Community United Methodist Church of Columbia Heights will hold their annual plant sale May 7, from 9 am-5 pm, and May 8, from 9 am-1 pm. Patio containers, hanging baskets of several varieties and colors, also annuals and bedding plants, will all available to browse through and to purchase on-site or pre-order. For questions and to pre-order, call 763-202-0796 no later than April 25. A list of items and an order form is on the church website, communitymethodistchurch.org.
Plants
Blue Thumb Workshops: Resilient Yards, Bee Lawns, Planting for Pollinators
Today more and more lawns include low-growing flowers like Dutch white clover, self-heal and violets. Often called “bee lawns,” they provide food for pollinators and generally don’t need the same care to stay healthy as more traditional lawns. Bee Lawns, Resilient Yards and Planting for Pollinators are the topics in this year’s Blue Thumb DIY workshops, where people can get ideas for strengthening their yard while protecting the environment.
The workshops are geared toward helping people create resilience in their yard so they can better “weather” severe heat and heavy downpours. Choosing plants wisely and knowing where to put them can provide shade and help cool a yard. Raingardens and other plantings soak in rainwater that would otherwise flow into storm sewers that empty polluted water into our lakes and streams. A resilient yard is also full of life; planted with well-chosen native plants, it provides important habitat for pollinators and other wildlife.
Blue Thumb offers three different workshops for 2021. Resilient Yards covers raingardens, alternatives to turf lawns, trees, native plantings and more. Bee Lawns is a “how-to” on converting a traditional lawn into a flowering bee lawn. Planting for Pollinators offers planting practices that benefit pollinators and the environment, with insights on pollinators in Minnesota.
Staff from Metro Blooms, Blue Thumb’s parent organization, lead the workshops, which start in March. Each workshop costs $15 unless otherwise noted. Scholarships are available on request. More information and registration details can be found at https://bluethumb.org/events/ or by leaving a message at 651-699-2426. Presentations will be recorded for registrants who are not able to attend.
Blue Thumb, Planting for Clean Water, a network of public and private partners working toward planting for clean water and pollinators, is coordinated by Metro Blooms, a nonprofit committed to resilient communities through the promotion, design, installation, and care of sustainable landscapes. Workshops are supported by: the cities of Minneapolis, Plymouth, St. Louis Park, Minnetonka, Rochester, Mendota Heights, Champlin, Golden Valley; Hennepin County Master Gardeners; Minnesota Water Stewards; Rice Creek Watershed District; and the Washington County Conservation District. Info: www.bluethumb.org,
www.metroblooms.org.
HeightsNEXT Plant Exchange
5th Annual Fall Plant Exchange, Saturday, Sept. 26, 11 am, Kordiak Park parking lot on 49th Ave. NE. They will follow social distance guidelines. Everyone must wear a mask during the exchange and while at the event. This is generally a perennial plant exchange but house plants and seeds are welcome, too. Also up for exchanging/giving away are gardening magazines, gardening and yard tools, etc. Anything you aren’t using that you’d like to share with a gardener, bring it. The event starts at 11 am, no sooner. They want to give everyone a chance to see all the plants and because everyone has different mobility abilities they take their time and give everyone five minutes to check out the plants and then the exchange starts.
PRE-ORDER: Plant Sale at Community United Methodist
Due to the COVID-19 emergency, the 2020 annual plant sale at Community United Methodist Church of Columbia Heights, will be held as a pre-order sale only, with a drive-thru pick up. Plants available include several varieties of hanging baskets, patio pots, vegetables, herbs and annuals, both for shade and sun. Orders are due by April 24 for pickup on May 8 and 9. The order form can be found at communitymethodistchurch.org. Return the order forms to Mary Tholkes at marytholkes@yahoo.com. The rummage sale has been postponed until a later date.
Plant Sale at Mt. Carmel Church
“Plants-a-Plenty,” annual plant sale benefiting Mt. Carmel Child Care Center at Mt. Carmel Lutheran Church, 1701 St. Anthony Pkwy. Wednesday, May 15, 12-7 pm; Thursday, May 16, 9 am-7 pm; and Friday and Saturday, May 17 and 18, 9 am-3 pm.
Marcy Open School Plant Sale
Buy herbs, annuals, hanging baskets, vegetables and more. Order online through Friday, April 26 at marcyplantsale.com. This year’s focus will be on pre-ordered plants; additional on-site selection will be limited. Save 10 percent if you order by Wednesday, April 10, just enter coupon code TAKETEN. Mother Earth Garden gift cards available, by presale only. Visit their website to browse this year’s selections and/or sign up to volunteer. Due to the school construction project, the onsite sale will be held on one day only, Friday, May 10, noon-7 pm, Marcy Open School, 415 4th Ave. SE. Info: facebook.com/marcyplantsale.