GARDENING EXHIBITS AND INFORMATION
At PlantFest, children and adults will find interesting and helpful exhibits about plants and gardening. (See the Kids’ Activities page for details about children’s tables.)
Successful home gardening
Volunteers will offer soil sample kits and instructions on sampling your garden or yard soil. They will also offer guidance on pruning, composting, fertilizing, and vegetable gardening, answer questions, and offer guidance for beginning and more experienced gardeners.
Ecological gardening
Make your garden buzz with life! At the Ecological Gardening booth, you can discover how native plants bring beauty while supporting pollinators, birds, and wildlife. Even a small space can become a thriving mini-habitat.
Volunteers will share:
The best natives for sun, shade, and tough spots.
Tips for attracting hummingbirds, fireflies, and butterflies.
“Leave the Leaves” guidance for healthier soil and overwintering insects.
A brand-new Pollinator Corridor map to connect our green spaces.
A choice of three simple and impactful ecological pledges you can make this year.
By choosing native plants, you’ll save time, water, and money, while creating a yard that truly matters. Oaks, goldenrod, and coneflowers aren’t just pretty faces; they’re vital lifelines for endangered pollinators.
Tool sharpening
You can bring up to two hand gardening tools from home to get them sharpened. Volunteers will show you how to use whetstones, files, and diamond stones to sharpen your tools. You will also learn about safety, cleaning, maintenance, and storage. Please return your tools to your vehicle once they’re sharpened.
Community Seed Library/SeedFest
Visit this booth if you’d like to take home some free seed packets. Volunteers can help you select seeds that best suit your interests.
Invasive plants
Invasive plants pose a great threat to North Carolina’s native plants and animals. You can learn to recognize common invasive species that displace native plants and disrupt the ecosystems that depend on them. Volunteers will help explain options and strategies to manage and remove these weedy invaders.
Winter sowing
Learn how to create a mini greenhouse for germinating seeds in the winter. You can grow flowers, herbs, grasses, and cool season vegetables. Attendees will have the opportunity to create their own mini greenhouses to put outside in the winter. Sounds too good to be true, but it works!
