Garden businesses booming during pandemic
Ken Suarez reports
BRADENTON, Fla. – Everyone, at some point, feels some cabin fever during ‘stay at home’ orders due to COVID-19.
Whether working from home or making sure the kids are doing their school work — or both — being in the same, confined space can make anyone feel claustrophobic.
Experts say a lot of people are fighting those feelings by working in their yard.
“It’s like they have already done everything that they can inside,” explained Ellie Ohlman Fuesser, of Big Earth Landscaping Supplies. “They have cleaned out their closets. They have cleaned out their home, so now they’re looking towards the outside.”
Big Earth stores in Tampa, Bradenton, Sarasota, and Palmetto sell much, stones, garden sculpture and more, but more importantly, they’re selling items that can help anyone fighting the urge to venture out to want to stay home.
Most importantly, customers can do most or all of their shopping at Big Earth online.
The company started its online store back in November. At first internet sales were slow. Now they account for 40% of its business. The company says COVID-19 is at least partially responsible for that.
Online orders are delivered to customers’ doors, without any need for face-to-face contact.
And Big Earth is considered an essential business by the Department of Homeland Security, so they say they will stay open unless it becomes unsafe to operate, according to their website.
Ohlman Fuesser says most people are doing projects that are satisfying, rather than back-breaking.
“Our most popular product is brown mulch, and you’ll probably see that all over Tampa Bay,” Fuesser.
Big Earth has an online blog with easy ideas for backyard gardening, like outdoor and gardening activities for kids and the best way to grow vegetables in planter pots.
For more, visit bigearthsupply.com.
