By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture
LITTLE ROCK — Master Gardener plant sales are happening all around the state, offering home gardeners a wide assortment of annuals, perennials, pollinators, herbs, vegetables and more. A word of advice though: Arrive early.
PLANTS GALORE — Master Gardeners are hosting plants sales across Arkansas. UADA photo
At a recent sale at the Pulaski County Master Gardeners greenhouse in Little Rock, customers lined up well before the 8 a.m. start time for the two-day sale. Within an hour, hot items like the yellow lantana had been scooped up, and by the end of the first day, most of the annuals and heirloom tomato plants were sold out.
“It was probably the best showing we’ve had on the first day, and it helped that the weather cooperated,” said Pulaski County Master Gardener Jessica Rogers, who co-chaired the plant sale. “We saw a lot of experienced gardeners coming for something specific. We grow a lot of natives from cuttings, and we had some unique native perennial plants.”
More than 30 Master Gardener plant sales are happening around the state. The sales started in April and will continue through the first week of June. Find a sale at www.uaex.uada.edu/plant-sales.
Novice and experienced gardeners benefit from the sales by getting healthy plants at prices often below those at gardening centers. As an added perk, buyers can talk to Master Gardeners on site to get their knowledgeable recommendations for plant selection and care.
Proceeds from the plant sales, in turn, benefit the communities in which they are held.
“The Master Gardener plant sales are the primary source of revenue for our Master Gardener groups,” said Randy Forst, extension consumer horticulture educator and Master Gardener coordinator for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “They fund beautification projects, education outreach and scholarships for students pursuing plant-related studies.”
Upcoming plant sales include:
April 27: Craighead County, 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Judd Hill Farmers Market, 3360 Aggie Rd., Jonesboro
April 27: Cleburne County, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., 725 S. 4th St., Heber Springs
April 27: Drew County, 8-11 a.m., Monticello Coffee Co., 316 Highway 425 South, Monticello
April 27: Independence County, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville
April 27: Polk County, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Polk County Fairgrounds, 603 De Queen St., Mena
April 27: Baxter County 9-10:30 a.m., Baxter County Fairgrounds Livestock Barn, Mountain Home
April 27: Montgomery County, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Montgomery County Fairgrounds, Mount Ida
April 27: Arkansas County, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Arkansas County Fairgrounds, DeWitt
May 4: Pope County, 8 a.m.-Noon, Fairgrounds, 500 S. Knoxville, Russellville
May 4: Union County, 8 a.m.-3 p.m., Historic Newton House Museum, 510 N. Jackson St., El Dorado.
May 4: Madison County, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Watson Primary School parking lot, 314 N Gaskill St., Huntsville
May 4: Prairie County, 9-11 a.m., Hazen Community Center
May 4: Stone County, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Extension Homemakers Club (EHC) building at Stone County Fairgrounds, 216 Warren St, Mountain View
May 10-11: Crittenden County, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., 12401 Hwy 70 W, Proctor
May 11: Faulkner County, 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Conway Expo Center. 2505 E. Oak. St, Conway
May 11: Greene County, 8 a.m.-12 p.m., Paragould Farmers Market Community Pavilion
May 11: Van Buren County, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Van Buren County Fairgrounds, 1827 Arkansas 16 East, Clinton
May 11: Madison County, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Kingston Square
May 11: Logan County, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Union Bank Community Center, Paris
May 17-18: Benton County Plant Sale & Expo, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday and 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, First United Methodist Church, Bentonville.
June 8: Boone County, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Downtown Square, Harrison
The Master Gardener program started with 40 members in four counties — Garland, Jefferson, Pulaski and Saline. Today, more than 3,200 members volunteer in 67 of the state’s counties.
To learn about Arkansas Master Gardeners, visit or www.uaex.uada.edu/Master-Gardeners or contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension.