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Get Thee To A Plant Sale!

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 8, 2009

Grab your wallet and car keys and get yourself over to Chamberlain High School.

Right now. No excuses.

Today is the last day of the big plant sale that benefits the school's FFA program, and it's only open until 1 p.m.

The sale is in the same corner of the parking lot where they sell Christmas trees, at Busch and North boulevards in Tampa.

I expected to find lots of ordinary when I stopped by last week. And I did. There were plenty of philodendrons, oleanders, crotons and other basics. But there were some fun extras, too, including baby begonias (I picked up two to add to my collection) and hanging baskets for just $7.

I fell for a "candy corn" plant, Cuphea Micropetala, with beautiful foliage and blooms that look exactly like the Halloween favorite. And I got a "baby sun rose," Aptenia cordifolia, with bright red blooms.

All four plants are very healthy, and after doing a little online research, I'm pretty sure they'll do well in my garden. (Yes, I know I should look before I leap, but I think we established long ago that I am an impulse buyer).

The prices are reasonable because some of the plants are grown by students and the rest are provided on consignment by local nurseries. "The nurseries treat us right," said agriscience teacher Mel Whitworth, who has been sleeping in a nearby camper to keep an eye on the plants at night.

Whitworth, longtime volunteer Bill Bradley and students braved cold mornings and hot afternoons to work at the sale, which started Feb. 28. The money they raise will go for the FFA awards banquet at the end of the year, said agriscience teacher and adviser Deanna Locke.

Azaleas have been the best sellers, but there's a little bit of everything for sale, "from beautiful to just flat-out ugly," Whitworth said.

Don't get me wrong; I love my weekend treks to Lowe's and Home Depot, but it was nice to have some new choices and to know I was helping a good cause. And it was terrific to get such good prices.

Now stop reading and start shopping!

Kim Franke-Folstad

Come play in The Dirt at TBO.com, Keyword: Dirt. We provide all the tools.

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