The Second Chance fall plant sale is today.

Tuesday, the weather was not really great for wandering through rows of

trees, shrubs, perennials and house plants thinking about where to plant

them. The weather is supposed to be perfect today, so come by and

browse.

Think about where you need new plants, this is the best time to plant

trees, shrubs and perennials. Planting in fall allows the plants to

establish themselves in the cool fall temperatures, to rest through

winter and be prepared to support new growth and flower in the spring.

Yellow stemmed dogwood and red twig dogwood are available, as are other

trees, including oaks, persimmons and birch. There is a great selection

of camellias, butterfly bushes, green leaf daphne, gardenia and azaleas.

Prices are at their lowest level this year, so we can make room for the

new plants in the greenhouse. There will be a special selection of

plants available for you to select from when you make a purchase of $10

or more. All of the funds collected from the sale will be used to

purchase unique plants for the various pocket garden demonstration and

display areas on the Extension Office campus on Old Concord Road.

Hours for the sale are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Extension Office 2727

Old Concord Road, Salisbury. Master Gardeners will be on hand to help

you select plants, answer questions and suggest resources for care,

feeding and enjoying your plants. There will also be a selection of

BioMarkers to mark your plants in beds for sale at 18 for $25 or $1.50

each. These plant markers are made from recycled products and will

withstand long periods outside. If you plant perennials which go dormant

during winter, these plant tags work well to help you remember what

plants are in your garden, so that you do not destroy them during spring

weeding. There are also Cobrahead weeders and Atlas gloves for sale.

Both of these make excellent holiday gifts.

Master Gardeners will also be on hand to tell you about the sensory

garden and the children's vegetable gardens which are being prepared for

fall plantings and preparation for spring planting using a variety of

techniques.

Sue Davis is an Extension Master Gardener Volunteer with Cooperative

Extension in Rowan County.