Big turn out for UCCE Plant Sale and Sierra House Grow Dome tours

Hundreds of plants grown under the green thumbs of UCCE Master Gardners of Lake Tahoe were sold Saturday morning during their annual plant sale.

Normally held in the spring, this year's event was moved to the fall due to a delayed start to the growing season due to the long winter we saw in the Sierra. The community apparently was ready for the sale as a long line of gardeners were already waiting when the doors opened at Sierra House Elementary.

A bonus this year were tours of the Sierra House Grow Domes as well as a Yard Art sale of the student's crafts.

Many drive by the domes on the school grounds along Pioneer Trail each day, which are currently surrounded by several different varieties of sunflowers. Many of the drivers perhaps wonder what goes on inside them, so many interested people stopped by for tours.

The domes are used as educational tools for the students who learn how to grow inside them, and then, when the vegetables are ready, they will have taste tests. The school's cafeteria will even offer the fruits of the kid's labor in the lunch line.

During Saturday's sale the kids were selling not only Yard Art, but also seeds from their sunflowers and other items from their garden.

If you can't wait until next year's sale to get started on your garden, take part in a free garden Planning and Design Workshop on Thursday, October 12 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the South Tahoe Public Utility District, 1275 Meadow Crest Drive in South Lake Tahoe. Learn from the Master Gardeners how to transform your landscape into a "beautiful Tahoe friendly garden." All are welcome.