CORTLAND — Area horticulturists who received help from Master Gardener Volunteers (MGV) throughout the year can return the favor while livening up their homes and landscapes when The Ohio State University Extension-Trumbull County Master Gardener Volunteers annual plant sale takes place 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 17.

Held at the Trumbull County Agriculture and Family Education Center, 520 W. Main St., Cortland, the event benefits The Ohio State Extension Trumbull County Master Gardener Volunteers, with a portion of the proceeds going toward building a new shed to house the equipment needed to maintain the Volunteers Research, Education and Demonstration Garden.

MGVs will be selling perennials, annuals, herbs, hydrangeas, trees, vegetable plants and much more. For more information, call 330-638-6783.

“The plant sale is one of many events hosted by our Master Gardener Volunteers (MGV) and serves as the group’s largest fundraiser,” said Noelle Barnes, Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Educators for Trumbull County. She also serves as the Trumbull County coordinator for the Master Gardener Volunteers.

“Because we have money that was fundraised, we don’t have to charge for any programming. It keeps things updated, gets them the equipment that they need and any resources. It helps feed back into the program and what they’re able to do and provide.”

Barnes mentioned that a previous plant sale paid for two different microscopes that are used at the Master Gardener Volunteer help desk, which is open 9 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday mornings, April through October, at the OSU Extension office.

“The volunteers working at the help desk can assist in answering community horticulture related questions,” she said. “The microscopes are helpful when they need to identify diseases on plants or to identify types of insects.”

Besides free educational classes at local libraries, the volunteers host “Wednesdays In The Garden” and “Wednesdays In The Classroom.”

This will be the 27th year for the Master Gardener Volunteer program. Currently, nearly 40 MGVs aid area horticulturalists and provide all the hands-on work at the Research, Education and Demonstration Garden.

To be a full-fledged, active volunteer, a person must complete 50 hours of education matched with the same amount of community service during their first year.

To maintain their certification, Master Gardeners must do 10 hours of continuing education and 20 hours of volunteer work each year.

“We do programs through the local schools,” said Denise Barber of Howland. She recently worked with preschoolers at Willard PK-8 School in Warren.

“They got to put their own peas in a pot and take them home. If it’s taken care of, of course, they can watch it grow, which is great. Even the kids with challenges want to do it. It’s great to see that light in their eyes,” Barber said.

In the garden area, Kathleen Ferris of Cortland directed Barber to divide a black-eyed Susan plant into four parts. “They are pretty hearty. You’re not going to harm the plant,” Ferris explained. “It actually helps them because it’s getting too big, and it needs to be separated.”

Ferris has been a MGV since 2003 while Barber has been one for two years.

Overall, the plants will be cleaned up in time for the sale on May 17. Some were divided last April while others were split last fall.

Ferris showed off a variety of hostas and mentioned that some MGV members are part of the North Coast Hosta Society.

She explained that during the winter, plants are sunk down into sand and mulch to cover the roots for a “mini-greenhouse effect.”

“That’s the insulation. You’re not worried about the top of the plant. You’re protecting the roots. They’ve all wintered over. They’ve all come up.”

All of the Buckeye State’s 88 counties have an Ohio State University Extension office. Educators provide information to residents in four programs — Agriculture and Natural Resources, 4-H Youth Development, Family and Consumer Sciences, Community Development.

“Trumbull County does not have a specific Community Development Educator,” Barnes said, “but the Educators we do have — Marie Economos (Consumer), Lee Beers (Agriculture) and Ashlee Meardith (4-H) — all work within their program area to provide resources and educational programs related to community development.”

Not only does she contribute to development, but Barnes splits her time between agriculture and 4-H youth-related programming.

“Everyone that thinks about 4-H thinks about the animal projects at the Trumbull County Fair, but 4-H has such a wide range of things that kids can sign up for,” Barnes said.

She mentioned a variety of projects, including cooking, sewing, reptile, woodworking, robotics and electricity.

“You can do self-determined projects where the youth can basically pick anything that is of interest to them, and we can help put them in a club that will guide that interest and help them see their way through the project,” Barnes said.

With the success of the annual plant sale, the Master Gardener Volunteers will continue to grow their educational programs.