COLUMBIA, S.C. — CORRECTION: The 2024 Richland County Master Gardener Association Plant & Garden Treasures Sale is April 18 and 19 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The weather is getting warmer, and planting season is getting closer. Conventional wisdom says to wait until mid-April before planting to avoid late frosts or freezes.
That doesn't mean you can't shop for or purchase plants for the garden now. This weekend offers some opportunities to get a jumpstart on plant buying.
Here are some plant sales in the Columbia and Lexington areas:
- Historic Columbia's Spring Plant Sale: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. April 11 (for HC members only), 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 12, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 11 at Hampton-Preston Mansion, 1615 Blanding St., Columbia. Check out the list of plants available – new this year are a variety of heirloom edibles and annuals propagated from HC's Living Collections.
- Midlands Plant & Flower Festival: April 11 to 14, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, South Carolina State Farmers Market, 3483 Charleston Hwy., West Columbia. Bring a wagon, or rent one at the market, and load up on deals on vegetable and flowering plants, trees, and garden arts and crafts.
- Midlands Spring Native Plant Sale: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 13, Canoeing for Kids, 114 Riverchase Court, Lexington. Volunteers have spent months propagating native plants and vegetables.
- Riverbanks Zoo (Members only) Spring Plant Sale: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. April 20, Riverbanks Growing Center, 1201 Seminole Dr., West Columbia. A wide variety of plants will be available for sale, including sun-loving and shade-loving annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, and special collections of tropical and pollinator plants.
- Richland County Master Gardeners Annual Plant Sale: 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. April 18 and 19, Clemson REC Sandhill, 900 Clemson Rd. Columbia. Master Gardeners will be available to answer questions about your garden and the plants for sale.
- South Carolina Orchid Show and Sale: 1-6 p.m. April 26, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. April 27, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. April 28 presented by The South Carolina Orchid Society at The Garden Council of Greater Columbia Building, 1605 Park Circle. Free admission, free parking. Plants from Marble Branch Farms, Seagrove Orchids, and Carter & Holmes Orchids.
These may be worth a drive or to mark your calendar for later:
- South Carolina Botanical Garden Spring 2024 Plant Sale: Second Chance Sale, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 20, features annuals, vegetable transplants and herbs, bog plants, perennials, ferns, shrubs, grasses, trees, fruits and many hard-to-find native plants. South Carolina Botanical Garden, 150 Discovery Lane, Clemson
- Pee Dee Plant & Flower Festival, April 18 to 21, Pee Dee State Farmers Market, 2513 W Lucas St., Florence, similar to the Midlands Plant & Flower Festival
- Piedmont Plant & Flower Festival, April 18 to 21, Greenville State Farmers Market, 1354 Rutherford Rd., Greenville, similar to the Midlands Plant & Flower Festival
- Moore Farms Botanical Garden Plant Sale & Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 18. Founded in 2002 by South Carolina native and businesswoman Darla Moore, the Botanical Garden opens its gates to the public to sell unique, sometimes rare, varieties of both annuals and perennials. Bring a wagon to load up on plants!
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