Every year the Gloucester Extension Master Gardeners hold a big plant sale, usually during the second weekend of September. This year, our Plant Extravaganza will occur on Friday, September 8 and Saturday, September 9. We will feature a large selection of perennials, native and introduced (but not invasive), shrubs, small ornamental trees, house plants, herbs, and gently used gardening tools, books, and other items, all sold at reasonable prices. Our earnings allow us to present two $1,000 scholarships annually to Gloucester High School seniors and $500 for five $100 4-H scholarships.

Recently, someone asked me, “Why do you hold the Plant Extravaganza in the fall? The answer is really twofold. First, fall is a good time for our plant sale because most sales in our region occur in the spring, which means we have less competition. The more important reason, though, is that perennial flowers, shrubs, and trees planted in the fall have a better chance of sending down strong roots durin...