Gardeners growing more veggies to combat rising grocery store prices

“The last two years you could hardly keep up with all the product that we needed, you sell out of everything but now this year you can’t get it back,” says Swaren. “Those two years made good gardeners.”

Colourful flowers and shrubbery are always hot items but there’s also something in the gardening world that’s coming back into style in 2022.

Swaren says with inflation pushing the price of grocery store produce up, there’s more interest in planting from seeds.

She says way more people are trying to grow their own veggies and microgreens, and that saving money isn’t the only benefit.

“If you have tomatoes and cucumbers from your garden there’s no comparison to the ones they’re just way 100 per cent better than the store-bought ones,” she says.

There’s limited stock of some tools and greenery, but getting your hands on seeds won’t be an issue.

Swaren says seeds needed to be pre-booked in the fall, and she planned ahead.

“We have lots I ordered way more than we do normally, just making sure,” she says, laughing.

At Blondie’s Gift & Garden Centre. (Photo Courtesy Ross Lavigne)

Swaren says interest in gardening has stayed pretty steady since 2020 and people are eager to get back at it this year.

Shoppers were looking for trees and shrubs weeks before they arrive at the store in the middle of April. And next on shoppers’ lists will be bedding plants, perennials and annuals.

“They just want to put stuff out so bad right now but then they’re also worried because there’s always that one day in May,” Swaren says

The way the forecast is now people could put annuals such as pansies and primulas and produce like potatoes and onions in the ground any time.

But do watch out for that fateful day

“You still have to be a little bit cautious cause it’s always that one time we get that minus 10,” Swaren advises.

by Chris Brown

Gardeners growing more veggies to combat rising grocery store prices

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