Tips for Plant Sale

BCGC Plant Sale

Thursday, May 9, 2024, at  9 a.m. to noon, Montgomery County Farm Women’s Market, downtown Bethesda

This public sale is our biggest event and only fundraiser.
Enthusiastic buyers arrive early and plants sell out quickly!

How can you support the Plant Sale?

When you thin your overgrown plants from your own garden this spring, pot and donate excess plants.

Help us dig and pot plants in members’ gardens. We love working together outdoors!

Help publicize the sale, transport plants, setup,  or provide food for volunteers at the sale. There is something for everyone! Sign up closer to the sale date.

Watch for Plant Sale Tips that will arrive regularly in email blasts.

Which plants to donate?

We aim to offer interesting plants that fill a variety of garden niches, including plants that spread well in your garden or that you may consider run-of-the-mill.

We cannot accept: unidentified or wilted plants; and nonnative invasive plants like English ivy, common orange day lily, pachysandra and vinca minor. New this year: We cannot accept more than 5 each of green hostas, day lilies and liriope from each donor.

If you don’t know what it is or if it’s a good candidate for donation, ask us.

Dig and pot your plants for the sale

Pot up plants in early April or as soon as new leafy growth appears. All plants are best potted by late April, so they are well established when sold.

Gather your pots, soil and plant labels when you do regular spring maintenance. Pick up pots and plant labels at the homes of Barbara Collier, Susan Lass, and Judy Termini. Please contact them before showing up in person.

We sell plants in three pot sizes: medium (6-8 inches diameter); large (9-12 in.) and “shrub” (larger than 12 in.). Special plants (e.g. trillium, jack in the pulpit) may be sold in 4” pots, but ask us first.

 Water the plant to be dug the night before. 

Dig your plant by removing the full root ball.  

Look at the foliage and root ball to determine how to divide the plant and what size pot to use. One full pot sells better than two skimpy pots. 

Use a sharp spade to divide the plant into pieces.

Pot the plant by placing some leaves in the bottom of the pot, then cover with a little soil. Transplant each piece into a pot, surrounding with potting soil at the same height as when it was in the ground. Fill the sides of the pot with soil and press down.

Water well and keep the plant in the shade for the first few days after potting.

Label each plant as shown in the top two examples in the photo.  Include common and Latin names, flower color and symbols for light requirements. Note if plants are native to the eastern U.S. Please use a weatherproof pen!

Use these symbols for light requirements: (left to right) shade, part sun/part shade and sun.

Label each plant with its botanical and common names, flower color and light requirements, as shown in the photo. If you know the plant is native, add that to the label. Symbols for light requirements also are shown.

Would you like some help?

Many members have beautiful gardens and would like to donate plants. If you find digging and potting physically challenging, then volunteers may be able to help you.

Are you a newer member in need of plant ID or a digging and dividing demo? Contact us as soon as possible to get on our schedule.

We do plant rescues!

Do you know of a future teardown that has a garden? Contact us as soon as possible, as we may be able to arrange to rescue plants from the garden for the Plant Sale before the demolition starts.

If you have a neighbor who would be willing to share excess plants, contact us.

Questions? Ask the committee!

Judy Termini (judytermini@gmail.com), co-chair
Elaine Hope (paris71197@gmail.com), co-chair
Joan Black
Barbara Collier
Mary Horan
Karin Kelleher
Susan Lass
Janis Long
Carolea Logun
Janine Trudeau