Spring Plant Sale in Gonzales

It's always fun when the Gonzales Master Gardeners take over Texas Heroes Square for its annual spring plant sale. This year, the event will be from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 5 - or until sold out (whichever comes first) - at the corner of St. Louis and St. Joseph streets on the town square in Gonzales. The Master Gardeners always have a variety of plants at the sale, and this year will be no different. "We plan to have some interesting plants this year," plant sale chairwoman Fran Saliger told the Victoria Advocate. "Included are cestrum, willow tree vine, pigeonberry and several kinds of cacti. With no break in the drought in sight, we are emphasizing water wise plantings." The Gonzales Master Gardeners use this opportunity to answer local gardeners' questions about horticulture and help them find some well-adapted plants that will do well in this area.

Widely touted as the "best tomato plants in town," the sale will have a variety of vegetables including peppers, squash, eggplant and more. "We grow our own vegetables," Jim Johnson, vegetable grow team leader said. "That way we know our public is getting plants that are acclimated to this area and will perform well for them. We will have everything you need for your spring garden, and we are happy to talk to you about your questions and challenges," he said.

The sale will also offer herbs including a wide variety of mint and Provence lavender, which is one of the few lavenders that do well in this area

The event raises funds to support the Gonzales Master Gardeners' programs, which reached more than 980 local school children and offered free public adult education programs on a variety of topics this year. "Our goal is to reach as many children as we can," Gail Johnson, this year's president said.