Garden centers struggle to see green from profits

Stacey Meeker takes time figuring out what she wants to buy Sunday at Green Horizons Garden Center.
Stacey Meeker takes time figuring out what she wants to buy Sunday at Green Horizons Garden Center.

Local garden centers are seeing more people wanting to try out their green thumbs this spring, but they're also struggling to see green from profits.

Garden centers have been labeled as essential businesses, so they've been able to stay open. However, they've still faced customer limits and social-distancing restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic.

With food insecurity on the rise, many people are looking to grow their own. That's brought in new customers for Cindy Crecelius, owner of Gardens to Go.

"This has been probably the biggest year for vegetable sales since 2006 for me," she said. "Lot of people say they've never planted a garden before, and they're planning to feed themselves. They're buying a lot."

Still, she had limited hours at the start of the pandemic because of a shortage of employees, many who are older and potentially more vulnerable to the coronavirus.

The business tried to accommodate its customers by offering drive-thru and delivery or shopping by appointment before or after store hours.

"I'm appreciative of all of my customers," she said. "I'm appreciative of people who are buying at small businesses because they are keeping us going."

Missouri Wildflowers Nursery does a good part of its business by selling native plants at events throughout the state. However, most of those events have been canceled.

So it's relying on mail order, which is the other big part of its business, owner Mervin Wallace said. That has increased, he said. A few days ago, it shipped 77 boxes of plants in one day, he said.

"I know our income is down, but don't know how much," he said, adding that March, April and May are typically their biggest months of the year for sales. We know when the economy dips, people get concerned and don't buy plants as much."

He said a poor economy is likely to continue, but for now he and his 10 employees are keeping busy.

The pandemic has canceled this year's Central Missouri Master Gardener's annual Plant Sale. However, Dottie Bayne, who chairs the event, said the organization has plans to sell the plants in their greenhouses with online orders with curbside pickup, using social distancing.

The Master Gardener Program is part of the MU Extension and all Extension activities have been canceled through May 15. The program is waiting on MU Extension to lift restrictions in order to enact this plan.

"We want to thank MU Extension for their continued support of the Master Gardener Program. And we also thank the community and CMMG members for their support and patience during this unprecedented time," she said in an email. "We look forward to coming back next year bigger and stronger than ever."

Jason Dubbert, store manager at Green Horizons Garden Center, said it's hard to tell whether they've been affected. The business is weather-dependent, and it slows when it's cold and rainy like April has been.

"It's been pretty much business as usual with just a few extra precautions," he said. "Other than that, just make sure we keep our social and just trying to help everyone."

Mulch has been a big seller, he said, which is typical. The business has done a lot of curbside pickup orders, with people paying over the phone.

"Everybody's doing their spring stuff because you can go outside and work in your yard, remulch and plant flowers, and you're still keeping your social distance because you're working in your yard," Dubbert said.

Andrea Sellers, a shopper at Green Horizons on Sunday, said she now has more time on evenings and weekends to do outside projects. She likes shopping at Green Horizons better than the big box stores because the staff is helpful and social distancing is easier with fewer people.

"I don't have a green thumb, so I appreciate their helpfulness," she said.

Stacey Meeker, another shopper there, added: "Everyone is ready to get out and plant."