Free gardening classes, plant sale set for Saturday

The Maricopa Master Gardeners invite the public to a free open house and plant sale 8:30 to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Maricopa Agricultural Center, 37860 W. Smith-Enke Road.

A wide variety of flowers, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, herbs and other plants will be available.

In addition, master gardeners will present free gardening seminars on topics including gardening basics, types of gardens, and organic versus conventional gardens. They also will answer questions from the audience.

• 9 a.m., Gardening 101 and What Seed Catalogs Can Tell Us
• 10:30 to noon, Organic vs. Conventional Gardening

“We have nearly 450 tomatoes with a selection of 17 varieties, and not a pot-bound plant in the bunch,” said volunteer Becky Purvis. “As the plants have grown, they have been potted up into larger containers so that the roots can continue to develop. These are some of the biggest, healthiest tomatoes I’ve ever seen for sale and the prices will be great.”

The Maricopa Master Gardeners has about 30 members who grow their own fruits and vegetables. Two 20-year members, Jerry and Judy Walp, also annually donate about 8,000 pounds of fresh produce to various food banks.

More information is available by calling Carol Howerton at 480-528-4276.