Crabtree Farms’ opens doors for Spring Plant Sale and Festival

Hundreds of sustainably grown plant starts will be sold to the public this weekend when Crabtree Farms holds its 17th annual Spring Plant Sale and Festival.

After a preview sale for Crabtree Farm members tonight, the sale opens to the public on Friday and Saturday, April 7-8, at 9 a.m. and on Sunday, April 9, at 11 a.m.

As in previous years, the plant sale will offer gardeners healthy, sustainably grown fruit, vegetable, flower and herb starts for their gardens. Hundreds of varieties of plants will be available including more than 50 varieties of heirloom tomatoes alone.

Even non-gardening community members will find plenty to do at the plant sale. In addition to shopping for plants, guests can enjoy free gardening workshops, live music, food, fun-on-the-farm activities for kids and handcrafted items from eight local artisans.

Dynamite Holler will play Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., followed by the Tin Cup Rattlers at 1 p.m. Laura Walker & Friends will play Sunday from noon to 1 p.m.

“We look forward to this event every year, ” says Sara McIntyre, Crabtree Farms executive director.

“It’s a wonderful way to meet and celebrate the gardeners and strong gardening culture in this area. Also, it’s a delightfully fun weekend full of smiles, new ideas, hope and a bountiful variety of heirloom food and landscape plants.”

Mike Barron, Crabtree Farm’s greenhouse manager, grows and propagates the plants with help from community volunteers. Specific plant varieties are tested on the farm to ensure that the plants are well-suited to grow in the Chattanooga region.

“Here we propagate, harden off and grow vegetables and fruits that are good for the average gardener in Chattanooga,” says Barron. “This region has a variety of ecosystems, and I enjoy playing with different plants to see what works.”

For more information on the Spring Plant Sale, including a full list of plants to be sold, check the website at www.crabtree farms.org.