I stopped by a local nursery today with a friend I’ll call Blue Tang. BT wanted to pick up some plants for his garden, and since he was driving……
I was dragging my feet because he’s my enabler. Ever have a buddy that would somehow talk you into doing something you KNEW you probably shouldn’t? BT is THAT guy to me. He will start talking about some obscure method of cleaning fish, and I’ll go out, buy the welder, rubber bands, and pitchfork to give it a try myself, while he sits back and laughs at me.
The only good thing about this is that I’m also HIS enabler….only I talk him into things like raised bed gardens, or pressure canning chicken.
Back to the stop. The nursery, Weatherbee Nursery, located in Ft. Pierce, FL has been on my go-to spots for local gardening information from a recommendation of my wife’s Aunt Nan, a volunteer at Heathcote Botanical Gardens. The reviewer on the link to the nursery expresses my reason for whiting this perfectly:
“Knowledgeable and friendly group of people.
Has a wide variety of edible fruiting bushes, trees and shrubs and some unexpected items I was surprised they carried.
Nice environment and a pleasure to visit.
Plan on returning and would recommend them to any one in the St. Lucie County Area. Convenient location east of U.S. 1
Even better, don’t have to drive across the state to find what I have been looking for. They’re right in my own back yard.”
The reviewer nailed it. They knew plants, and were happy to help, had a wide variety to choose from, and close to home.
The thing I want you to take from this post, is that there are options locally, no matter where you are. Go get a plant, put it in the ground or a pot, nurture it, and it will provide far more than food for you. The only thing stopping you is YOU.
Nothing was stopping me. Against my better judgement, I ended up buying 48 plants I didn’t REALLY need….I blame BT. However I can’t be too upset. Along with all the above mentioned benefits of going to a local nursery instead of a chain store – each plant was only a quarter! A flat of 48 plants totaled $12!
Included in this flat:
- 8 – Rainbow Swiss chard
- 8 – Hot banana peppers
- 4 – red chili peppers
- 8 – Golden Californian Wonder sweet peppers
- 4 – Jalapenos
- 4 – Golden Jubilee tomatoes
- 12 – Supersweet 100’s tomatoes
We will pick the Sweet 100’s when they are green in order to pickle them as “tomolives”, a HUGE hit with our friends. The peppers will either be canned in tomato sauce or dehydrated, if not consumed when fresh. We may make more hot sauce as well. The chard will get added to the plants we already have. Tasty stuff that chard…
So I GUESS I have a plan for everything. Now. At least we didn’t stop at a boatyard or motorcycle shop this time…BT is BAD for me some days!
Peace,
DB
Weatherbee Nursery bizcard scanned below.
