Master Gardeners set for Fall Plant Sale on Sept. 24

MADISON COUNTY – Healthy and hearty plants for inside or outside a home will be offered at the Fall Plant Sale by Master Gardeners of North Alabama or MGNA.

The sale venue will be Madison County Farmers Market, 1022 Cook Ave. in Huntsville on Sept. 24 from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Their sale inventory is diverse. Perennials will include echinacea, Rudbeckia, Dutch iris, day lilies in assorted colors, canna lilies, yarrow, ornamental onions, lamb’s ear, thyme, hostas, swamp sunflowers, succulents and succulent gardens. Master Gardeners also will bring in plants from their gardens.

“Believe it or not, now’s the time to plant perennials. I didn’t believe this myself, and my mentor convinced me to try it,” Master Gardener Cyndi Lindblom said.

Currently, “plants are not ‘pretty’ because it’s the end of the season. They’re tired. (The plants) have worked hard to bring us pleasure for summer. Trust me — if you plant now, next spring you’ll have beautiful plants,” Lindblom said.

“Fall is a great time to get trees and shrubs in the ground so their root system can acclimate to their new home,” Lindblom said.

The sale includes trees and shrubs with oakleaf hydrangeas, maples, crepe myrtles, redbuds, dogwoods and forsythias. Tulips, daffodils, crocus, Naked Ladies and other bulbs will be sold.

Master Gardener plant sales raise funds to return to the community. They donate to a scholarship program with Alabama Cooperative Extension System for Auburn University.

Other projects are Adopt-a-Spot areas for beautification, a new walking trail from the Natatorium to John Hunt Park and plans for a wildflower garden for bees and butterflies. Gardeners help Habitat For Humanity and “Horticulture Therapy” for special-needs daycare at Huntsville Senior Center.

“One fun project is teaching Morris Elementary prekindergarten-8 to grow flowers and food,” Lindblom said. “We have a Demonstration Vegetable Garden to plant vegetables using different methods, (including) keyhole gardening, no-till versus till method, square-foot gardening and container gardening with pots and canvass bags.”

Master Gardeners take fruit and vegetables from this garden to a food bank or soup kitchen. “The demonstration garden is a great way to teach and answer questions as garden guests go through the garden,” Lindblom said.

They have internal projects, such as a greenhouse for Master Gardeners, helping intern classes and public workshops.

“Our members are so gracious to share for the sale. All plants are healthy and vibrant because they’re fed well and pampered. I hear sometimes their plants are sung to,” Lindblom said.