We want your plants!

VCE Southside Master Gardeners are dreaming of spring and are planning for our annual Plant Sale. This year the sale is on Saturday, May 6, 7:30 am to noon in the parking lot in front of the Halifax branch library branch. The Plant Sale raises funds to support Master Gardener programming all year. We rely on donations of plants from many sources: cuttings and seedlings that Master Gardeners grow, generous additions from local greenhouses and Abbott’s Farm Supply – and most importantly from gardens all around Halifax and Mecklenburg Counties. If you have plants you would like to contribute to our Sale, please call the Virginia Cooperative Extension Office, 434 476-2147, option 0. Master Gardeners will come out to your property at an agreed upon time and harvest the plants. Digging will be done during the month of April.

These canna lilies are a colorful addition to the landscape. Come out to the Master Gardener plant sale on May 6 and select some tubers for your garden. We are looking for healthy plants that can be potted and presented at the Sale. It’s a great way to thin out perennials like iris and daylilies that spread out and crowd other plants. Please be aware that we cannot dig up older, well established plants, such as camellias or hollies that have deep, strong root systems. We also don’t accept any plants that can be invasive like English ivy or creeping liriope. The digging crew will fill in holes and leave the garden space in good condition. We especially look for native plants that will do well in our planting zone. Let us know if you know what color the blooms are, especially on items like iris and daylilies. Plants to share include: • Divisions of perennials • Hostas • Hellebores • Heuchera • Peonies • Mondo grasses • Hardy ferns • Red hot pokers • Small roses • Small trees like Japanese maples, especially in containers Canna lilies that were dug last fall will be featured at the 2023 Plant Sale. Cannas are easy to grow and come in shades of yellow, orange, pink and red that lasts all summer. The rhizomes (or tubers) should be planted in rich, well-drained soil about a foot apart in areas that get full sun. Give the plants consistent moisture during the growing season until the plants flower. Cannas should be deadheaded to encourage them to put out more blooms. They are especially showy when planted in masses or in large pots. While canna flowers don’t last long after cutting, the sturdy leaves can add interest in arrangements. Most varieties are hardy in our area and will come back next spring. But if you want to save or divide the rhizomes, they can be dug up again before the first frost and stored in damp media a frost-free place like the basement over the winter. Sharing plants is a tradition among gardeners. It’s also a nice way to let others know what you are proud of in your garden and to support Master Gardeners at the same time. The Southside Master Gardener Association is a non-profit 501(c)(3); we will issue a tax receipt for all donated plants. We appreciate your support and look forward to your call to 434 476-2147, option 0 to schedule your digging crew visit.