Mother-son team offers flowers, vegetables, accessories at new greenhouse in Palmyra

PALMYRA, Mo. — One of the biggest mistakes home gardeners make is planting too early.

Now that April’s average annual frost is in the rearview mirror, Blaine Pope, owner of North River Plants and Produce, says it’s time to plant.

A great place to get those plants is at Pope’s new greenhouse in Palmyra, which opened on March 22. He sells a variety of flowers, vegetables and accessories.

“We like to have everything,” said Vicki Arbar, Pope’s mother who also works at the greenhouse. “If there are 28 varieties of tomato, we’re going to try and find 32, because we want people to have a good selection.”

Indeed, North River Plants and Produce carries more than 20 varieties of tomatoes and peppers. Arbar’s favorite is the Cherokee Purple Heirloom Tomato for its perfect flavor.

Both mother and son mentioned how fun it is to work with family. Pope started North River in addition to his pre-existing landscaping and tree service businesses. His mom was in the market for a personal greenhouse but decided against it after learning that they often are blown away.

“I told her, ‘You aren’t going to believe what I bought,’” Pope said. “A greenhouse, a big greenhouse! I think she was more excited than I was.”

Pope and Arbar believe their local focus sets them apart.

“You’ve got your Lowes, your Home Depots, Menards and stuff like that,” Arbar said. “People like us because we’re not all ‘commercial-ly.’ The products here didn’t just show up on a truck but rather were nurtured from seed on property.”

Many of the plants at North River were grown from seed and kept alive through the winter by Pope’s hard work, along with the help of a wood-burning stove in the house next door which provided necessary warmth to the greenhouse. Now that the sun is out, no heater is necessary to keep the space at the desired 70 to 80 degrees.

Produce will be sold here at North River in July as well. Look out for tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, green beans, onions and lettuces.

North River also sells Asian produce such as bitter melons and bok choy (a leafy member of the cabbage family). Many of their customers used to drive to St. Louis for these products but now can find it in Palmyra, or they can grow it themselves with the baby bok choy plants available.

While Pope and Arbar were being interviewed for this story, enthusiastic customer Harla Friesz approached them with a request.

“Black Eyed Susans!” she called out to Pope.

She had apparently looked at multiple plant stores, with no luck.

“I’ve not been able to find them anywhere,” she said.

“Come back next year,” Pope told her, “and you can find them here.”