Earth Day during coronavirus? You can still get your green thumb on in Bradenton

Earth Day will see its 50th anniversary on Wednesday in the midst of a global pandemic. It’s a development that is forcing many events to take place online on a day traditionally associated with getting outdoors.

The pandemic has also offered a rare glimpse of a world with less influence from people. There are multiple reports of the Himalayan Mountains becoming visible from India for the first time in decades, water color restoring in Italy and animals roaming empty streets with shelter-in-place orders maintained.

As people find an escape from the coronavirus pandemic, they’ve turned to home projects.

One growing home project trend has people starting gardens amid the COVID-19 crisis for food, distraction and pleasure —and to help the environment. And on Wednesday, as the entire world celebrates Earth Day, there’s no better excuse to get planting.

Locally, Earth Day is a celebration.

“I see Earth Day as symbolic, it’s a time to reflect on the status of the planet,” said Annie Schiller, manager and landscape designer for Sarasota’s Florida Native Plant Nursery. “Because we’re all very busy, and even with COVID, we’re all dealing with it in different ways, we have our different struggles. Some people are out of work, some people are sick, other people are just enjoying the break. So it just depends on where you are as an individual with the COVID-19 process, but we found a lot of our customers have really enjoyed getting out in their yards. And seeing what nature they have in their yards.”

Schiller will give a virtual talk on native plants on Earth Day as part of an event sponsored by the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast.

Sweet Bay Nursery is in its 25th year. Located in Parrish, the nursery has appointments and curbside plant pickup, and they specialize in Florida native plants. Within that category, butterfly host plants, such as milkweeds, are Sweet Bay’s top specialty.

Utilizing Florida native plants, including butterfly gardens, invites natural pollinators for anyone wishing to build a vegetable or fruit garden.

“We’ve really seen an uptick in people wanting to put in a butterfly garden or expand their existing butterfly gardens,” Sweet Bay owner Tom Heitzman said.

Heitzman said it seems people are requesting more plants, especially for wildlife such as birds, butterflies and other pollinators for their gardens.

Heitzman said they’ve had repeat customers, but also first-timers looking to start a garden since the pandemic forced Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to issue a stay at home order effective in early April.

“I think part of the stay at home is making people realize there is other things to do besides going out to dinner every night. You can get out in your yard and enjoy it,” Heitzman said.

A time to plant trees and ideas

Earth Day has become synonymous with planting trees over its 50-year history. But its purpose has always been much broader in scope.

Beyond a call for individual action, the day was founded to push for environmentally aware and proactive government policy and steer politicians towards decisions good for the health of people and planet.

And in 1970 it did just that, drawing the participation of 20 million Americans and leading the federal government to enact groundbreaking pollution and conservation laws and create the Environmental Protection Agency.

This year’s Earth Day events will look a little different thanks to COVID-19, but organizers are still intent on raising awareness about the biggest challenges that they say are facing the planet — foremost among them being climate change.

Organizers are calling for 24 hours of action through activities planned online around the world, including speeches, musical performances, educational talks, film screenings and more.

Info: earthday.org.

And of course, planting a tree remains a time-honored option for participating. Digging into the dirt and adding some new life to the landscape has also become a part of Earth Day’s narrative, and it’s perhaps one of the most symbolic and personal ways to celebrate the day. And, you can do it while social distancing.

Here are some ideas.

What should you plant?

With its warm climate, Florida is good for planting all year round. Certain times of year are better suited to certain varieties of plants.

The plant experts of The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) have a handy gardening calendar that breaks down planting advice for Florida by month and region.

Paying attention to outside areas of your home for the amount of sunlight and shade during a day is the first step to figuring out what to plant, Ralph Taylor Nurseries co-owner John Taylor said.

“From there, you can choose which plants are going to do best in that environment,” said Taylor, whose grandfather Ralph started the Manatee County nursery, which has two locations, in 1978.

Ralph Taylor Nurseries mainly distribute to local Home Depot stores, where customers can find plants and other gardening items.

In Central Florida, April is the time for coleus, daylily, nasturtium (a peppery herb with bright and edible flowers) and warm-season fruits and vegetables including squash, sweet corn and beans, according to UF/IFAS.

Moving into May, heat-tolerant annuals like salvia, torenia, wax begonia, coleus and ornamental pepper are recommended, as well as herbs like basil, Mexican tarragon and rosemary and vegetables like okra, southern peas and sweet potato.

Find out more at sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/lawn-and-garden/florida-gardening-calendar.

Many Florida gardeners are also moving towards sustainable planting practices by landscaping with native and drought-tolerant plants.

Planted in proximity to a garden, native wildflowers can attract pollinators that will in turn benefit plants grown for food, according to the Florida Wildflower Foundation.

And some Florida natives, like the mulberry tree, provide edible goodness of their own.

On the subject of trees, there are a lot of exciting native options beyond the typical oaks and palms that can add some character to the yard.

The Florida Native Plant Society has compiled a list of dozens that are well-suited to Manatee County, including maples and hickories, elms and cedars, hollies, bays and dogwoods.

“By using natives, you can reduce or eliminate your use of pesticides in fertilization,” Heitzman said. “That right there is a big start in not putting more chemicals back on the ground. Native plants adapt very well. ... Less water, less fertilizer, less pesticide.”

Find out more about native wildflower options at the Florida Wildflower Foundation’s website, flawildflowers.org, and a host of native trees, shrubs and other plants at the Florida Native Plant Society’s website, fnps.org.

Locally, many plant nurseries continue to offer planting advice and sales during the coronavirus pandemic, and some even offer order-ahead plant pickup.

For those without a yard or space to plant anything right now, environmental groups offer another way to help make the planet greener.

Initiatives like Earth Day Network’s Canopy Project allow anyone to donate towards the cause of reforesting the globe online. The organization pledges that a tree is planted for every dollar donated.

Local plant nurseries:

▪ Burnett’s Wholesale Nursery, 4808 18th St. E., Bradenton. 941-755-4962. burnettsnursery.com. Offering pickup.

▪ Florida Native Plant Nursery, 730 Myakka Road, Sarasota. floridanativeplants.com. Offering pickup. Specializing in Florida native plants.

▪ H&H Nursery, 19720 E. S.R. 64, Bradenton. 941-708-0907. hhnurseryinc.com.

▪ Mariposa Nursery & Garden Center, 5020 Lorraine Road, Bradenton. 941-747-0499. mariposanursery.com.

▪ Orban’s Nursery, 9601 Ninth Ave. NW, Bradenton. 941-792-8717. orbans.com.

▪ The Plant Place, 6611 14th St. W., Bradenton. 941-753-6611. plantplace.com.

▪ Ralph Taylor Nurseries, 4973 Lorraine Road and 3709 38th Ave. E., Bradenton. 941-741-2045. http://www.ralphtaylorsnurseries.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html

▪ Sweet Bay Nursery, 10824 ErieRoad, Parrish. 941-776-0501. sweetbaynursery@gmail.com. sweetbaynursery.com. Offering pickup and delivery. Specializing in Florida native plants.

▪ Three Seasons LLC, 3720 Briggs Road, Palmetto. 941-748-4613. threeseasonsllc.com. Offering drive-thru plant pickup and delivery.

This story was originally published April 21, 2020 at 3:45 PM.