By The Plant Sale Committee

Spring is finally here, and so is the Durham Master Gardener plant sale! Online ordering will be April 6-13, with scheduled curbside pickup at the Cooperative Extension at 721 Foster Street in Durham April 17 and 18.

You can check out our huge selection of perennials, trees and shrubs, veggies and herbs, and colorful annuals now at BackyardTreasuresPlantSale.org.

The sale opens to the general public at 9am on Wednesday, April 7. A presale is available to Durham County Master Gardener Volunteers starting at 9am on Tuesday, April 6. Following your purchase, you will be able to schedule a pickup time for April 17 or 18. Someone must be available to pick up plants on one of those two days.  Some of the unsold plants will available for purchase, many at discounted prices, during the pickup weekend. Stay tuned for more details on the live sale.

Our mission is to help you find and care for the right plants for your needs, at a good price. Our plants are sourced or grown by Master Gardener Volunteers and friends, and we do our best to correctly identify varieties and colors. If you have any questions about choosing or caring for your plants, or are not completely satisfied with your purchase, we want to hear from you!

Please direct questions to durhammgplantsale@gmail.com.

Please share with all your local gardening friends!

The Plant Sale is held by the Durham County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Association to raise funds for the Durham Extension Master Gardener Volunteer (EMGV) program while providing educational opportunities to both the public and EMGVs, and volunteer opportunities for EMGVs.

  With spring finally starting, now is a great time to plan for the coming year and get all of your burning garden questions answered! Whether you have just a few questions, or this is the year you’re ready to become an Extension Master Gardener and help answer others’ questions, there are plenty of ways to get connected.

Ask a Master Gardener!

  Even though the Extension office at 721 Foster St remains closed to most visitors, Extension Master Gardeners continue to answer questions left as either phone message or emails. Reach out to us at (919) 560 – 0528, or send pictures and questions to durhammastergardener@gmail.com. Extension Master Gardeners will provide information based on NC State University horticultural research, and best practices that take an integrated pest management approach, including cultural, mechanical, biological, and chemical methods.

Soil Testing

  Looking for soil sample supplies? Our newly installed soil supply cabinet on the north side of the Extension building has everything you need to test your soil, and starting in April you can even leave samples on the bottom shelf. Samples will be delivered to the soil lab in Raleigh every one to two weeks, free of charge, until early November.

To learn more about soil testing, click here: https://durham.ces.ncsu.edu/2020/05/nows-the-perfect-time-to-test-your-soil/

Learn More About Becoming a Master Gardener

If you are looking for a way to up your gardening game and give back to the community, now’s the time to register for an information session to learn how to become an Extension Master Gardener. The Durham County Extension Master Gardener℠ volunteer program conducts a 15-week training program once every two years. The next program will be conducted August-December 2021. Classes are held once a week, on Thursdays, from 9:00-12:30. 

All applicants are required to attend an information session prior to submitting an application. Information sessions are scheduled for April 20, 2-3pm; April 22, 10-11am; April 28, 6-7pm; April 30, 3-4pm; May 4, 10-11am; and May 6, 6-7pm. Both the information sessions and the training classes will be held at the Durham County Extension Office, 721 Foster Street, Durham, or online as necessary. Register by calling 919-560-0521 or emailing pana_jones@ncsu.edu or durhammastergardener@gmail.com.

Additional program information can be found by clicking here: https://durhammastergardeners.com/become-a-master-gardener/