Business is blooming at Vancouver garden stores during COVID-19 quarantine

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      Amid all the bad-news economic stories flooding the internet this week, it seems at least one Vancouver industry is sprouting: gardening.

      The question is, Is it because of the unseasonably warm, sunny weather, because we're all stuck at home, or because people have kicked into self-sufficiency survival mode?

      Connor Preston, of Victoria Drive's Figaro's Garden, thinks it's a little of all that. "I think there's a bit of the victory-gardens war effort to be self-sufficient," he tells the Straight, referring to vegetable, fruit, and herb plots planted at private residences and public parks across North America and Europe during the food shortages of the world wars. "I don't think that's too far fetched given what's happening at the moment. All of a sudden there's been a rush on vegetable seeds--people are stocking up on soil and seeds."

       

      He adds an outdoor garden store allows for social distancing in fresh air. At Figaro's indoor shop, they've been limiting numbers and cleaning more, even offering a few deliveries to close customers who are stuck in isolation but want to stock up.

       Over at GardenWorks headquarters, Scott Pearce, vice-president of marketing at GardenWorks, says it may be too early to tell if there's a connection between the uptick in business and COVID-19 quarantines.

       "It's springtime so we're not seeing business that's unusual--it's quite typical of a sunny, warm spring day," says Pearce, whose stores have also implemented heightened cleaning and social-distancing measures. "It's a little bit up from last year for sure, especially since we've gotten seeds in. We're seeing lots of interest from people getting their vegetable gardens going."

       Pearce adds he has been seeing industry buzz online about garden stores south of the border struggling to keep up with demand.

      Stories over the web include one headline in North Carolina that trumpeted: "Mulch Madness" and reported empty shelves and record sales.

      "We're behind a lot of those guys in terms of a season," Pearce points out. "I see some of the guys in Texas and they can't keep up."

      So what specifically are people snapping up? Pearce reports seeds that can be directly sown now include arugula, broad beans, peas, watercress, and kale.

      Figaro's Preston recommends salad greens and peas, as well as radishes and small turnips which have a "good turnaround" time.

      Pearce adds the earliest veggie starter plants are also flying off shelves--items like lettuces and mustards are already in.

      Vegetable gardens might offer substinence, but planting and being outdoors will also offer a lift that people desperately need right now. "Guests are absolutely happy that it's spring and that we have stuff for them," Pearce agrees.

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