Spring is arriving in Quincy, and it’s time to think about the growing season. The family that runs Gray’s Flower Garden has a few tips about preparing for the spring season and how best to maximize your yields this year, whether it’s food or flowers.
Gray’s is family run, with six generations currently living on the property. The business has both a nursery and a floral business, which focuses on weddings. The entire family helps in the nursery throughout the main growing season, which runs from February through June.
“It’s a huge push,” said Sonya Curnow, one of the family members who jointly operate the business. “We’re planting seeds, keeping everything watered and thriving, and then cycling plants off the seed tables into larger pots. Once we get to March and April we start hardening off the plants.” That acclimates them to conditions outside the greenhouse. “It’s long hours,” Curnow said.
Many of the plants at Gray’s are grown onsite. The seed room has thousands of sprouted plants, each one needing to be watered regularly and then transplanted by hand to larger pots when big enough. In a normal season the family sprouts and transplants around 50,000 plants, all grown from organic, non-GMO seeds. Curnow pointed out that the nursery tries to stock mostly plants that are hardy enough for the Quincy area, but if a customer is looking for something specific they’re happy to order it.
Gardening in Quincy
Determining when the best time is to plant in Quincy can be tricky, with wide temperature swings into May and the threat of frost. “Frost ends when it ends,” said Curnow. “We generally recommend spring plants go in the ground after Mother’s Day. A lot of things can go out before that though, like perennials.”
“We seed and grow all of our vegetables and herbs, and a lot of our flowers,” said Pearl Burfeind, another family member. “This lets us acclimate them to the local area, so they are not as impacted by our weather here.”
Curnow advises patience during early spring: “Leave your mulch during this rough time when temperatures range widely. If you do want to remove your mulch now, be prepared to cover your plants if an unexpected frost is in the forecast. Now’s the time to prepare your soil for the next season. You can get your perennials planted and sow sold weather crops like carrots, leeks, and onions. Radishes, potatoes, collard greens, and spinach also do well in the cold season.”
Tips from Gray’s
If you’re using soil that has been sitting for three or four years and you haven’t amended it in any way, you may not get the harvest you’re expecting. Either replace or amend your soil each season.
Mid-April to the end of September/early October is the most reliable estimate of the growing season in Quincy. That’s about 120 days, so pick seeds that have a growing cycle of 120 days or less.
If you’re putting your jacket on at 5 p.m. or a little bit later, be prepared for it to be frosty that night. If you’re wandering around after 5 in a t-shirt and are comfortable, it’s likely there won’t be frost that night.
Pay attention to where you’re planting in your yard. Some spots may be warmer than others, so make a note of any cold spots and be sure to plant based on the amount of sun received as well as your yard’s own microclimates.
If you’re unsure what to plant, a visit to Gray’s is useful. The family staffs the nursery store and is always happy to answer questions and research options for your yard and garden.
”We’re here to help and answer questions,” said Sherri Curnow, grandmother and great-grandmother. “There are three greenhouses on the property, and there’s a lot more to the nursery than just the front store. Feel free to wander around the nursery and ask us anything.”
A local business legacy
Gray’s occupies a nearly-five-acre piece of land that is home to three greenhouses, the store buildings and the family houses. Originally, it was a full five acres, but the easement for state highway 70 clipped off part of the property, Sherri Curnow explained. The land was purchased by Sonya Curnow’s great-grandfather, John Gray. Her great-grandmother Gladys Gray started the business in 1946 making corsages for local church ladies.
John Gray worked at a nursery in Oroville before starting Gray’s Flower Garden. “We have his notes back to ’46. He kept journals,” said Sonya Curnow. And he worked all over the town of Quincy. “He landscaped the hospital, the high school, the courthouse. He landscaped the hospital to pay his wife’s medical bills after her surgeries.”
The Gray family is still active in town. “We do everything as a team, and that’s part of the great joy of working here,” said Burfeind. “We feel very supported by the community, and we also try to return that support. We do things like sponsor teams and donate to the seed swap. We try to be an active part of the community, because we’ve all lived here our entire lives.”
Gray’s Flower Garden is located at 41796 Highway 70 and open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
