Master Gardeners Growing for the Community 2021

 

Please read all the information before making a request. 

Master Gardeners are reaching out to community organizations and community gardens in Franklin County to offer free plants from their Greenhouse. Any non-profit or educational community organization or community garden in Franklin County that serves the public may request free transplants of a variety of vegetables, herbs, and annual flowers. The plants will be available for pick-up in late May at the Master Gardeners’ Barn, near their Demonstration Gardens, at 181 Franklin Farm Lane, Chambersburg.

Organizations serving youth, seniors, low-income, or food-insecure clientele, or educating the public about issues of food security, food nutrition, or healthy gardening are encouraged to contact the Master Gardener Coordinator to place a request for donated plants.

Here’s how it works. The transplants will come in flats (trays) of 18 plants. A flat will hold an assorted variety of either annual flowers, herbs, peppers, tomatoes, or other vegetables. Your group or organization may request as many flats as you can handle for distribution to your group’s clientele. However, quantities are limited, and the Master Gardeners may have to make substitutions or adjustments to your request depending on availability.

The following types of plants are available, grouped per flat:

Assorted Annual Flowers include varieties good for pollinator gardens and cutting gardens, such as calendula, globe amaranth, marigolds, salvia, Mexican sunflower, tropical milkweed, and zinnias.

Assorted Herbs include culinary varieties such as flat-leaf parsley, common chives, sweet basil, French thyme, Greek oregano, and summer savory.

Assorted Peppers include varieties that are sweet or have very mild heat, such as California Wonder, Goddess, Lunchbox Orange, Lunchbox Red, Sheepnose, Pimento, and Shishito.

Assorted Tomatoes include sauce varieties such as Amish Paste and San Marzano; slicer varieties such as Beefmaster, Better Boy, and Mortgage Lifter; and salad snack varieties such as Smarty and Sun Gold Hybrid.

Assorted Vegetables include varieties of cucumber, eggplant, cantaloupe, watermelon, butternut squash, spaghetti squash, pumpkin, and zucchini.

We are not able to fill requests for specific varieties in a flat, and the varieties available are subject to change, depending on germination and growing conditions in the Greenhouse. We ask that you request a minimum of one flat of 18 plants; but if you can use only one flat, we can mix flowers, herbs, and vegetables in the flat if you want.

When your transplants are ready in late May, your group will be contacted to arrange a time for contactless pick-up at the Master Gardeners’ Barn. Each plant will be labeled with its variety name, and educational factsheets will also be available with a brief description of each variety as well as general growing information and tips.

If your Franklin County group or organization is interested in free transplants from the Master Gardeners’ Greenhouse, and you would like to request flats or want more information, please contact the Master Gardener Coordinator, Annette MaCoy, at ahm11@psu.edu.  You can also call the Franklin County Extension office at 717-263-9226 and leave a message for Annette; she will call you back.