The Schriemer name has been synonymous with gardening for 50 years and now a third generation of Schriemer’s has dedicated his life to plants. Harry Schriemer’s son, Matt, the 6-foot, 7-inch former wonder on the volleyball court, bought Patterson’s Greenhouse on Roblin Blvd. in Winnipeg about four years ago and he has carried on Marge Patterson’s tradition of excellence.
This leaves Harry free to pass on his garden wisdom and, in this episode, we learn more about when not to fertilize in summer and the 1-2-3s about keeping those petunia pots looking fresh and bushy all season long.
Harry tells us about how the family business started way back when Schriemer the elder worked for a greenhouse at the foot of what would become the Disraeli Bridge. When the owner decided to close, he told Harry’s dad to take what he wanted and so began the first Schriemer’s Greenhouse on McLeod Avenue. Later, Harry moved the businesses to Molson where he operated for many years.
Harry was taught to “grow dry” to toughen up the plants and hold them back a little so they would have a longer shelf life. You can see the wisdom in this in 2022, when a wet, late spring kept shoppers away until mid-June. The plants at Patterson’s still look fresh and robust.
Of course, there are plants such as canna that need more water and Harry reminds us that we use canna as marginal plants around ponds so don’t be afraid to keep them moist. King Tut grass is another water lover that can grow six feet tall.
While many trees will really thrive this year because they finally got the water they need, Harry notes that some, such as spruce, cannot stand to have their roots in water. If you see this happening to water sensitive trees, be sure to find a way to drain that water away.