Iowa Mennonite Greenhouse Tour

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A few years ago, a friend of mine posted some amazing planters and hanging baskets she'd gotten for the summer season. I couldn't message her fast enough to find out where she had been shopping. She told me she and her mom visit the MENNONITE GREENHOUSES OF CHICKASAW COUNTY, Iowa each year. Now, I've gone to Kalona, Iowa my whole life, where there is a large Amish and Mennonite community. They have amazing plants, bakeries, and sundries. Chickasaw County was a new one for me, so we decided to head up there and see what it's all about.

The first year we visited the greenhouses, I was completely overwhelmed. We normally go around Mother's Day, since that's when it's generally safe to plant, and that's also when everyone else and their brother is out shopping for plants. I also didn't have any sort of a list of what I was looking for, so I was blindly shopping, while being overwhelmed by the crowds...not a good combo for me. Also, the weather has been cold and rainy each year...adding to the general frustrating vibe of the day.

But wait! After that first year, I got smart and started creating a shopping list for which plants I was looking for and exactly how many. Now, that doesn't mean that some extras don't come home with us, but having a list makes navigating the greenhouses so much easier for me. At least I know what I want and what I absolutely need to come home with.

This year, we got smart and Jason took a day off from work so we could beat a little bit of the Saturday crowd. Now, Friday was still busy, but not as bad as it could have been. Also, the sun shone the entire trip this time around and I felt so blessed!! What a wonderful day, shopping for plants and flowers (my favorite thing), and enjoying the Iowa countryside.

Since we've been making this trip for a few years now, I thought I'd share a few tips to help you make the most out of your experience, if you want to visit the Mennonite greenhouses of Chickasaw County, Iowa or even the Mennonite or Amish greenhouses near you...I know they are plentiful in several areas of the United States.

10 Tips for Making the Most of Your Mennonite Greenhouse Tour:

1. Make a list of what you want to buy. The greenhouses are going to be busier and more overwhelming than you can imagine. No matter how prepared I think I am, I always lose my train of thought when I get there. The more detailed of a list I have, the better. You can always add items to your cart that aren't on your list, but at least you won't go home without those desired items.
2. Plan to shop early in the season. Even though we went a couple of days before Mother's Day, a few of the greenhouses were already picked over, including some of the exact items we were looking for. We would have benefitted from going a week earlier, so we will plan to do that next year.
3. Dress for comfort. The weather can be varied from year to year and you'll also be in and out of a hot greenhouse to whatever the elements are outside...so dressing in layers is a must. Also, wear shoes that you don't mind getting a little dirty, as most parking lots are crushed rock/dirt and inside of the greenhouses will be wet and a bit dirty.
4. Take cash and credit cards. I believe all of the greenhouses we've visited have taken credit cards, but you just never know. I'd hate for you to have a load of flowers and plants and not have a way to pay for them.
5. Make room in your car for the plants and flowers. We normally take the back seats out of our SUV to make room for everything, but still don't have enough room to buy everything we (I) want. I've seen some people with elaborate shelving units built in their vehicles just for this experience. I think next year, I'm going to try to figure something out so we can maximize the vertical space, as well as the horizontal. I definitely would have bought more this year if we'd had the space.
6. Take advantage of bulk pricing. I was able to get a better price for a flat of vinca this year than if I'd bought the plants individually. Next year, I plan to ask for pricing on all flats, since I normally buy several different plants in bulk flats.
7. Be patient. It can be really annoying to get stuck behind someone in an aisle, but quarters are tight and not everyone is aware of their surroundings enough to be watching for others. I've tried to learn to just go with the flow for the day, not be in a rush, and offer a little grace. It makes for a much more enjoyable experience overall.
8. Pack snacks and drinks. There are places to stop in the small towns, but when you're trying to hit as many greenhouses as possible, you won't want to waste time stopping somewhere. Also, buying plants and flowers is hungry work...it's better to be sustained, especially to keep a level head with all the crowds.
9. Ask the shop owners or workers for any tips they might have. These folks are master growers and are full of knowledge that I'm sure they love to share.
10. Be sure to check the perennials! There are normally some inside the greenhouse, but more outside. I've found that they have a wider variety than local big box stores and many that are bred to be hardier to our zone.

Reasons to Shop Mennonite Greenhouses

-While the MENNONITE GREENHOUSES OF CHICKASAW COUNTY are a 2-hour+ drive for us, we still think it's worth the drive. First of all, we love a good road trip. It's such a pleasure to hit the back roads of Iowa and see places that are new to us. It's fun now that we've been going for four years, to start seeing familiar sights and places that we recognize from years' past. Even with that, though, we still haven't made it to all the greenhouses yet, so there still new adventures to be had.

-I don't know about you, but I love a good deal and I also love all the plants and flowers. I believe the pricing at the Mennonite greenhouses is a good 1/3-1/2 less than our local greenhouses and big box stores. Now, before you get too upset with me for not supporting local, don't worry...I still do plenty of that. For the big bulk of our shopping, though, it's nice to save a bit of money. At the end of the day, I likely spend that surplus throughout the rest of the gardening season, when I make follow-up trips to our local greenhouses and nurseries.

-Most of the greenhouses are located right on the owners' properties, so you get a little peek at a different way of life from how must of us live. I love to see the clothes hanging on the clothes lines, the kids helping out their parents, and the glimpses of their own personal gardens and landscapes.

-Planning excursions like this is something fun to look forward to each year. I've enjoyed having this activity set on our calendar and it's fun to visit new (or new to us) greenhouses each year. If we had a trailer, I've often thought this would be a fun weekend activity, so we'd have time and space to visit all the greenhouses and shops on the list.

Keep Your Plants and Flowers Happy all Season

I've been using ALASKA FISH FERTILIZER the last couple of years on all my plants (annuals and perennials) and have been very pleased with the results! I will warn you that it does not smell the best, but it sure does work! My goal for this year is to be more consistent with it. I know if I do this, my plants will be even happier and healthier.

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At the time of writing this blog post, I have most, but not all of my plants from the Mennonite Greenhouse tour planted. I love setting them all out and soaking in their beauty...even before they're in their final spots. There's just something about having these physical reminders of a fun day to enjoy all season! I normally add a couple of perennials each year, but this year, I only bought one rose bush. It's a gorgeous David Austin rose, though, so that is all I could possibly ask for! Hoping to keep the rose bush safe from JAPANESE BEETLES this year, since they love sweet smelling roses.

Of course this haul won't be everything that I plant this year. I'm sure that I'll make a few more trips to different local greenhouses and I still need to plant all my seeds, including thousands of ZINNIA SEEDS!

I hope I've encouraged you to plan your own trip to the Mennonite greenhouses...whether here in Iowa or somewhere closer to where you live. I know you will love the selection and will go home with everything you're looking for and more! I'm so glad we started this little tradition and am already looking forward to next year.

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