Flowers

How Natural Gas Fuels San Diego Greenhouses

“To spread a bit more joy in the world by growing quality plants that may be appreciated.” That’s what motivates one family-run nursery in San Diego.

Since starting in 1973 with just 3,000 square feet and two acres, Tony and Sue Godfrey have worked to make their dream of operating a top-notch greenhouse a reality.

Today, Olive Hill Greenhouses in Fallbrook operates 18 acres of growing fields and more than 760,000 square feet of greenhouses that produce beautiful indoor tropical plants. Of the millions of plants at Olive Hill Greenhouses, about half are foliage plants and half are blooming plants.

To protect the plants growing inside their greenhouses from chilly overnight temperatures, the Godfrey’s choose natural gas as their fuel source—in part because it’s affordable.

“Our business is very competitive. Natural gas gives us an advantage over most of our competitors—many of whom aren’t in operation anymore because they didn’t have natural gas,” said Tony Godfrey, owner of Olive Hill Greenhouses. “It is cheaper than propane, diesel or electricity for heating.”

Whether you knew it or not, chances are good that you’ve purchased a plant from Olive Hill Greenhouses. More than two-thirds of the plants grown at the Godfrey’s Fallbrook nursery are enjoyed by customers here in Southern California, with the rest going out of state, some as far away as Alaska.

To learn more about how SDG&E delivers clean, reliable and affordable natural gas to customers like Olive Hill Greenhouses, check out this video: