Growing your own food during coronavirus pandemic

Greenbrier Nurseries suggests produce you can grow despite spring frost

ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. – Combine the beautiful weather and social distancing and you’ll find many people spending their time in the garden, but not like before. There’s a new shift.

Like many stores, Greenbrier Nurseries in Roanoke County has had to implement curbside pick up and deliveries, but that’s not the shift we’re referring to.

The owner, Jennifer Monroe told 10 News they are seeing people interested in growing their own food to avoid grocery stores.

The farming and food products are why the nursery is deemed essential and Monroe is noticing shoppers taking advantage of it.

“They want to stay home, they are home anyway. They’re looking around their landscapes trying to see what they can do, how to grow some of their food at home. Herbs, vegetables, fruit trees, blueberries things like that.”

Monroe predicts the coronavirus pandemic will eventually make farmers markets more popular because will have bigger interests in knowing where their food is coming from.

There are some gardening things you can do without leaving the house for supplies.

Monroe suggests using this time to really do your research, figure out what you want to plant when the spring weather comes to stay. Make a list and do the cleanup work now like mowing the lawn and pulling up weeds.

The weather seems ideal for gardening but because of the occasional frost, you may still want to hold off on planting some items.

“It’s a little early for our climate here for tomatoes, peppers, some of the summer season vegetables squash and things like that but it’s a fine time to plant cold season crops like cauliflower and broccoli, kale and cabbage there’s a ton of things you can plant. Strawberries you can put in now, asparagus," said Monroe.

Regardless of what you decide to, Monroe said gardening doesn’t have to be hard. It can be therapeutic, especially during a time like this.


About the Author:

Megan Woods is thrilled to be back home and reporting at Local 4. She joined the team in September 2021. Before returning to Michigan, Megan reported at stations across the country including Northern Michigan, Southwest Louisiana and a sister station in Southwest Virginia.