When the first warm days of Spring arrive, our thoughts turn to our gardens, soon to be full of fresh vegetables, especially juicy, flavorful tomatoes. Thankfully, residents of our area can go to the 11th Annual Master Gardener Sponsored Tomato-Rama Plant Sale at Pony Village Mall on Saturday, May 17 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday, May 18 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to stock up. The selection of tomato plants – Cherry, Patio, Standard, Heirloom – is amazing. Thousands of well-grown tomato plants are only $2.00 with heirloom varieties $2.00 to $3.00. Shoppers will also find many of the most popular vegetable plants, strawberries, raspberries, perennials, annuals, herbs, ferns, native plants, groundcovers, and much, much more. All the plants are locally grown by Master Gardeners. Unlike Master Gardener plant sales throughout the state that generally purchase the plants they sell, our Master Gardeners have been spending months growing plants to sell that will do better in local gardens than plants raised elsewhere. The Tomato-Rama Plant Sale is the primary fundraiser for the OSU Extension Master Gardener program and enables us to fund scholarships for horticultural and agriculture students on their way to or in college, school garden grants for local elementary schools, and sponsorships for both the Oregon Master Gardeners Association Mini-College and the Master Gardener Training Course. Master Gardeners in blue t-shirts, hats and MG badges will be available to help customers find the plants they want and to answer questions on varieties available and plant care. A Plant Clinic table will also be available to answer gardening questions from the public. If you are bringing your kids to the mall, there will be a special event for the kids – a Hat-Making Table. So come join Coos County Master Gardeners at Pony Village Mall on Saturday, May 17 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday, May 18 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to get the plants you need for a bountiful and successful garden this year. (Checks and cash only, please. We can’t accept credit or debit cards. Sorry!) See you there!
