90th Anniversary

A Brief History of Wickman's by Fred Wickman:

Farming on the edge of town

The F.M. Emhoff Greenhouses began in 1922, according to company records. Floyd M. Emhoff and his wife, Love, owned and farmed 10 acres at 1345 S. Fort Ave., on the southwest edge of Springfield. The farm covered a city block bordered by Meadowmere and Bennett streets and Fort and Newton avenues. 

The Emhoffs built an eight-room two-story house with a full basement on the west side of Fort Avenue. In the center of the property, they erected about 40,000 square feet of greenhouses, along with other buildings for truck gardening and growing flowers and plants. The Emhoffs also had a flower shop in downtown Springfield.

Among the crops the Emhoffs grew in their fields were tomatoes, celery, cabbage and peppers. The greenhouses held cut flowers such as chrysanthemums, snapdragons, sweetpeas and carnations. Emhoff was a good farmer. His wife was a great cook. Customers knew the Emhoffs as hospitable people, according to an autobiography by Gus Wickman.

Wickman became acquainted with the Emhoffs because they were coal customers of Merchants Ice and Fuel, where Wickman was general manager. A friendship grew between the Emhoffs and Wickman.

As World War II drew to a close, Floyd Emhoff bought a cattle farm northwest of Springfield near Willard, Mo. The Emhoffs moved there and sold the downtown flower shop. Floyd also was ready to sell the 10 acres on Fort Avenue.

The ice and coal business was winding down as the war ended. So, Wickman told Emhoff   “…darned if I wouldn’t buy it.”  

The path from potatoes to posies

Gus and Frances Wickman took over June 26, 1945. They renamed it Wickman Gardens. 

That spring, the Wickmans planted cucumbers, lettuce, squash, beans and radishes alongside the Emhoff crops. Some grew in the greenhouses, too. Besides the bountiful fields and greenhouses, a flower shop hummed.

The Wickmans moved into the house in April 1946. Their son, G. Fred Wickman, was born July 6, 1946. While Frances labored at the hospital, Gus washed harvested celery. 

But flowers were the future. Before long, Wickman Gardens supplied eager distributors with large amounts of flowers cut from its fields and greenhouses.

Business moved from wholesale to retail. Customers lined up to buy spring bedding and vegetable plants. The flower shop took off, selling flowers for births to funerals, proms to weddings, church flowers to blossoms for business events. If you wanted a Christmas tree, you went to Wickman’s, particularly if you wanted it flocked by Gus. Wickman’s grew the best poinsettias.

Gus and Frances noted every customer’s birth date. Every year, when it arrived, Wickman Gardens delivered a little vase with a jaunty flower or two and a sprig of greenery to the birthday man or woman. It wasn’t really your birthday unless Wickman’s proclaimed it.

Gus, business leader, also served his city. He spent 12 years on the Springfield City Council, some as mayor pro tem.   

When G. Fred decided to pursue journalism, and his parents neared retirement, they looked for a successor. A Southwest Missouri State grad, Glenn Kristek, was the one.   

Organic Gardening & Companion Planting

Time to get that garden started that you’ve been dreaming of all Winter. This year will be better than previous years because we learn. Every year we learn a little more and grow a little better and smarter than we did before.

Some veggies seem to produce better planted next to other specific veggies, while some combinations prevent vigor and produce.

This year, I am moving my garden to a new spot, at least to a spot that hasn’t been used for seven years.

I considered growing my strawberries in a row next to my cabbage. Also, I was going to place my tomatoes in the same row as cabbage, spaced well since they’ll grow at different times.
Now I have learned that it pays to check it out before I place the effort in a new idea. Nothing is more aggravating than getting into June – July to find the garden isn’t doing well. Sure enough, my research found that strawberries, cabbage, and tomatoes are not a good mix.

