The annual plant sale by the South Schuylkill Garden Club, which draws hundreds of customers seeking native plants and gardening advice, is coming to Schuylkill Haven.
The event will be held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 16 in Bubeck Park near Stoyer’s Dam on Washington Street.
The club has held the fundraiser for about 40 years, with proceeds going to an annual scholarship for a Schuylkill County high school graduate pursuing a degree that benefits the environment or agriculture, said Kim Morgan, club president.
The remaining proceeds go towards the work the club does all year to maintain nine public gardens in southern Schuylkill, she said.
Customers often line up early for the sale to get the plants they want most, and which sell for as low as $4, she said.
Some come looking to start a garden, while others want to add to their existing landscape, and the club strives to meet their demand for new varieties of perennials and annuals, she said.
There will be a selection of hundreds of plants available, including perennials for sun and shade, native plants, small trees and shrubs, vegetable plants that can go from garden to dinner plate, daylilies, dahlia bulbs, houseplants, herbs, hanging planters, annuals, succulents, ground cover, canna bulbs, and more, the club said.
All were locally grown in Schuylkill County by the club’s two dozen active members, which shows that the plants can thrive in local soil, Morgan said. Irises, field daisies and goldenrod are among those popular with customers, she said.
The plants have not only adapted to the climate and soil conditions in the area, but will provide important nectar, pollen and seeds to native fauna, club members said. Being acclimated to the area, they will also require fewer fertilizers and pesticides, are less thirsty, can prevent erosion, may not require mowing, and promote biodiversity.
The plants may take a year or so to become established and to grow in their new habitat, so when planting, remember to leave room for the plant to grow and propagate, club members said.
Club members and Penn State master gardeners will be on hand to advise customers on which plants would work best in their gardens, taking into consideration where they’ll be planted, how many hours of sun and shade those spots get, whether water pools there, and what the soil is like.
The sale will be held rain or shine.
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