Annual master gardener plant sale on tap Saturday

Master gardener Bill Mosley, left, hands a pack of pepper plants to fellow master gardener Mike Stelzleni Tuesday morning during the organization's preparation for its annual plant sale. The sale will run from 7 a.m. until noon on Saturday at the Jefferson City Jaycees' Fairgrounds.
Master gardener Bill Mosley, left, hands a pack of pepper plants to fellow master gardener Mike Stelzleni Tuesday morning during the organization's preparation for its annual plant sale. The sale will run from 7 a.m. until noon on Saturday at the Jefferson City Jaycees' Fairgrounds.

While Central Missouri Master Gardeners help customers with tips and descriptions of their thousands of plants, Nichols Career Center FFA members will be helping with the heavy work.

The 16th annual Plant Sale, the organization's only fundraiser, will be 7 a.m.-noon Saturday at the Jefferson City Jaycees Cole County Fairgrounds.

Mikayla Morris, Nichols FFA treasurer, volunteered at the 2013 plant sale and this year is recruiting other FFA members to help.

"It was fun to meet people in the community and help out," Morris said. "I like agriculture-related things; I like to get my hands dirty to find out what I might like to do."

Up to 20 youth are expected to help the master gardeners Saturday. In addition to heavy lifting, assisting with carts and carrying plants to cars, the FFA members also will have opportunity to spread awareness about their chapter.

The local master gardeners will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the demonstration gardens this year, too.

As always, proceeds from this one sale support the organization's community projects for the year.

The group, based through the Cole County Extension Center, has several new gardens and special events planned for this year.

They are preparing to add a conifer garden and a memorial garden this spring in North Jefferson City.

In October, free gardening classes will be offered each weekend, as well as a charity event in the gardens to benefit the Jefferson City Parks and Recreation Foundation.

And they will host a fall festival Oct. 25, including live entertainment, information booths, pony rides and pumpkins.

The annual plant sale again will feature more than 2,700 tomato plants of about 30 varieties and have increased their hanging basket numbers.

Also new this year will be orchids, garden art, containers and a tomato bucket system.

The traditional fare of annuals, perennials, vegetables and natives grown in the master gardeners' greenhouse or cultivated from their respective gardens will be available.

Customers who bring a one-gallon container with a lid may fill with free liquid fertilizer, while supplies last.

And discount coupons to area businesses will include: Longfellow's Garden Center (Centertown), Gardens To Go, Green Horizons Garden Center, Lowe's Garden Center, Amie B & the Orchid Emporium, Missouri Wildflower Nursery, Menard's Garden Center, both Jefferson City Wal-Mart Garden Centers, Vintage Hill Nursery (Boonville), Piotter's Nursery (Columbia), Helmi's Garden (Columbia) and Superior Garden Center (Columbia).