Gardening starts with seeds, and Pinetree Garden Seeds in New Gloucester is one of a number of sources for seeds in central and western Maine.

Pinetree specializes in seeds, and they’ve been busy since the beginning of the year, says spokesman Matthew Hall-Webb. The busy season starts during the holidays and continues through April. It’s been especially busy the past two years.

“Demand has certainly stayed up during the pandemic,” Hall-Webb said. “It definitely piqued interest in people in gardening. Newer gardeners are coming back and still ordering.”

The family business sells non-GMO and organic seeds all over the country, he said, by mail order, phone order, fax, email and online. The inventory includes plants, flowers and herbs. Seeds come from all over the world and are tested for germination rates, which must be at least 80%, he said.

Owner Melissa Emerson believes the company will continue to stay busy because more people are interested in growing their own food. “We’ve seen an initial pandemic boom, which has stayed pretty elevated,” she said. “I think people enjoyed getting into gardening and how nourishing it can be emotionally and spiritually.”

For other places to get seeds and seed advice, check out local garden centers, greenhouses and nurseries, as well as the Cooperative Extension folks.

If you are looking for garden supplies or plants, many garden centers, nurseries and greenhouses in the area are gearing up for your needs. The people at Gammon Landscape Nursery in Auburn are ready to go for the upcoming season.

Manager Tyler Gammon said soils and seeding equipment are stocked up, and plants such as tomato seedlings, rhubarb and annual flowers have been started, though he said it’s still too early for landscaping.

He said he has seen a “huge” increase over the past couple of years in sales of agricultural crops, including vegetable seedlings, fruit trees and grapes. Sales have “doubled or tripled,” he said. And he believes the backyard gardening boom will continue.

“There were multiple reasons for homesteading during the pandemic,” he said. “People were worried about what was being sprayed on their food (Gammon’s plants are organic) and they didn’t want to travel out to stores for fruits and vegetables.”

And now, food is much more expensive than it was a year ago. It’s more affordable to buy packets of seeds or seedlings, Gammon said. Growing your own food is also a way to teach children about gardening and to improve your health by being out in the fresh air. “Working with soil can actually help you build up resistance to certain illnesses,” he said. “It helps build up your immune system.”

He added, “We’re getting back to our roots. That’s a horticultural pun.”

For gardening supplies and plants, visit nurseries, greenhouses and garden centers in your area.

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