Calls for support as 'millions' of garden centre plants could be thrown away amid coronavirus

1 April 2020, 11:42

Many garden centres may be forced to throw away plants, shrubs and trees as they are forced to shut during lockdown.

Garden centres across the UK have been forced to close amid the UK lockdown, meaning millions of plants could be thrown away.

The plant industry is usually experiencing its busiest time of year in the Spring, but demand has dropped as everyone is stuck indoors and unable to go to the shops.

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According to Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), the plants will have to be thrown away as they are perishable.

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The HTA is now calling on the government to support the ornamental crop centre, which grows bulbs, bedding plants, cut flowers and more for garden centres, supermarkets and florists.

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Alan Titchmarsh has supported the campaign, and warned it could cause 'irreparable damage' to gardens if the industry isn't supported.

Chair of the HTA James Barnes told the BBC's Today programme: "Growers will have spent the last three or four months building up supplies which they can't sell and all of this stock is perishable.

"If they can't sell it, it can't get to the end user, it can't get in the ground, then it has to be written off. They'll have to be literally thrown away."

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