Erath County Master Gardeners hosting plant sale this weekend; event to include 1,500 plants, info and activity for kids.

By SARA VANDEN BERGE

Erath County Master Gardeners is hosting its annual spring plant sale from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. on Saturday, April 26, at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center in Stephenville.

There will be more than 1,500 plants for sale, including several varieties of native and adapted plants that thrive in Erath County.

“This is our major fundraiser for the year,” club member Sheila Mangione told Beneath the Surface News.

“We will use the proceeds to develop the ECMG property behind the AgriLife Research Center. Development includes the installation of infrastructure to support a greenhouse, garden sheds, composting areas, an educational pavilion and demonstration and memorial gardens.”

Saturday’s event will also include information on pollinator gardens and creating a designated monarch waystation.

“Our goal is to encourage residents to plant gardens that help increase Monarch butterfly habitat, which in turn helps increase the butterfly populations,” Sheila said.

“In doing so, our community can support the many pollinators that play a vital role in home gardening as well as commercial agriculture.

“We will also have a fun gardening activity for kids.”