking lot at Lowe’s was half full of pallets still shrink-wrapped of soils and soil amendments.
along with shelter at home orders, we have had significant rain for the last 3 weekends, all keeping people from buying garden supplies.

Rogar

3-28-20, 3:05pm

Not my first choice, but Home Depot has had vegetable starts in the past and so far they are open around here. It's too early for most things, but I've planted beets and spinach from seed in my raised bed. I know people who have ordered small plants (not seed) from High Country Gardens. I think they ship most places and I just checked their web site. They are saying they are open for business and shipping on time. They have a great variety of xeric plants, but others too.

Gardnr

3-28-20, 3:49pm

1 of our local Organic nurseries has put out an announcment:

Shop online or call. Place your order. They will gather everything requested. 2 people allowed in the store for pickup (or curbside can be done) at a time and must stay at least 6 f apart.

I'm not in the Home Depot plant camp. It's OK to call me an organic snob ;-)

Yppej

3-31-20, 7:56pm

I went to Home Depot today. They had no vegetables, but lots of ornamentals. I guess that shows you what some people's idea of essential is. I was hoping to find parsley as it is frost hardy and could stretch the times between grocery store runs by becoming my salad green.

flowerseverywhere

4-1-20, 6:41am

I’m watching you tube videos and have discovered there are all these people who have a small lot gardening group in Orlando FL. They plant the entire city lot with edible trees, sweet potatoes, beans, greens and so on. They pretty much can harvest something daily. One guy lbuilt a 100 sf house out of recycled stuff, lived there for a year, and planted not only a garden for himself, but multiple gardens in the neighborhood and even some public places for anyone to forage. There is a law in Florida that a development or town cannot prohibit you from planting gardens anywhere on your property even in the front yard.
I’ll be eating fresh tomatoes in a few days. I bought some plants at my local Lowe’s, the closest place to me that has veggie plants. I think a lot of people don’t bother because we have year round farmers markets here and even the local grocers are very well stocked. I have to figure out how to get some sweet potatoes in the ground.

CathyA

4-1-20, 3:39pm

Well, I've gotten most of my seeds, but some of the other stuff (pots, fertilizer) haven't arrived yet. It's so much work, but I was too afraid to count on them being available this year. Who knows......maybe it will snow in May.
Looks like we have 2 dry days now, but rain for quite a few after that. Good thing some of the things I grow are in raised stock tanks. I can plant seed in those, even if the soil is wet, since it dries out so quickly.
Scary times.