In Estonia, the spring season for flower and vegetable plant growers has begun even though it is still three weeks away from the astronomical start of spring. With greenhouse cucumber plants already flowering, growers are looking forward to the right timing to plant their pre-grown flower plants into heated greenhouses. Kuido Paimla, Järvamaa's only greenhouse cucumber grower, planted his seeds on January 10th and his long cucumbers have started showing a few flowers, while his short cucumbers are blooming lushly and are expected to reach stores by March 25th.

Reflecting on this winter, Paimla described it with two words: it was cold. He noted that significantly more wood chips have been used for heating greenhouses this year than last. Holding the temperature within the greenhouse has been particularly challenging this winter, and while he is hopeful for improvement, he acknowledges that the increased costs might not be accepted by consumers. He remarked that rising costs would probably fall on the producer, as consumers are generally hesitant to pay more.

This year, for the first time, Paimla also sowed tomatoes and peppers, which indicates a potential expansion in his crop variety, showcasing a diversification strategy amid the challenges posed by a harsh winter. As spring continues to advance, local growers like Paimla are adapting to these changes while maintaining their production efforts.