More than 500 varieties of plants will be on sale and free lectures are planned Oct. 22 and 23 at the 29th annual Friends of the U.C. Riverside Botanic Garden fall plant sale.
The plant sale, the largest in the Inland area, runs from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the UC Riverside Botanic Garden. There is also a special preview sale from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday for members of Friends of the U.C. Riverside Botanic Garden.
The sale is held in the fall because it’s the perfect time to plant. Plants established in the fall and winter will grow faster in the spring and require less water when summer arrives.
A mix of rare and common trees, shrubs, vines, herbaceous plants, shade plants, water plants, house and patio plants, cacti and succulents will be available. There will be plants that attract hummingbirds or butterflies as well as drought-tolerant and California native plants.
A full list of the plants for sale can be viewed at: http://gardens.ucr.edu/events/fallsale.html. At the sale, each plant will have a detailed information sign that includes, among other things, a color photo, the expected height of the plant, water and sun/shade needs, flowering season and flower color.
In addition, volunteers with the UC Cooperative Extension Riverside County, Master Gardener Program will be selling more than 40 varieties of cool-season vegetable plants and herbs, many of them unusual heirloom varieties. The vegetables include lettuce, beets, leeks, arugula, kale and chard. Master gardeners will also be at the vegetable table to answer questions.
Master gardeners and other gardening experts will also be teaching the following classes, which are all free:
• Saturday at 10 a.m., Climate Appropriate Plants and Care Workshop
• Saturday at 1 p.m., Fruits of Fall, Pomegranates, Persimmons and Jujubes
• Saturday at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., Kids Corner: Create a Bonsai Planter to Take Home
• Sunday at 1 p.m. Micro-irrigation Show and Tell