After a long, cold winter, gardeners are ready to head for nurseries and garden centers at the first sign of springtime. We all want to get outside and start digging and planting, but the fact is that many perennials, shrubs, and trees have a better chance of survival if they are planted in the fall, which is why Gloucester Extension Master Gardeners hold our Plant Extravaganza every September. This past Friday and Saturday, we offered a bounty of native and non-native plants at reasonable prices, and we want to thank you for coming out in the miserable, sticky heat to support us. The Plant Extravaganza proceeds go to scholarships for two deserving Gloucester High School students and five scholarships for young people to attend 4-H Camp.

Fall is an ideal planting time for several good reasons. The hot, humid summer weather gives way to milder temperatures with lower humidity and many annoying insects either move on or decrease in number. Mosquitos haven’t been too numerous in our g...