Greenhouse goes global
BOARDMAN
A new greenhouse is hoping to cultivate customers among Mahoning Valley gardeners looking for unusual plants.
Frank Augustine and Bob Neapolitan will sell heirloom varieties of plants at Nature’s Wonders Greenhouse at 1811 W. Western Reserve Road, which will open May 10.
Neapolitan, who worked as a professional photographer for 27 years, was inspired when he was traveling and saw an organic vegetable sale that specialized in rare varieties of plants from all over the world.
“The varieties reminded me of my Italian and Slovak heritage because they were from those areas. I haven’t seen anything like that since then,” he said. “We tracked down seeds of heirloom varieties, some as old as 100 to 150 years, online.”
He thought having plants from around the world would appeal to the many Mahoning Valley families with immigrant roots.
Neapolitan and Augustine began talking about the greenhouse idea while watching their daughters cheerleading at basketball and football games. They decided to make it a reality this year.
Neapolitan also has personal reasons for the greenhouse. After being diagnosed with Wagner’s disease and diabetes, he said he has tried to eat healthier and focus on vegetables. One of the herbs available at the greenhouse is stevia, a natural sweetener that often is used as a sugar-substitute.
Although the plants are not officially certified organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Neapolitan said they use only rainwater for plants, composted soil and organic chemicals on the seedlings.
Augustine, an iron worker by trade, has grown giant pumpkins for five years on his Western Reserve property that also is home to his wife’s pet groom business Nails to Tails. He said the greenhouse was Neapolitan’s idea.
“I alternate the garden every other year and had the space to try this,” said Augustine, who built a small greenhouse nearby.
The duo work 10 to 12 hours each day at the greenhouse, often in the company of Augustine’s dog, Biscuit, and the hard work has paid off. Augustine and Neapolitan originally planned to have 1,500 plants, but outgrew the greenhouse in four weeks.
They now have about 4,000 plants, including 33 varieties of tomatoes, nine varieties of zucchini and 17 varieties of peppers, among many other types of vegetables and herbs.
“At most garden centers or greenhouses, you’ll probably find one or two types of vegetables like these. And I want to emphasize that these are no harder to grow than hybrid seeds,” Neapolitan said.
Most of the starter plants will be in 4-inch pots costing $3.50 each, or three for $10. Neapolitan already is looking ahead and wants to plant whatever doesn’t sell, harvest it and offer it to local restaurants.
In the future, he said he’s interested in starting a lettuce farm and cultivating hanging baskets and heirloom flower varieties.
“I never anticipated the business would grow like it has already — and we haven’t even opened yet,” Neapolitan said.