Carol O’Meara – Colorado State University Extension
BOULDER COUNTY – “I could give up buying plants, but I’m not a quitter,” was the meme that caught my eye on Facebook the other day, posted on the page Two Women and a Hoe. It describes spring for a gardener perfectly. While we could use self-control at this time of year, we choose not to.
Why should we when so many plant sales about, each one supporting good causes in the community while supplying us with the flowers and foliage we crave. Take a look at area sales and the groups they support.
The Loveland chapter of P.E.O., a philanthropic educational organization, provides scholarships and aid to help women continue their education. For 25 years, they’ve raised funds via a flower sale and this year’s is set to be a celebration in bloom: Hanging baskets, flowering pots, window boxes, and individual plants are available. The P.E.O. flower sale is by pre-order only, so if you’d like to support them, act now, by contacting Mary Ella Peterson at 970.667.6201or by e-mail at [email protected]. All orders must be received by Friday, April 28. Plants will be available for pickup on Wednesday, May 10.
Students at the Career Development Center, 1200 S. Sunset Avenue in Longmont, are selling annuals, hanging baskets, and vegetable seedling from May 2 through 27, or until sold out. All proceeds benefit their program; hours are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.
Boulder Valley School District is also holding a plant sale, benefitting the School Food Project, May 12, 12 noon to 6 p.m. and May 13, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Arapahoe Ridge High School Greenhouse, 6600 Arapahoe Rd., Boulder. Check out their selection of flowers, tomatoes, peppers, basil, parsley, eggplant, melon, lettuce, kale, and cucumber.
Boulder Garden Club plant sale is Saturday, May 13, 9 a.m. to noon at the Unitarian Universalist Church 5001 Pennsylvania Ave., in Boulder. Look for garden gems from members of the oldest garden club in Colorado as well as the Boulder Orchid Society. For more information, visit bouldergardenclub.org.
Growing Gardens extends the plant sale season over several weekends, holding it on May 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, and 21, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Growing Gardens Greenhouse, 1630 Hawthorn Avenue in Boulder. They offer organic heirloom tomatoes, organic vegetable starts, organic herbs, blooming annual flowers, perennial flowers, native plants, water-wise plants, blackberries, rhubarb, strawberries, raspberries, grapes, vines, roses, and ornamental grasses. Look for their Community Plant Sale in Longmont, May 13, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Lucky’s Market, 700 Ken Pratt Blvd.
Don’t miss the Loveland Garden Club plant, antique and artisan sale, Saturday, May 13, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the All Saints Episcopal Church, 3448 N Taft, in Loveland. Sway to the live music while perusing annuals, perennials, shrubs, vegetables, and herbs. There will be Colorado Master Gardeners on site for guidance and questions.
Boulder Culinary Gardeners will hold their plant sale on Saturday, May 13, 988 75th St. in Boulder, between Arapahoe and Baseline. You’ll find organically grown vegetables, herbs, flowers, ornamental and fruiting shrubs, pottery, soil amendments, compost tea, red and gold raspberries, annual and perennial flowers.
Colorado State University Extension is hosting a Vegetable Troubleshooting Workshop, Friday and Saturday, May 12 and 13, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Best Western Plus Plaza Convention Center, 1900 Ken Pratt Blvd., in Longmont. The two-day workshop is designed to cover all of the thugs, bugs, and disorderly conduct that can occur in the vegetable patch. Cost for the two days is $75; register online at https://2017-vegetable-garden-troubleshooting.eventbrite.com.
Colorado State University Extension, together with Boulder County Parks and Open Space, provides unbiased, research-based information about consumer and family issues, horticulture, natural resources, agriculture and 4-H youth development. For more information contact Extension at the Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Rd., Box B, Longmont, 303.678.6238, e-mail [email protected] or visit ext.colostate.edu/boulder.
