Plant Sale in Denver this Weekend!

By Alexis Alvey, Horticulture Agent, CSU Denver Extension

The Denver Master Gardener 9th Annual Spring Plant Sale will take place this weekend, May 17th and 18th!  On Saturday, doors will open early at 8:00am and stay open till 3:00pm.  On Sunday, the sale begins at 10:00am and ends at 3:00pm.   The sale is located in front of the CSU Denver Extension office at 888 E Iliff Ave, Denver 80210, in the northeast corner of Harvard Gulch Park, with the cross-street being Emerson.

The Spring Plant Sale offers a unique variety of heirloom and modern tomatoes, sweet and hot chili peppers, select vegetables and herbs, and annual and perennial flowers.  Denver Master Gardeners have been working hard all spring in the City Greenhouses in Denver City Park, operated by Denver Parks & Recreation, growing almost all of the veggies and herbs available at the plant sale.  It has been a great opportunity and hands-on learning experience for the Master Gardeners.  Working alongside Parks & Rec staff, they began seeding in March and have provided the tender loving care that each plant deserves.  The plants are now super healthy and ready to be taken to your home!  Below is a list of all the varieties being grown by the Master Gardeners.  The remainder of the plants are obtained from Colorado nurseries and helps support the local horticulture industry.

At the Spring Plant Sale, Denver Master Gardeners will help answer any of your gardening questions and will help you choose the best plant varieties for your particular needs.  All proceeds from the sale support the CSU Denver Extension Horticulture Program.


The Spring Plant Sale is a great community event, so make sure to stop by the other booths including Plant-A-Row for the Hungry where you can get free seeds!, the gently-used gardening items for sale booth, the Rosedale-Harvard Gulch Neighborhood Association, and the 4H Kids-Grown booth!  For more information, call 720-913-5270.  The event is rain or shine (or snow!).  Cash only, please.  See you there!

2013 - Out With A Bang!

Alexis Alvey, Horticulture Agent, CSU Denver Extension 

It is the end of the year, that time when the phone is silent, the e-mail box is noticeably empty, and anyone walking into our office is more interested in free Christmas cookies than asking gardening questions.  I am always grateful for this time period when the Horticulture Program can take a much-needed breather before heading full-swing into Master Gardener training in January.  Reflecting on 2013, here are just some of the awesome things that the Denver Master Gardeners and the Denver Horticulture Program have accomplished!

- Nearly 5,000 volunteer hours were donated in 2013 by Master Gardeners to 44 gardening projects throughout Denver!

- Master Gardeners answered nearly 7,000 gardening questions this year!

- 430 pounds of produce were grown in 2013 in our Vegetable Demonstration Garden and donated to the St. Francis Homeless Shelter.

- The most successful Denver Master Gardener Plant Sale ever!  Our two-day sale sold-out!

- A new Native Plant Garden & CO State Children's Home Memorial was installed in front of the Denver Extension office.

- First Native Plant Master class hosted by CSU Denver Extension.

- Master Gardeners taught hands-on gardening sessions at the Colorado Governor's Mansion to young adults who are recovering from substance abuse.  There were five "graduates" of the program and eight total participants.

And also of note: 

- CSU Denver Extension provided help with the Emerald Ash Borer delimitation survey in Boulder.

- 14 new Master Gardeners joined our team of 122 active Master Gardeners here in Denver.

- First statewide webinar partnering with the CSU Alumni Association, and

- New Master Gardener volunteer project at the Haven in Fort Logan which led gardening workshop for women there recovering from substance abuse.

Thanks to all who have helped make this such a wonderful year!  We are looking forward to a fantastic 2014!!  Happy holidays!