March 20, 2020
Master Gardeners find digital landscape for spring plant sales
By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Fast facts
- Hot Spring County Master Gardeners to host online plant sale
- Virtual sale runs March 23-April 20 on Hot Spring County MG Facebook site
- 20-50 plants posted daily
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MALVERN, Ark. — The Hot Spring County Master Gardeners have a new venue for their annual Blooms and Bounty plant sale. They’re going online.
Club members have worked more than 250 hours preparing for the plant sale, originally scheduled for April 4 at the Hot Spring County Fairgrounds. To help reduce the spread of COVID19, they will sell plants online March 23-April 20 through their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/HSCMasterGardeners/.
Some Master Gardener clubs across Arkansas have canceled or rescheduled their spring plant sales while a few are considering virtual sales, said Berni Kurz, extension educator for consumer horticulture for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. Many clubs use proceeds from their plant sales to fund local projects.
The Hot Spring County Master Gardeners are hoping area gardeners will be just as enthusiastic about their virtual sale.
“This virtual plant sale is a great opportunity to stock your garden and yard with healthy plants and flowers while avoiding crowds,” said Rachel Bearden, Hot Spring County extension staff chair for the Division of Agriculture. “Our main goals are to not waste these plants that have been grown for the sale and to raise funds to at least partially fund our scholarships.”
Proceeds from last year’s sale are funding two $1,000 scholarships this year, she said.
More than 50 beautiful hanging baskets are up for grabs along with assorted annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, ground covers, flowering shrubs, rhizomes and bulbs, butterfly garden favorites and house plants.
Here’s how it works: Each day at 10 a.m. the Master Gardeners will post photos of the Plants of the Day with the price on the Hot Spring County Master Gardeners Facebook site. Between 20 and 50 plants will be available each weekday. The first person to comment “Sold” will be the new owner.
Buyers will arrange a time with Bearden for curbside pick-up at the Hot Spring Extension Office at 1415 Smith St. in Malvern. Payment will be made at pick-up with a check or cash for the exact amount. Master Gardeners will be taking shifts manning the plant pick-up.
For more information about the sale, contact the Hot Spring County Extension Office at 501-332-5267 or email rlbearden@uada.edu.
For information about Master Gardeners in your community, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter at @UAEX_edu.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
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Media contact:
Tracy Courage
Director, Communications Services
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2126
tcourage@uada.edu