Janet Benjegerdes has been growing her business, Benjegerdes Greenhouse, for thirty years

Janet Benjegerdes, who grew up on the family farm outside of Postville, knew from the time she was in fourth grade that she wanted to work with seeds, plants and the soil. The 1983 graduate of Postviille High School said, “When I was in fourth grade, my teacher, Mrs. Roffman, shared a book with me on seeds and how they grow as she knew that was where my interests were really peaked.” In the past 30 years Janet has been living her dream at Benjegerdes Greenhouse which she started in 1987.

Following high school, Janet attended Iowa State University, where she received a degree in horticulture. She commented, “After my graduation, I came home and started my home business on a very small scale and I have been in the greenhouse business ever since. Needless to say, the business has really grown in 30 years.”

In the spring and summer of 1987 Janet grew a large garden even before the greenhouse was built. She started transplants indoors and when the weather improved moved them to the front porch. Benjegerdes, who says she gets equal enjoyment from growing both flowers and vegetables, had flower beds by the house that first year which she started from seed.

As the business grew so did the facility; in the spring of 1991 a shade area was added and the gardens continued to get larger. The chicken house was used for a greenhouse for the last time in 1992 as everything was converted to the larger greenhouse in the spring of ‘93.

Continuing to look for plants that interest her customers, Janet said, “We have made a lot of cactus gardens through the years.

As early as 2005 we had several tables full.

As she prepares to open for her 30th season this week, Janet will offer 75 kinds of geraniums and so much more including purple, yellow and white sweet potatoes and everything in between.

Asked about some of her recent bigger projects, Janet noted that she has been doing the baskets for the downtown Postville light poles for the past two years and, along with going twice each week to the Decorah Farmer’s Market, she has committed to a full season at the Cedar Rapids City Market this summer. 

As this savvy and frugal business woman prepares to open this month, be sure to stop out and wish her a Happy 30th Anniversary. Bring the children along to enter the annual coloring contest. Each child who enters gets a plant and the winners receive special flowering gardens as the top prizes. There is no better way to welcome spring.\

Read the full article in the April 26 edition of the Postville Herald.