Merritt College just held their annual spring plant sale on
the weekend of April 30th and May 1. The plant sale is part festival
and part marketplace, and a great venue for mingling with fellow plant lovers
and knowledgeable horticultural students. You can find healthy, well-rooted California native, drought-tolerant, and organic vegetable starters to purchase. For best selection, get there early
on Saturday (but I have found great plants even late
on Sunday).
The Horticulture Club and associated volunteers grow the
starters on premise, in the green house and planting beds. The Horticulture and Sustainable Agriculture departments team up to experiment with interesting ideas for raised beds, using natural materials. They also propagate many varieties of native plants, and heirloom produce and trees.
This year I found several new plants to try. I purchased a couple of interesting cherry tomato plants, and a few shade-loving plants and ground covers for my "white garden". The pink dianthus is for a hot, sunny location in the garden. I already planted a few of the plants, and look forward to getting the rest planted soon.
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| Approaching the Plant Sale on the Merritt College campus |
This year I found several new plants to try. I purchased a couple of interesting cherry tomato plants, and a few shade-loving plants and ground covers for my "white garden". The pink dianthus is for a hot, sunny location in the garden. I already planted a few of the plants, and look forward to getting the rest planted soon.
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| The Spoils - ready to plant |
The Merritt College plant sales coincide with the ideal
planting times here in the East Bay—in the Fall (right before the wet season,
so that roots can go deep and become established), and in the Spring (at the
end of the wet season, when the soil is still soft and moist). These are great
sales for stocking up on beautiful plant starters.
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