NEWELL—Garden enthusiasts might enjoy exploring all of the offerings at Hocking Greenhouse, located just outside Newell. This quaint plant nursery opened for the season in early May.
Their first greenhouse began as a way to honor Sherry Hocking’s mother’s love of plants. “We started with that small greenhouse and brought in some things that kind of started it for me—something my mom always loved was flowers, and then some people were asking us for things, so we brought stuff in out of Custer,” explained Sherry. “It kind of took off during COVID, really. A lot of people during COVID, they couldn’t go anywhere, and they wanted to plant a garden and have their garden.”
And then three years ago, Sherry and Kurt Hocking, owners, partnered with Ymker Greenhouse out of Armour, SD. The company brings out and sets up the greenhouse, and Kurt and Sherry order the plants and supplies and take care of delivering them to the public.
The Hockings are figuring out the green thumb life, and learning as they go. “So all of the plants are from them, they’re a grower out of Armour, and they sell me kits—A through Z, like 26 kits to choose from, and so I pick what I want,” explained Sherry.
When the Hockings buy a kit, it usually contains a variety of plants. So if they want to get in watermelon, they may also get in a vegetable that isn’t as popular. “When you get these kits, you’re stuck … I had somebody reach out and want watermelon, and so I thought, okay, well, I’ll try it, and it was cucumbers, watermelon, cantaloupe, squash, zucchini, all kinds of that stuff. Well, I don’t know if I’m gonna get rid of (some) it,” Sherry said.
Hocking Greenhouse carries annuals and perennials for flower gardens. If you are looking to grow food, you can find vegetables and herbs. “We have a little bit of everything, we got tomatoes, a lot of vegetables, peppers—I had somebody reach out and wanted herbs, and I brought the herbs in,” explained Sherry. They also carry lilies and hostas, a lot of ornamental grasses, filler plants for planters, trees and bushes, annuals like pansies, petunias, begonia and high-quality greenhouse soil, and so much more. If they don’t carry it, they can order it for you!
The greenhouse is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Both of the Hockings are involved with the Newell Ambulance Service and are at times called away on an emergency. If that is the case, they will return as soon as they can. They are also willing to accommodate other times as needed.
Follow the signs to Hocking Greenhouse, heading west out of Newell on Orman Road and give this place a look, see what they have for you and your garden, whatever kind you may be growing this summer! Sherry said, “we really appreciate people that support local!”
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