The sun is out and I am feeling hopeful so a few more optimistic ideas.
How can you connect with your customers and encourage them to try vegetable or Victory gardening? Do you have a website or customer email list?
Steve Reiners from Cornell Horticulture has a new column on helping new and old gardeners with their vegetable gardens at https://sips.cals.cornell.edu/extension-outreach/gardening-spring-2020/
Cornell has resources for home fruit growers that you could share. Which fruits grow best in containers?
- Cornell Guide to Growing Fruit at Home
- Cornell Garden-based Learning – Fruit
- Chapter 11: Small fruit cultural pest management in Pest Management Around the Home Cultural Methods
- Fruit Production for the Home Gardener- A Comprehensive Guide – Penn State University
Cornell Garden Based Learning has resources for beginning vegetable gardeners athttp://gardening.cals.cornell.edu/
Some Master Gardener groups have resources or even videos on home gardening that they might share. Does your county have a Master Gardener program? Find out by checking with your county Cooperative Extension Office at https://cce.cornell.edu/localoffices
Does your local Extension Office have – or would they help put together a map of local operations selling transplants and fruit trees?
Ulster County has one for farms, farmers’ markets and food pantries athttp://ulster.cce.cornell.edu/environment/emergency-preparedness/covid-19/food-farming-covid-19
Let me know if you have other ideas. It’s going to be a good year for giving people things to do outside at home!