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BLOOD, SWEAT, TEARS
VCMGA volunteers prepare for 2022 fall plant sale
Oct. 15, 2022
by Linda Lees/Victoria County Master Gardener
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
A new canna bloom peeks from foliage at the Victoria Educational Gardens greenhouse.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
A newly opened Hibiscus bloom slowly unfolds.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Swiss Chard will be ready for the plant sale.
If You Go
WHAT: Victoria County Master Gardeners' Plant Sale
WHEN: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 22
WHERE: Victoria Educational Gardens.
The Gardeners’ Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an educational outreach of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Victoria County. Mail your questions in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901; or vcmga@vicad.com, or comment on this column at VictoriaAdvocate.com.
Victoria County Master Gardener Association volunteers have literally poured their sweat into the 2022 VCMGA Fall Plant Sale set for Oct. 22.
The event will be held 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Victoria Educational Gardens, 283 Bachelor Drive, across from Victoria Regional Airport’s control tower. While it will be in late October, planning and work started months earlier during the hottest time of the year.
Care for plants started early
First, care for the plants VCMGA already had in stock topped the check list of priorities. A brigade of volunteers quickly formed; never mind that it was hot as blazes. The daily routine of watering and inspection started.
Then the receiving of new plants and potting began. To a gardener it was almost like being in Santa’s workshop, only VCMGA to my knowledge does not employ elves. However, I wouldn’t count that out. Who knows? We are approaching the Christmas season, and wouldn’t a beautiful, healthy plant make a wonderful gift for that hard to buy for friend?
Even with the rumbling sound of greenhouse fans there has been a distinct hum of activity in the air as the VCMGA workers have shifted gear into labeling and pricing. And, there even has been the occasional happy sound of music.
What won’t be at the fall sale
The fall sale will be a departure from last spring when there were horticulture demonstrations, a general store and a children’s section.
This sale is dedicated mostly to plants. A table promoting the 2023 intern class which will begin in January will be set up. Pavers will be for sale, as well.
Buyers may purchase pavers recognizing or remembering family and friends. They may use the pavers at home or have them installed on a pathway leading to the VEG gazebo.
Pavers may be purchased
Pavers honoring military veterans will be installed in the Military Honor Garden. The military pavers include the inscribed names, rank and branch of the military served. They sell for $25 each. The families and friend pavers sell for $50.
Pavers may also may be purchased year-round by ordering them through the master gardeners’ website, www.vcmga.org.
Plants, plants and more plants
Otherwise, the fall plant sale will be dedicated to plants, plants and more plants.
For the first time VCMGA will offer fall vegetable bedding plants. Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli and other seasonals are now happily growing in flats awaiting the sale. They have been raised from seed sowed weeks ago to get a head start on cooler temperatures.
A formal veggie garden for these is not required. I have been known to sneak in edibles since I have a small backyard. Contrary to what is commonly believed vegetable plants don’t look out of place in a flowerbed, particularly if that bed sits in a sunny spot.
Also, for the first time, VCMGA will have a separate table featuring Texas native plants. Native plants have attracted growing interest among gardeners because they are hardy, usually easy to maintain, and in many cases fascinating to grow.
Two native groundcovers are of particular interest; woolly stemodia and pidgeonberry. Pidgeonberry, a food source for many birds, thrives in the shade.
Wooly Stemodia with its gray-green, fuzzy leaves is popular in containers and raised beds since its runners cascade beautifully.
Succulents will not be ignored. They don’t require a lot of attention and there are so many shapes and sizes. There are graceful, elegant looking hanging baskets and pots from which to pick along with many other plants at the sale.
Enjoy a stroll through VEG
VCMGA is encouraging browsers to take their time strolling through VEG. The fun part of VCMGA sales is people not only buy what they’ve been looking for, they also buy what they’ve never seen before but have to have.
ph: 361-935-1556
nancyk