The pandemic this past year has inspired many Americans to take up new hobbies, or renew old ones.
Indoor gardening is one of those hobbies that’s blossomed.

The online plant store Patch reported a 500 percent increase in sales during the start of the pandemic. The effects are being felt in Bismarck, too.

Plant Perfect owner Casey McCollum says he’s seen a surge in new customers, starting before the pandemic even began. He says the younger demographic has made up much of the new customer base.

“Anything that’s rare or unusual is what’s hot right now. There’s a lot of people that are collecting these house plants, so if something becomes available somewhere, usually people are swiping them up really fast. It’s not uncommon for me to hear of customers having anywhere from 50 to 100 house plants within their home,” McCollum said.

McCollum says snake plants, succulents and other varieties that require minimal care have been popular, too.