Spring brings booming business for Fresno nurseries

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

It seems like spring is here with flowers and trees blooming, and the change of seasons is also good for local nurseries. Bright pops of color are filling rows at Belmont Nursery, a sign spring is right around the corner.

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- It seems like spring is here with flowers and trees blooming, and the change of seasons is also good for local nurseries.

Bright pops of color are filling rows at Belmont Nursery, a sign spring is right around the corner. "I think it makes you feel good all around," Ramona Atkins of Sanger said. "The rain and everything's green."

Atkins is happy the weather is changing and that means picking up new plants, especially after four-and-a-half years of drought. "The artichokes. We haven't done them in the last few years and wanted them too and that's what we're going to do," she said.

Nursery owner Jon Reelhorn says business is hopping. "They're buying edibles now, they're buying color now," Reelhorn said. "They're hungry because we went through the drought and their yard looks bad and everybody gets the fever this time of year."

Reelhorn says besides flowers, many people are picking up vegetables to start up gardens now that we've seen El Nino bring a good amount of rainfall. Because of drought, a lot of communities and schools lost trees. Now that its spring, many are replacing them with everything from Sumacs to Elms and more."

When it comes to planting, experts say the best time of the year to plant is fall, but spring is also a great time. "This is some of the best growing conditions in the country right here, right now," Reelhorn said. "From February 15 through June 1, really good growing conditions. It's not too hot, not too cold, a lot of sunlight. It's good."

But as far as supplies go, experts warn you may not see the variety of supply that you're used to because of last year's dry season. "We were conservative on planting, so this year this is going to be a shortage," Reelhorn explained. "We're not going to have enough trees and shrubs this year for the demand because we didn't plant so much last fall."

Although it's unknown how much more rainfall will head our way and help these plants grow, many are looking forward to seeing and feeling a change of season.