2 // COASTWEEKEND.COM
Master Gardener plants seeds of knowledge, growth
May 12 event features plant
sale, seminar, Mother’s Day
gifts, raffle prizes
ASTORIA — Clatsop County Master Garden-
er Association will hold a spring garden semi-
nar and plant sale 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday,
May 12, at the Clatsop County Fairgrounds.
Admission is free.
Classes, vendors, raffles and gardening
advice from Master Gardeners make this a
daylong affair.
Plant sale
The plant sale is enormous this year.
Tomato starts, vegetable starts, perennials,
natives, ground covers, pollinators, succu-
lents, ornamental grasses, Hostas, Dahlias
and a great selection of houseplants and
tropicals will be available.
For Mother’s Day, Master Gardener has
created vintage teacups and driftwood plant-
ed with succulents — perfect green gifts and
no work for you.
Dozens of vendors will be on hand
selling all things related to gardening, with
many gift options for Mother’s Day: garden
art, garden tools, kitchen items, food items
and nurseries with even more plant options.
Learn vertical gardening with 18 varieties of to-
matoes on sale at the Master Gardener event.
PHOTOS COURTESY CLATSOP COUNTY MASTER GARDENER ASSOCIATION
Jennifer Bell (right), a biological science technician at Lewis and Clark National Historical Park,
will teach at the Clatsop County Master Gardener Association’s spring seminar.
Seminar
This year’s seminar — themed “Coastal
Garden Design” — provides options to
gardeners with limited space and those
wanting to expand their garden with easy-
care native plants.
• “Edible Vertical Gardening in Small
Spaces” with Harry Olson: 11 a.m. to 12:15
p.m.
Olson, an Oregon State Master Garden-
er from Marion County, is an award-win-
ning expert on garden design for high
yield in small spaces. Gardeners will learn
how to grow fruits and vegetables they
didn’t think they had the room or climate
for. He shares his growing practices with a
visual presentation of lush photos demon-
strating the techniques used from his own
garden and the Vertical Demo Garden
at the Oregon Garden. Olson promotes
organic gardening.
• “Designing with Native Plants” with
Jennifer Bell: 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Bell, a biological science technician at
Lewis and Clark National Historic Park, is
an enthusiastic native plant specialist. Na-
tive plants are adapted to our local soil and
climate conditions, making them easier to
maintain. Gardeners will learn the practical
benefits of native plant gardening, what
plants are native to our coastal ecoregion,
There is a huge variety of plants that thrive in
our coastal gardens.
And more
Eighteen varieties of tomato starts will be available during the Clatsop County Master Gardener
Association plant sale.
where to get them and how to select and
place native plants for different growing
conditions.
• “Grafting Vegetables” with Harry
Olson: 1:45 to 3 p.m.
Grafted vegetables are superhero vegeta-
bles — stronger, bigger, more disease-resis-
tant. Grafting tomatoes will be demonstrat-
ed along with specific instructions. Peppers,
melons cucumbers and eggplants will be
discussed. Every gardener should be aware
of this fascinating practice.
Raffles round out the fun with high
stakes and good chances to win art, paint-
ing lessons, luscious baked goods, restau-
rant certificates, a charming umbrella, wine,
beer and other great items.
And there are fun garden activities for
kids. Bring your parents, too!
Proceeds from this event fund the Clat-
sop County Master Gardener Association’s
scholarship fund, the Learning Garden,
demonstration garden, pet-friendly demon-
stration garden, plant diagnosis clinics,
seed-to-supper gardening course, Fresh
Starts program, Monthly Speaker Series
and the Astoria Sunday Market info booth.