By Danelle Cutting

Special to the Post

Last week, I wrote about the 4-H Plant Sale. This week, I am writing about the Extension Master Gardener Plant Sale. If you would like more information on the 4-H Plant Sale, visit go.ncsu.edu/fallplantsale. If you would like more information about the Extension Master Gardener Plant Sale, please continue reading.

The Extension Master Gardener Plant Sales happen twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall. As I have mentioned in numerous articles, my favorite (and most of the plants’ favorite) time of the year to plant is in the fall. I receive calls every year asking about the best time to plant trees, shrubs, perennials, fruits, etc. 99.99 percent of the time, I recommend fall. You may ask why fall is the best, and to that question I will say that when a plant is planted in the fall, it has more time to concentrate on establishing the root system. It usually does not require as much water, and the harsh temperatures of the summer do not cause as much stress to the plant. Another great reason is that the plant is getting ready to go dormant, so the plant does not need to develop new leaves, flowers or fruit; the plant will become better established.

With that being said, if you are looking for some great deals and a way to help a great organization, I recommend attending the Extension Master Gardener’s Fall Plant Sale on Tuesday, Oct. 13 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Rowan County Cooperative Extension, 2727 Old Concord Road.

This will be the perfect time to get some great plants at a reasonable price. The Rowan County Extension Master Gardener Association Plant Sale will also have plants for your pollinator garden. The sale will start at 3 p.m.; there will be no early purchases. Some additional plants that will be sold are Echinacea (Purple Cone Flower), abelias, azaleas, gorgeous hydrangeas, hostas, herbs, and even some trees. All of the proceeds help expand the Extension Master Gardener plan and fund their demonstration programs/plots that are held throughout the county.

As always, I recommend getting a soil sample to ensure the success of all plants. If you are able to attend the Fall Extension Master Gardener Plant Sale, you can pick up one of our soil test kits.

If you would like more information on growing your own plants or about the Extension Master Gardener Fall Plant Sale, call your local agent, Danelle Cutting or the Extension Office at 704-216-8970.