AMHERST, N.Y.-- With Western New Yorkers more than ready to welcome spring, local nurseries are working to make supplies available when the weather finally breaks.
Folks at Menne Nursery in Amherst say they receive a lot of deliveries from January to March in order to stock the greenhouse.
Trucks are often heated to protect tropical plants from freezing or dying on their trip to the nursery. Boxes and sleeves are an extra shield during transport.
But the leadup to spring has not been without its issues. Customer traffic is weather dependent, and the recent wintry stretch hurt business.
"On the very snowy days and on the extreme cold days there werent many people out, not as many people shopping, its true,” says Sally Cook, Menne Nursery Annuals & Perennials Manager. “Retail sales were down in the month of January/February, which is to be understood and expected when there's extreme weather and travel is difficult. But I have to say whenever we had a moderate day or a sunny day folks are in here enjoying the plants."
Cook says folks are buying up seeds and house plants to provide a little bit of color indoors while we wait for the sun to shine outdoors.