“Working with Mother Nature is just outstanding.”
~ Justin Marotta, owner
Possum Run Greenhouse

 

 

Ohio greenhouse leads nation in fuchsia production

Story by Seth Teter | Photos by Jodi Miller
 
Justin Marotta has no problem picking favorites.

Inside his greenhouse is a full half acre of “absolutely nothing but color,” he said. And most prized among his plants are the cascading fuchsias.

“They’re absolutely exceptional in color. Their bloom period is extremely long,” said Marotta, who operates Possum Run Greenhouse in Richland County with his wife Lynn.

With nearly 300 varieties, the business has grown to be the largest commercial fuchsia supplier in the United States. It also attracts customers year-round with a retail center and gift shop.

 

“It’s just a collage of color and leaf texture and smell. You name it, it’s all here,” Marotta said.

 

The fuchsias droop with bell shaped flowers that are known to attract hummingbirds. In fact, one spent the entire winter in the greenhouse feeding on Marotta’s plants. The edible fuchsia is also often used to give color to gourmet meals.

In the spring, Marotta describes his business as “a full rebirth.” Things slow down during the hot summer before the fall colors start to appear and then the reds and greens of winter.

“We mirror the seasons and accentuate the seasons,” Marotta said.

Located in a rural valley near the Mohican Forest, Marotta has been building the business since he arrived at the neglected property in 1974. He was just 24 at the time and determined to make a name for himself in the industry. He grew up on a greenhouse operation and “agriculture draws you back,” he said.

“You learn to work hard, you learn the value of work and you’re only going to get out of it what you put into it,” he said.

In nature, Marotta also sees something bigger than himself. He said plants, more so than people, have a remarkable ability to adapt to the conditions around them. And people, he suggested, are perhaps a little too quick to take credit for nature’s ability to thrive.

“God’s done most of it,” he said.

That doesn’t mean that a beautiful garden is free of human intervention. Marotta noted that 20 years ago, gardening was the nation’s No. 1 hobby, but “we have lost the values and the significance of generationally passing down the responsibility for growing things for sustainability.”

As the public’s interest in gardening seems to be growing again, he counsels customers to take it slow, start small and be practical.

“Things will grow, but then they need care. Things need to be fertilized, they need to be weeded,” he said.

Take it from an expert: 90 percent of the plants that Marotta sells were grown at Possum Run Greenhouse. He says the help of a good staff, and caring for plants from the start ensures quality.

In addition to a passion for plants, he said the people in the floriculture and horticultural industry are “phenomenal” and driven by wholesome values. While he’s concerned about commoditization of greenhouse products and that interest in gardening may never fully return, he sees opportunities for future generations to become involved.

After all, if you’re willing to put in the work, the job description is pretty good.

“Working with Mother Nature is just outstanding,” Marotta said.

To comment on this article, e-mail info @ourohio.org.

 

Possum Run Greenhouse
5384 Possum Run Road
Bellville, Ohio
419-892-2770

Monday - Friday 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Saturday  9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sundays noon- 5 p.m.

 

Growing the industry
Not everything Possum Run Greenhouse grows is for customers. Marotta is an avid supporter of Ohio State University and floriculture research. In a recent project, he assisted scientists by propagating dandelions from Tajikistan. The plants are higher in latex than their American counterparts and could be grown in Ohio to produce natural rubber. America currently has no domestic source of rubber.

“This is something that is going to be very, very important to America,” Marotta said.
He also worked to create the Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center at the university. The center works to preserve genetic material from ornamental plants to ensure that they are available to future generations.

“Our goal is to conserve rare or unusual heirloom type varieties and wild species that might be lost as land is developed. They may not be available in nature or through other seed companies in the future, so we may be the last place where people can go to find specific types of plant material,” said Susan Stieve, the center’s curator. “Justin Marotta sees that there is a need to stop the loss of this herbaceous, ornamental plant material.”