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Pictured are new types of hypertufa that will be available
at the May 2nd Master Gardener Plant Sale in the Halifax Extension
Office parking lot.
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The annual
Southside Master Gardener Association Plant Sale will be held on Saturday, May
2nd from 7:30 a.m. until noon in the parking lot in front of the Halifax County
Extension Office, 171 S. Main Street, Halifax.
All types of plants will be available including annuals, herbs,
perennials, vegetables, shrubs and trees.
The sale will offer some special features such as garden art, tool
sharpening and a bake sale. There will
be educational exhibits and handouts as well.
Life as a
gardener is made easier by having clean and sharp tools. Good tools are an
investment, one that needs to be protected especially these days when money is
tight. We all know that sharp tools – pruners in particular – are easier
to use, but did you know sharp tools are better for the plant? Dull
pruner blades can tear bark or mash a stem leaving a wound that is open and
susceptible to diseases or insects. The plant has defenses to heal from a
sharp clean cut made at the proper place.
Bring your small gardening tools for a free cleaning and sharpening.
Hypertufa is
the name of a process of making garden containers, ornaments, sculptures or
stepping-stones using Portland cement, perlite and peat. The process was developed as a substitute for
volcanic rock called Tufa that was traditionally used to make Alpine
troughs. This
year there will be new styles of hypertufa such as a
container with feet to allow for proper drainage and avoid the staining caused
by resting a pot directly on the surface of a deck or patio. Pots with color bands will also be available.
One of the
miracles of gardening is growing plants from seeds. The beauty is that the end result isn’t
always what we expected. For
germination, seeds usually need warmth, moisture and sometimes light. There will be an educational display at the
sale showing how to make your own simple germination box. The box is made from items readily available
and provides those three main needs for proper germination.
The Master
Gardeners have been busy making unique garden/yard art treasures that will make
your garden shine. A very special item
is the famous “Wine Chimes” made from repurposed wine bottles. More colors and styles will be available this
year, and orders will be taken if you have a special stencil request. A “puddler” insert will be a new item. The puddler is filled with sand and salt and
collects rain for the bees and butterflies to have a drink.
Master
Gardeners are not only gardeners but can cook up some mean desserts. Stop by the Bake Sale table to purchase
something to nibble on while walking through the sale. Of course there will be lots and lots of
plants. Master Gardeners will be
available to answer your gardening questions throughout the sale. If you want more information or are
interested in the Master Gardener program visit www.ssmga.org, contact Bill McCaleb in the Halifax Extension
Office at 434-476-2147 or e-mail at ask@ssmga.org.
