Sumka Brothers Greenhouses wraps up final growing season in the Transcona gardening community

The days of picking geraniums, petunias, and other show-stopping flowers from Sumka Brothers Greenhouses are numbered.

After 47 years of planting, the final growing season is at hand and customers will miss this beloved Transcona business.

“Since they moved to this location in Transcona, it's just like gardeners heaven to have a walk through here and spend a bit of time,” said Ann Blonski, a customer of more than 30 years.

George Sumka and his two brothers remember a time when growing vegetables with their parents was a hobby, not a business.

“I went and started doing my own cold frame with tomatoes and peppers and cabbage to that, and then my brother says, ‘We got to try something here,’” said George Sumka, co-owner of Sumka Brothers Greenhouses.

“He says, ‘We're selling cabbage for $5.00 a bag, and we could sell cabbage plants for two $2.50 a half dozen, and we didn't even have to grow it.”

After years of selling produce at smaller greenhouses they built and roadside stands on Regent Ave. the brothers found their present location in Transcona on Peguis Street. It was an area that certainly looked a lot different in 1992.

'My brother says to me, ‘what do you see in this?’ I said potential'

“This was bulrushes, deer and foxes, you know,” Sumka said.

“My brother says to me, ‘what do you see in this?’ I said potential.”

More than three decades later, the family watched Transcona transform. Last year, the time was right for the Sumka brothers to sell the land where the greenhouse resides to the River East Transcona School Division.

The family was able to rent the property for one more season and is hopeful a school will be built at the current site in the near future.

For George’s daughter Maryanne, managing the business at a place that feels like her second home will be something she dearly misses.

'You watched me have my babies here, literally, I mean, I almost went into labour with my son here, so, yeah, being here has been the best experience of my life'

“I grew up with you guys, you guys watched me grow,” said Maryanne Sumka, manager of Sumka Brothers Greenhouses.

“You watched me have my babies here, literally, I mean, I almost went into labour with my son here, so, yeah, being here has been the best experience of my life.”

After decades of business, George Sumka often gets recognized by his green thumb regulars. Saying goodbye to all of his gardeners will be the hardest part for him.

“This winter I would come pick up my daughter from the airport and customers were at the airport picking up their families and said, ‘What are we going to do next year?’” said George Sumka.

“That's going to be the hardest part you know, is missing the people.”

Like Blonski, many regulars have fond memories of their time flower shopping here.

“The geraniums, hardy and best that we've seen compared to other nurseries or greenhouses,” said long-time customer Teresa Gray.

“The staff are absolutely amazing. They're so knowledgeable. They'll take out your purchases. They'll do everything for you here. We're going to miss them.”

Jarred Michaluk got his first summer job working for the greenhouses in his neighbourhood. He said it was a great experience building an appreciation for learning how to plant a garden and the kinds of flowers and vegetables to pick.

“It was always the petunias,” Michaluk said.

“We always got petunias for the front yard. I remember it, and just the vegetable garden. I loved my vegetable garden. We always had one growing up and it was just so close, just down the street.”

The family said the key to running the greenhouses with such longevity has been the staff they have hired who continue to bring a passion of knowledge for growing flowers and produce.

George Sumka said he has had the pleasure of watching many of them grow up over years of service.

“We've got people that know what they're talking about, and they're going to help you out as best they can,” George Sumka said.

“I think that's what keeps us going, that's what made our success.”

“Some of our families have been here for over 30 years, some of our staff have been here for over 20 years,” said Maryanne Sumka.

“You can’t get that in a lot of places. If we don't think something looks good, we take it off the shelf. It's blood, sweat and tears. Literally. That's what the greenhouse business is.”

Sumka Brothers Greenhouses expects to be open into the first half of summer until the remaining flowers and produce have been sold.