Lenoir County Master Gardeners expand annual plant sale to two days
The Lenoir County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers are expanding their annual plant sale this year with an added Friday evening sale ahead of the group’s traditional Saturday event.
The sale will be held Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon at the Lenoir County Cooperative Extension.
Paige Petticrew, extension agent for agriculture and consumer horticulture, said the two-day format is the biggest change this year.
“The plant sale this year is a little bit different, in a good way we hope,” Petticrew said. “We are doing a 2 day plant sale, so on Friday from 3 to 6, we will have our day one of our plant sale, and then our traditional sale on Saturday from 8 to 12. We are offering a lot of different plants, lots of vegetables, lots of flowers, and lots of herbs with plenty varieties in between.”
The annual sale offers shoppers a chance to browse a wide variety of plants while supporting the work of the Extension Master Gardener Volunteers.
Dr. Tammy Kelly, county extension director for agriculture, local foods and community development, said the sale helps encourage home gardening while also funding local projects.
“Our extension master gardener volunteers do the plant sale every year to promote growing at your home, and also to raise money for the programs that they do during the year, like the children’s garden programming and their monthly council on aging program.” Kelly said. “I’ve seen spoken to several people in town and they are real excited about it being open on Friday night, as well as on Saturday, so I think we’ll have a big crowd both days. I am sure there will be a big line!”
For some shoppers, the sale is an annual tradition!
Julie Babbin said she already has one plant in mind when she comes to browse.
“Spoon tomatoes,” Babbin said. “I love spoon tomatoes. We got them accidentally last year, and they’re my favorite thing. I hope to see them again this year. Thank you, Extension Master Gardeners.”
The plant sale is one of the group’s signature annual events and draws gardeners looking for vegetables, flowers, herbs and other additions for spring planting.
