By Jay Ermis
The Walker County Master Gardeners’ Fall Plant Sale is set for Saturday, but the group will give residents tips on how to care for those plants and trees during a horticulture program at 6:30 p.m. today.
The horticulture program will be held at the county Extension Agent’s Office at 102 Tam Road off state Highway 75 North, while the plant sale will be held at the Master Gardeners’ facility adjacent to the office.
The plant sale opens at 8 a.m. Saturday and closes at 2 p.m.
The horticulture program is open to all residents and Master Gardeners will give a presentation on plants and trees that will be for sale Saturday.
“Master Gardeners will give detailed information on the care of the plants and how to plant them,” said Jean Marsh, a former president of the Master Gardeners.
She said the presentation is expected to last no more than two hours.
Many of the items that will be for sale Saturday include native perennials, bulbs, daylilies, fruit trees, perennial and annual herbs, roses and fall vegetable heirlooms, including broccoli, cauliflower, lettuces and Brussels sprouts.
“We don’t have many annuals for sale other than the vegetables that are annuals,” Marsh said.
The group will also have baked goods for sale along with seeds “that will be planted in the spring, some in the fall,” she said. “We have a department that only gathers seeds.”
While many people think spring is the best time to plant, Marsh said fall outranks spring in that category.
“We’re trying to educate people that the fall is the best time to plant for perennials, which includes fruit trees and berries, because the roots can get established over the winter,” Marsh said.
“It’s harder on the plants if they’re planted in the spring and then they get hit with one of these hot summers,” she said. “They don’t suffer as bad in the heat.
“The native blooming plants can stand the heat and humidity.”
Marsh said “a lot of people think the spring is the best time to plant because that is what you think of in the spring. Of course, there are some things you have to plant in the spring like tomatoes and okra.
“But the shrubbery and stuff that is perennial actually gets a much better chance of survival if it’s planted in the fall.”
There are at least 150 members of the Walker County Master Gardeners and classes start in January for anyone interested in becoming a member.
“We have a great group of volunteers who come out and help us,” Marsh said. “I’ve been in since 2001 and we get new members every year.”
The Master Gardeners is a non-profit group with proceeds going toward holding classes and giving scholarships.
“We put it back into the community,” Marsh said.
“People are always welcomed to come and visit the gardens and bring their children anytime because there are a lot of butterflies,” she said. “We have a lot of host plants for butterflies. It’s interesting for children to come and see them.
“The greenhouse may not be open, but the gardens are open to the public and we would love for them to come and visit.”
For more information on the sale or the Master Gardeners, phone the Extension Office at (936) 435-2426.
