GARDEN TOUR - greenhouse

This past Saturday I went for a tour of a greenhouse operations at Shelmerdine, one of Winnipeg's biggest garden centres.

 

We started in the 'glass house' where it is warm and humid. New cuttings are kept warm from below and are kept most with frequent automated misting. 

Fun facts I learned include the astonishing amount they grow at Shelmerdine in a season:
9,000 hanging baskets
20,000 perennials
20,000 Poinsettia
20,000 Chrysanthemums
30,000 six pack annuals
150,000 4" annuals


I also learned some other interesting tidbits:
- warming temps at night can slow growth
- they are not making as many lilies as they used to; thanks the arrival of the lily beetle in the area, people (including myself) are simply not buying as many as they used to
- they work with mostly cuttings vs. seeds to speed up the process and not have to heat the greenhouses throughout the cold Winnipeg winter

If you get a chance I highly recommend such a visit to a local garden centre to see how they are able to have so many  plants ready for all us 'spring-crazy gardeners' come warmer weather.  Plus, seeing all of these plants happily growing in their warm homes was a bit like time traveling 2 months into the future - a taste of what is to come to whet the appetite...