Source: http://www.nodigvegetablegarden.com/

Also, don’t sow your peas or beans close to your chives or garlic. They’ll all disappoint you. However, onions like to be near cole crops, lettuce, strawberries and tomatoes. No wonder those onions grow so well!

I also understand that the moths who lay eggs on the cole crops and tomatoes avoid celery. Now I understand we do not grow a good tasting celery here in the Ozarks. I think I’ll sow some beside the cabbage. Who cares about yielding the celery. I just don’t like to share my cabbage with the caterpillars!

I’ve planted marigolds next to the tomatoes to attract the lady bugs. Two years ago, I decided the marigolds that I had planted between the tomatoes to attract the lady bugs did not work. The lady bugs were losing the war. Last year, I chose to omit the marigolds, thinking the lady bugs would not be beneficial. I had more bugs! I decided they must have been doing something right. This year, I will do marigolds and nasturtiums.

Nasturtiums repel bad bugs. Plus, they make a good salad.

Rhubarb likes cabbage. That works for me! But remember, the rhubarb will be there long after this year’s garden is finished. Place it in an area that you can avoid using the plow. Next year, it will serve you very well.

This year, I’ll move the garden and try to create some harmony among the vegetables. No fussing, please.

~ Pat Scammahorn, efficacious gardener and member of Wickman's Nursery Sales staff



Couldn't make it to Wickman's for the Organic Gardening seminar? Well, we're working on making information from our seminars available online!

Of course, we know you won't have the advantage of hearing all Jeannie LeJeune's expert commentary or the question and answer sessions on organic gardening. You can view the on-screen presentation though.

Every day we're ALL learning a little more about gardening, ecological stewardship ... and the advantages of using the web to distribute 'handouts' on various subjects. Saves SO much paper & ink, plus it's all there for you to read then choose to discard or save at your discretion and convenience!

Just right click on this link and choose "Open in New Window'. You'll be opening a PDF copy of the Power Point presentation from our Organic Gardening seminar - stored on Google Docs. (We're learning more about that 'resource' too! )

Questions? Send an email to info@wickmans.com and we'll try to help!

We all know that health concerns and the economy have had a tremendous affect on gardening and landscape trends across the country. In fact, it seems like we're ALL interested in growing some types of vegetables, fruit trees and berries now!

We've got container grown blueberry and blackberry plants in stock now, plus some great looking bundles of bare root strawberry plants. The potted berry plants can go out in the garden now and will tolerate seasonal temps just fine. If a serious cold snap should be forecasted, mulch piled over the plants will see them thru in good shape.

Now is also a good time to plant fruit trees. Our 2011 spring shipment of trees has not arrived yet, but we DO have some very nice plum, peach and nectarine trees that were carried over in inventory from last fall. These trees all have a very well established root system. Most are in biodegradable fiber pots, making them very easy to transport and plant. Please call if you'd like us to tag any of these established trees for you!

We're excited about our new 'Botanical Interests' seed offering too ... lots of organic vegetable seed, plus a variety of packaged seeds for year round 'sprouting' indoors! Wickman's Garden Center manager hand-picked the varieties for this seed rack, so you'll find a number of her favorites along with many familiar cultivars.

For daily updates, check our facebook page!

Spring Garden Planter

Brighten your yard with a 'spring garden planter' or pot of tulips! Wickman's greenhouse staff potted bulbs of all types - tulips, daffodils and fragrant hyacinth - and put them in our BIG walk-in cooler to chill. (Think WINTER , most bulbs need a cooling period in order to send up an attractive bloom!)

So, keep it in mind. We have some bulbs chilling in the cooler NOW and we have gorgeous pots of bulbs in bloom in the greenhouse. From greenhouse - to your house - a pot of flowering bulbs offers cheerful color and fragrance to your indoor spaces!

Wickman Newsletters bring updates, deals and info on special events to your inbox! Sign up with a note to info@wickmans.com We'd love to have you join our growing community of gardening enthusiasts on Facebook too. Search for Wickman's Garden Village and become a fan!