While growing up in New Braunfels in the 1970s, Weston Pacharzina said he tended a garden with his father. The elder Pacharzina, Bob, was a New Braunfels coach and educator who grew plants as everyday gifts for people in his life.

“[Bob] started making a list of friends’ anniversaries and birthdays,” Pacharzina said. “Usually in the mornings or before I went to school, I’d go with him, and I’d deliver hanging baskets.”After a couple of years, Bob’s growing reputation as a green thumb with a giving spirit led to an opportunity to open Plant Haus in 1977.

Nearly 45 years later, the Plant Haus is still defined by its neighborly approach to business.

“Whether they’re spending $10 or $100, a customer is a customer,” Pacharzina said.He and his staff offer gardening advice freely to new and veteran gardeners alike, such as how to select from the variety of available soils and mulches for various situations, or when to begin planting.

“On a typical day during the springtime [before the pandemic], we may have—during the week—maybe 150-200 customers,” Pacharzina said. “We were having 250-300 customers [per day] during the week, 400-500 ... on Saturdays and Sundays.”


Keeping plants in stock became a sizable hurdle and was still an industrywide issue going into 2022 due to 2021’s winter storm and supply chain issues, according to Pacharzina. However, the Plant Haus was navigating these challenges by acquiring plants from across the country and even managed to keep its greenhouse stocked this winter.

While people may not consider the winter for gardening, Pacharzina pointed out many plants can be grown indoors year round, and some can even manage the cold. He also noted chilly months were good for prepping for the growing season.

“If you’re going to do flower beds ... better to dig it out when it’s 50 degrees outside than when it’s 150 degrees outside,” Pacharzina said.

The Plant Haus


956 N. Walnut Ave., New Braunfels

830-629-2401

www.facebook.com/the-plant-haus-141467745891890

Hours: Tue.-Sat. 9 a.m.-5 p.m., closed Sun.-Mon.