Get your seeds early ahead of the 2022 season, Sault gardeners say

SAULT STE. MARIE -

There may still be several months of snow left unil spring, but gardeners in Sault Ste. Marie say you should get a head start on prepping your seed lists.

Gardening has boomed throughout the pandemic, with people looking for something to do while stuck at home.

But at the same time, the industry has seen unprecedented changes caused by climate change, creating seed shortages throughout the country.

"We're having so many droughts and so many floods as we can see with what happened in B.C. This year, that the prices of produce and meat is going up and up," said Abby Obenchain, member of Clean North.

"That's definitely caused people to consider growing their own fruits and vegetables, because the market is pricing some people out of nutritious foods."

Obenchain said she believes this trend will continue in 2022, with no end in sight for some of the shipping issues seen out west.

She also warns of more tedious gardening, as climate change continues to create problems for growers.

"We had a really long, hot summer, it was a great growing season, we had lots of sunshine, lots of warm weather, but it was difficult to keep up with lots of watering," she added.

Susan Richards is a general manager at New North Greenhouses, a gardening centre in the Sault. Richards agrees with Obenchain on fruit and vegetables and warns anyone looking to get their seeds, to order them early.

"We're still seeing a really high demand for fruit trees, fruit bushes, vegetables, anything related to growing your own food really," she said. "Of all things, strawberries are going to be, strawberry seed is in short supply for those of us who are trying to grow it."

Obenchain added that in southern Ontario, gardeners are filling their front lawns with native plants or vegetable gardens.

She said it's a trend she'd like to see brought to the north.