October Plant Sales

October remains the busiest time for planting. The weather is great for planting and its such a relief to work outside after summer.

Any tree, shrub or vine will do well planted now. Concerns for blast of heat are a memory. Most insects that might attack are someplace else. Watering is not as absolutely important than closer to the summer. Even frost sensitive plants have a couple months to get aclimated. And the choices of plants is fantastic.

Nurseries know the seasons and now burgeon with new fresh stocks of all sorts of plants. Its fun to see the array of annual flowering plants and all the fresh new trees, bushes and vines. Nurseries are also a good source of information and a place to mingle with others of the same ilk. Most people go to nurseries due to their love of plants.

Nurseries remain the main source of plants throughout the year but October offers some different opportunitis for plant lovers.

For example, today at our office is the Fall Garden Fair from 9 till 2. Members from the: Herb Assn., Heritage Rose Garden, Rare Fruit Growers, Southwest Gourd Assn., Vegetable Demonstration Gardeners and Gardens for Humanity will all be participating. This is a chance to talk to experts from many sectors of the gardening world. The Fall Garden Fair will offer plants and seeds for sale and tours of our grounds. The office is at 4341 E. Broadway in Phoenix.

Starting next weekend and going til the end of the month is the plant sale at the Boyce-Thompson Arboretum just this side of Superior. The beautiful drive there makes is worth the trip. There you can choose from an assortment of plants including cacti and succulents not found as commonly in nurseries. If you have never been to BTA and toured the grounds its a must.

The Desert Botanical Gardens on Galvin Parkway south of McDowell holds their explosive blow-out sale the weekend of October 23rd. This offers, as does BTA plant selections that compliment what most nuseries offer.

The big difference between the Desert Botanical Gardens and the Boyce- Thompson Arboretum is the duration of the sale. Its only two day for the general public at the Gardens and two weeks at the Arboretum. That two days for the public is exciting to view. People know what they want coming in or ask there about new plants and make choices quickly. Real quickly for fears that some plants might sell out. It is activity at a high level but a most friendly level also.

All these different sale opportunities will be learning experiences coupled with buying. The plants chosen for the sales are adapted to the desert and usually offer some new or unique twist for the plant fancier or landscape.

Even better is the opportunity to be surrounded by so many people who like to be with and talk about plants. Because of the people I will be at all the events. Today at our office; The 23rd and 24th at the desert Botanical Gardens; and at least once over the folowing weekends at the Boyce-Thompson Arboretum.

Get out and take advantage of the great weather, the great plant buying opporetunities and the chance to share and learn with others about plants to make the world a better place to live.

Written by Terry Mikel, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the University of Arizona, 602-470-8086.
Material originally appeared in Arizona Republic
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