Sentinel staff report–
The Sylvan Ranch Community Garden in Citrus Heights will host its annual spring plant sale fundraiser on April 9-11, with social distancing policies in place to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
The plant sale will be held at the garden’s location at Sylvan and Stock Ranch roads from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Friday-Sunday, unless the plants sell out sooner, according to organizer Debbie LeVon. Plants for sale will include tomatoes, corn, beans, squash, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant, a variety of peppers, melons, and pumpkins. Herbs, flowers, and succulents will also be available for purchase.
Levon, who helps put on the plant sale each year, said organizers will set up tables in a way to keep customers a safe distance apart.
Levon said there has been increased demand for gardening by those who are at home during shelter-in-place health orders, and people have been stopping by the garden to inquire about the sale. She also said the plant sale sold out last year, so shoppers are advised to stop by early.
The annual plant sale serves as the main fundraiser for the nonprofit garden, which was founded in 2009, with sponsorship from the city. The garden is now required to be self-sufficient and relies on membership fees and fundraisers to help maintain and improve the location each year.
Gardeners can grow and harvest their vegetables in an assigned 4 x 20-foot plot for a small annual membership fee. Other membership levels are available at a discounted cost and allow for harvesting from “common areas” and attending the garden’s educational seminars.
Any plants remaining after the sale are typically grown in a special section of the garden to help provide donations of fresh fruits and vegetables to the Sunrise Christian Food Ministry, based in Citrus Heights at Advent Lutheran Church.
Those interested in learning more about the garden can visit www.sylvanranchgarden.org.
