Every spring, the students and staff at the Mendocino College Horticulture Department offer the most comprehensive plant sale in the region, and this year is no exception.
Jake Kyle, Agricultural Technician at the college notes that the Spring Plant Sale, slated for April 25th and 26thincludes more annual flowers in a new greenhouse full of spring plants and succulents. As usual, more veggies and herb starts have been cultivated to accommodate both Friday and Saturday shoppers. “We want to make sure everyone gets their zucchini and lemon cucumbers,” smiles Kyle.
Over 150 varieties of vegetables will be on sale, including artichokes, chives, cucumber, eggplant, gourds, lettuces, melons, mustard, okra, peppers, pumpkins, spinach, squash, tomatoes and tomatillo. Twenty-eight varieties of tomatoes will be available- everything from the classics- Supersweet 100 and Ace 55 to the more exotic Japanese Black Trifele and Green Zebra. Similarly, over 30 varieties of peppers will be on hand- from the gentle California Wonder Sweet Pepper to the fiery habanero, Thai Hot, Cayenne and Carolina Reaper peppers.
Mendocino College employee George Hodgson shows Hallie Holmes, a new employee the finer points of plant identification in the greenhouse where vegetables are being propagated for the plant sale. (Photo by Carole Brodsky)The herb offerings include anise, borage, fennel, calendula, cilantro, dill, Greek oregano, parsley, Stevia, summer savory, tarragon and thyme.
“We continue to grow all of the edible plants using only organic soil and the college’s compost tea recipe,” notes Kyle.
Because the demand has been so high, the college has increased the number of annual flowers and succulents for this year’s sale. Offerings include garden favorites like marigolds, nasturtiums, salvias, snapdragons, sunflowers and zinnias, with the varieties of cacti and agave offerings continuing to expand. The college has been very successful propagating several species of yucca, agave, red hot poker, snake plant, and many other varieties- all suitable for our changing garden climates.
“Remember with the succulents to plant them in a mound, slightly elevated from the ground. They will be most successful if they have good drainage,” says Kyle, adding that his general planting formula utilizes a 50/50 mix of soil and compost, using a hole dug at least two times the size of the container.
The college has worked hard to develop a solid list of over 80 California Native plants that are all suited to the local climate. Everything from large trees like the California Buckeye to the beautiful Mock Orange will be available.
The largest number of plants at the sale are the perennials, with about 175 plant varieties available. Lots of flowering plants are on the list, including butterfly bush, lavenders, salvias, bee balm, columbine, and more.
“We’re also offering a variety of house plants for the first time that were cultivated by our Horticultural Club, with proceeds from those sales going to support the club,” says Kyle. Some of the houseplants include Peperomia, philodendron “Shangdu,” Trailing Jade and Pink Rubber Plant.
The Ag Department is self-supporting, and the money raised from the plant sale pays for everything from building repairs to the purchase of the seeds and soil for the plant sale.
The students grew significant numbers of butterfly-attracting milkweed plants this year. They are a Midwest native with a yellow flower, unique because they allow Monarch butterflies to complete their entire life cycle on the plant.
“We absolutely could not put this sale together without our student workers,” says Kyle. The department employs several students each semester. “They receive training in everything involved with gardening and landscaping including irrigation, seeding, pruning, propagation and maintenance,” he continues. In addition, students from South Valley High School are performing internships at the college.
Pablo Vizcaino is a senior at South Valley. This is his second semester as an intern at the college. “I’m taking landscape maintenance and hoping to work for a landscape company,” says Vizcaino. “This has been a really good experience for me to learn pruning and cutting techniques and to gain more experience. Last year we laid out rock with a compactor and built a water fountain. I’m hoping to take another class here next semester and then go to work,” he smiles.
“We hope Pablo sticks around,” smiles Kyle.
Shandy Lane is in her second semester at the college. The South Valley Junior is taking Plant Identification. “I’m hoping to get into biochemistry. I’d like to work on finding different ways to create more recyclable products,” she notes, adding that she loves working outdoors. “It’s hard to be upset or angry when you’re outdoors, working with living things.”
Some of the proceeds from this year’s sales will go to completing the refurbishment of the kiwi arbor in the horticultural gardens- a lovely place to browse while shopping at the sale. Along with planting 33,000 plugs of grasses and other ornamental grasses on a college emergency access road, working on projects like the arbor give students real-world experience working in a landscape environment. Derrick Romine, a third-year student has a solid construction background, so faculty was able to let him take the lead on the project. “It’s going to be our little Taj Mahal,” smiles Kyle. “The project has been a lot a fun and something I could imagine myself doing again in the future,” says Romine.
Staff will be on hand to answer questions and to help transport plants to vehicles. Parking is limited, as are wagons to haul purchases back to the car. Shoppers who bring a wagon are encouraged to label it prominently. Lots of college clubs and local plant organizations will be on hand for the festivities.
The sale runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. “Please remember, the sale accepts cash or checks only,” Kyle concludes. For more information visit www.mendocino.edu/events/spring-plant-sale-4 or phone (707) 468-3148.
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