Propagation for Plant Sale

Some of the Propagation Team in action.  They met every Friday in March to propagate many of the most popular plants from the Extension Demonstration Gardens for sale at the annual plant sale

The Leon County Master Gardeners have been busy preparing for the annual plant sale and open house coming up on May 13, 2023.  

One plant that always sells out is Roselle. Roselle, a hibiscus, is a semi-tropical substitute for cranberries, but with more usefulness, and many think more pleasant taste. Grown here as an annual, just search this blog for Roselle to see some of our previous posts about it, including recipes. 

Roselle and Yacon seedlings ready for sale.  The Yacon, bottom right, grew so fast it had to be potted up. 

Peggy McDonald, our Roselle propagator, has branched out this year and is propagating  many Yacon seedlings for the plant sale. Yacon is a member of the sunflower family which we have grown successfully as a perennial in the VegHeadz food forest.  Its tubers are delicious and usually eaten raw. They have been compared to apples or pears. The leaves are very nutritious also and an excellent source of protein.  A relatively small, attractive plant, Yacon is suitable for growing in home landscapes and gardens.  You’ll want to get some at the plant sale.  More about Yacon here and still more here: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1435

The plant sale is coming up in less than a month   While you’re there, don’t miss a tour of the orchard and the VegHeadz garden and food forest where you can see Yacon and other unusual perennial plants growing and talk to our gardeners. 

Pineapple Guava blooming in the Extension orchard.  See a list of the fruit trees in the orchard under Resources in the left sidebar.