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Greenhouses preparing for another stellar year amid COVID

The greenhouse industry in one of the nation’s top producing states is preparing for another record demand year as some restrictions remain during the coronavirus pandemic.

Geoff Hansen with the Michigan Greenhouse Growers Council tells Brownfield producers lost up to 50 percent of their sales from the Easter season after state shutdowns closed retail outlets last year, but demand flooded in after the doors were finally opened.

“As soon as it opened, it was really like gangbusters,” he says.  “Everybody wanted to buy plants, the biggest problem then was trying to get the plants ready.”

Hansen says growers sold everything they possibly could, and he expects another strong year especially as people are more interested in food production.

“I think people are starting to want to be self-sufficient a little more after there were so many things that they couldn’t get,” he says.  “I think this is going to be another stellar year for growing their own vegetables.”

Michigan is the largest bedding plant producer, third in the nation for floriculture, and fourth-largest for greenhouse production area.