Master Gardeners enjoy another successful plant sale

[May 18, 2022]    The Logan County Master Gardener Plant Sale was held on Saturday, May 14th at the Logan County Fairground, with a large turnout enjoying the opportunity to purchase locally grown plants at what most would consider bargain basement prices.

The plant sale is the largest fundraiser to benefit the Master Gardener programs in Logan County.

The sale features perennial and annual plants and includes plants to provide greenery or floral opportunities, native grasses and pollinator plants and a selection of potted plants and vegetable plants.

The plants are all grown by Master Gardeners in Logan County, and the sale is manned by those same people.

On Saturday morning, the sale began at 8 a.m. in the south exhibition barn at the fairgrounds. Right from the start, the turnout of shoppers was large. Shoppers came in to look around for something special, or some had a specific list of items they wanted to buy.

Around the barn, Master Gardeners provided information about specific plants, helped shoppers navigate their way to the cashier room, provided boxes for those with numerous purchases, and a holding place with the boxes became too heavy or cumbersome for shoppers to keep going.

In the cashier room, paying for plants is a two-step process. The first checkout station is where plants are checked and tags identified by color to determine the price. The customer then receives a separate piece of paper with their total purchase price written on it. That paper is then handed to the cashier who collects the payment.

Throughout the line, volunteers will answer questions and offer advice on the best way and place to plant the items being purchased.

There were also volunteers who would help get purchases to customers’ vehicles if needed.

The Master gardeners also offered garden gloves at a very good price and with profits going to the Master Gardener program.

The Master Gardener program is a component of the University of Illinois Extension. Tri-county Extension of Sangamon, Menard, and Logan Counties Horticulture educator Jennifer Fishburn was also on hand to help out as needed.

To learn more about the Master Gardener Program visit https://extension.illinois.edu/l
ms/master-gardeners. 

[Nila Smith]