Get Planting

The 21st annual plant sale by the Door County Master Gardeners Association will be from 9 am to noon on May 30, at the UW Peninsular Agricultural Research Station, 4312 Hwy. 42, a quarter mile north of the 42/57 split. In the early years, members donated perennial plants to the sale. Later they began propagating seeds to grow plants for the annual event. In 2000, they started buying perennials to sell. The May 30 sale will include annuals, perennials, herbs, vegetables, native wildflowers and miniature plants and décor for fairy gardens.

Picture frames that can be planted will also be for sale. Master Gardener Chriss Daubner describes these as boxes built behind picture frames and covered with wire. They can be planted with succulents or other small plants, then hung or displayed on an easel. Hypertufa containers will also be available. Composed of Portland cement, peat moss and vermiculite or perlite, hypertufa is lighter than traditional concrete.

Daubner said the price of annuals averages about $2. Tomato plants are also $2. Perennials range up to $12, with an average price of about $8. Proceeds from the plant sale allow the Master Gardeners to offer nine or 10 seminars throughout the year that are open to the public at no cost. Money from the sale also supports the Garden Door, the Master Gardeners’ gardens at the research station that are open to the public daily from dawn to dusk. Everyone who visits the Garden Door during the plant sale will receive a free plant.

On July 11, the organization’s annual open house at the research station will include wagon tours of the gardens and mini-seminars on such topics as crafts, cooking, pressing flowers and building container gardens.

The Taste of the Garden Door and Pesto Festo at the research station on Sept. 12 always draws a crowd of about 500 to enjoy the pesto competition and sample a variety of delicious treats made from herbs, fruits and vegetables people can grow in their own home gardens.

For more information on the plant sale, call Daubner at 920.856.6172. For more information about other Master Gardeners’ activities, see dcmga.org.