Staff photo / R. Michael Semple Master Gardeners Kathy Beran, left, of North Bloomfield and Jamie Brown of Bristolville talk about the gardens at the Trumbull County Agriculture & Family Education Center in Cortland on Thursday. The Master Gardeners’ annual plant sale, set for May 16, will benefit the TCAFEC.

CORTLAND — The Trumbull County Master Gardener Volunteers (MGV) plant sale will take place Saturday, May 16, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and is a great opportunity for area gardeners and plant lovers to “pay it forward.”

MGV apply their knowledge and practical experience throughout the year, teaching and guiding area residents in managing and improving their gardens, plants and landscapes through free programs.

The annual plant sale will be at the Trumbull County Agriculture and Family Education Center, 520 W. Main St., Cortland, and will offer houseplants, perennials, annuals, herb plants, trees and vegetable plants, including many heirloom varieties.

“We will have at least 200 native plants this year. So that will be exciting for us,” said MGV Bonnie Mathews, of Kinsman.

They will offer sun plants, shade plants and succulents. Most of the plants are still in the ground at the Education Center garden. Some were raised in volunteers’ homes and still need to be brought to the garden before the sale.

Some MGV divide their own plants that require dividing from time to time at home, such as peonies. They bring the divided plant to the sale. Some also bring plants they have grown from seed.

“All plants will expand. As a Master Gardener, you don’t want to destroy plants. We want to share them with people,” explained volunteer Carol Olson, of Warren.

“This week coming up, we will be prepping all these plants and will be putting them out for sale. As master gardeners, we learn to plant many different plants,” said Mathews.

The Research, Education, and Demonstration Garden is open to the public, where anyone is welcome to come and walk. The garden is comprised of many smaller gardens, including a songbird garden, butterfly garden, native garden, cutting garden, scented garden, bee garden and several other smaller gardens. The garden is maintained by MGV.

“The whole point of this is to spread knowledge of plants and to educate people,” said volunteer Denise Barber, of Howland.

On Wednesdays at 6 p.m., MGV host “Wednesdays in the Garden,” during which presentations take place twice a month, indoors on colder evenings. Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair for warmer-weather outdoor presentations. Volunteers are available every Wednesday evening to answer gardening and plant questions, even on non-presentation Wednesdays.

Invasive insects, succession planting, fertilizer use, vegetable gardening and wildflower habitats are among the many topics to be covered on upcoming Wednesdays.

They also offer a “Trash or Treasure” sale. People donate items from their sheds and garages, such as statues, wrought iron, tools and gardening supplies.

The Trumbull County MGV Program is operated by OSU Extension and staffs a gardening help desk to answer public inquiries from April to October on Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the OSU Extension Office. Those interested can call 330-637-3908 to discuss questions with a MGV.

Those wishing to become a volunteer must complete both 50 hours of training and 50 volunteer hours.

Proceeds from the plant sale will not only help cover public education costs, but also help replace their old garden building. Last year, they lost many of their tents due to heavy winds.

More information about the MGV programs or to learn how to become a MGV can be found at trumbull.osu.edu or by calling 330-637-2172.