Greenhouse tour was enjoyable

It was a cold, grey morning when I set out to find the greenhouse that was hosting a tour for aspiring Master Gardeners this past weekend. I allowed extra time to find the place as I usually get lost at least once the first time I go anywhere. Of course, this meant I got there almost a half hour early. I used the extra minutes to figure out how to get back home.
I was surprised and initially dismayed when I pulled into the driveway. It looked like it was somebody’s house instead of a thriving business. The rain, which had begun a few minutes earlier, began coming down a little harder.
After a couple more cars joined me, I entered the small metal shed where people were gathering. I was seriously regretting that I had chosen to wear a light top and jacket. A heavy sweater and jacket would have been more comfortable.
The owner’s young daughter told us that the hostas they had planted a few weeks age were now this big as she spread her arms apart to demonstrate their size. I was amazed that a child who appeared to be no more than seven or eight even knew what a hosta was. For the non-plant lovers, hostas are plants that often have big, crinkly leaves and grow in the shade. There are at least 45 different species of hostas. Leaves can be long and narrow or wider than a dinner plate but the ones with the big, crinkly leaves are the most easily recognized.
Soon enough, the owner, his wife and the girl’s younger brother joined us. The raindrops did a clog dance on the roof. A thunderclap made us all jump and the flash of lightning that followed made us wonder about the sanity of standing in a metal shed.  I looked around for a tall person to stand beside with the reasoning being that lightning would go for the tall people first. Alas, I was in a sea of short people.
The owner talked about what was involved in a commercial greenhouse business. He showed us a contraption that looked like a cross between an old-fashioned ice box and an incubator for hatching eggs. He called it a germinator and used it to germinate seeds. Temperature control is important as different plants prefer different conditions for their seeds to come to life.
The importance of temperature was demonstrated further when we entered the first greenhouse. We didn’t notice the lack of blooms as we were busy appreciating the heat. We were then ushered into an adjacent building where we were embraced by the lushness of colorful blossoms dripping from hanging baskets and carpets of flats filled with both familiar and unfamiliar plants of every shape and size.
I was surprised to learn that many common plants prefer their drinks of water to be slightly acidic. It made me wonder what all the fuss used to be about acid rain. Or did the plants simply adapt to what was available?
The talk was over much too soon and we all went our separate ways. What I had thought was a simple house really was a thriving business that sold far more plants than I ever would have guessed.
It was so different from when I used to go to the greenhouse outside of Ithaca with my grandmother. Back then I would walk barefoot on the dirt floors of the single glass building while she chose her plants and talked with the owner. Afterwards, if I was lucky, we would visit Charley Saylor and his wife. I would go to the shed with Charlie and talk to him while he made ice cream. The first bowl was always awful as he usually spilled rock salt onto the ice cream. But the second bowl was worth dealing with the first.
I’m glad there wasn’t any ice cream after my recent tour. I learned that having a commercial business involves far more work and knowledge than does keeping a garden or two in the backyard.
If you ever get the opportunity to talk with someone who owns a greenhouse, I urge you to do so. It is an interesting and pleasurable way to spend a rainy spring morning.[[In-content Ad]]