By: Jane Schuchardt
Editor’s Note: This continues a series of monthly articles celebrating pride in our town and its surroundings shown through the experience of residents and organizations.
When stopping by in late April, the greenhouse was no longer a winter haven. Instead, it was miserably hot and humid, the happy home of some 1,500 plants, soon to be 2,000 or more. Spieker spends at least an hour a day gently tending and watering some 19 tomato varieties, 15 for peppers, geraniums started from cuttings, violas, marigolds, geraniums, coleus, melons, cukes, and herbs like basil, rosemary, oregano, and chives.
Obviously her thrill is hand seeding, growing on site, and trying heirloom varieties. “The heirlooms,” she explained are “plants that have been grown long enough to stay true to the seed type, not like a hybrid.” She pointed out a tomato called Prairie Fire, one her favorites that produces a super sweet fruit with a tie-died-looking red, orange, and yellow skin. “A lot of varieties you won’t find in other outlets,” she said.
Depending on weather, she usually starts sales the first week in May and encouraged patrons to wait until May 15th to plant gardens, as she does her small garden designed to provide fresh produce for her family and sometimes the Elgin Farmers Market. Like her, “tomatoes and cucumbers don’t like being cold,” she quipped.
Spieker said her business has become a family affair with her children offering a helping hand, plus it gives her time to work side-by-side with her husband on the farm business, substitute teach at Pope John school in Elgin, and bring in some extra spending money. “It brings me great happiness seeing things grow and assuring the plants are affordable for people,” she said.
A note about the ‘patched’ part of her business name, this refers to her autumn endeavor, a massive pumpkin patch. She raises what she called ‘fun ones’ such as blue, white, yellow, pink, and bumpy along with the traditional orange varieties. She sells them along the roadside by the farm, to a couple of wholesalers, and also at the Elgin Farmers Market.
To find out more about Potted and Patched, call/text Spieker at 402-990-7180, reach her on Facebook Messenger, or follow her on Instagram. As spring invites us all outdoors to dig in the dirt, stop by Spieker’s greenhouse and get some inspiration. Thanks, Tricia, for offering another business to our Elgin community.
