Pollinator and native plants available at Master Gardeners’ Spring Plant Sale | Gardening
The UF/IFAS Okaloosa County Master Gardener Volunteers will hold their 2024 Spring Plant Sale from 8 to 11 a.m. May 18 at the temporary UF/IFAS Extension Annex located at the Okaloosa Technical College (OTC) in Fort Walton Beach. The address is 1976 Lewis Turner Boulevard.
There are two entrances to the OTC. Use the entrance closest to the fire station, not the main entrance, and follow the signs to the Extension building, located in the back of the campus. Here is a link with a map showing how to find our building — or call the OTC Extension Annex at 850-651-7476 for directions — go.ufl.edu/fwb-annex-map.
Many of the plants available for purchase at the plant sale will be Florida native plants that are well suited for North Florida. There will be a selection of hard-to-find, Florida-friendly and pollinator plants. And, dozens of milkweed plants will be available, which are larval feeding sources for monarch butterflies as they migrate through North Florida during the fall.
The Master Gardener Volunteers are excited about being able to offer this plant sale. Having the event in-person allows better interaction with the public, including the ability to answer your questions related to the available plants. Master Gardener Volunteers and I will be onsite to help answer your lawn, landscape and garden questions, as well.
You also may bring a sample of soil from your lawn, landscape or garden for pH testing. Use a clean shovel, trowel or soil probe to collect a representative sample by taking thin slices or cores of soil to a depth of 6 to 8 inches from 10 different spots throughout the plant bed, lawn or garden. Thoroughly mix all of the small soil slices/cores together in a clean bucket. Place 1 to 2 cups of this mixture in a closable plastic bag or small throwaway plastic container, and bring it to the plant sale for testing. Attach a slip of paper with your name, phone number and where the sample was taken (e.g. lawn, vegetable garden, flowerbed, etc.).
Proceeds from the plant sale will be used by Okaloosa County Master Gardener Volunteers in providing their educational programs for the public.
The price remains $5.35 per container. Please note that only cash or checks will be accepted. Checks made out to UF, or correct change, is appreciated.
The plant sale also is a perfect time to bring your black, one-gallon nursery pots (only 1-gallon pots are needed) to donate to the Master Gardener Volunteer nursery.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Pollinator, native plants available at Spring Plant Sale | Gardening
