Washtenaw County’s Conservation District annual Fall Tree & Native Plant Sale

Shade Garden kits are available for sale during the Fall Tree & Native Plant Sale. Photo Credit: Shade Garden Kit, photo by Carolyn, shadegardens.com

submitted by Doug Reith, Resource Coordinator, Washtenaw County Conservation District

While the early blooms of spring remind us to plant in the cool, moist soils, fall is a great opportunity to plant native plants. The soil and temperatures of September and October provide conditions for better root establishment ahead of the springtime weeds. Get a jump on your spring gardens and consider planting this fall!  

Sales will include a selection of six conifer trees, 26 native potted plants, and four native plant garden kits. Potted native plants new to this year’s fall sale include New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus) and Wild Lupine (Lupinus perennis). The bare-root conifer seedlings available will include: White Pine, Red Pine, Norway Spruce, Black Hills Spruce, and Concolor Fir. 

Preordering opened on Friday, August 11, 2023, via the online store store.washtenawcd.org. Paper order forms are also available by request at the WCCD office: 705 N Zeeb Rd, #201, Ann Arbor, MI 48103. The deadline for the paper pre-order form is September 8, 2023, and the online store closes Sunday, September 17, 2023.  

The pre-order pick-up date is Friday, September 29, 1–6pm, at the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds: 5055 Ann Arbor-Saline Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48103. Limited extra plants will be available for sale between 5 and 6pm, first-come, first-served.

To request a paper order form, sign-up to volunteer, or find more information on the fall sale, visit www.washtenawcd.org/fallsale.

The WCCD has been distributing trees, plants, and tools for conservation since the 1950s. More than 7.1 million trees and shrubs have been planted as a result of the WCCD’s distributions, contributing to conservation practices such as reforestation, soil-erosion reduction, water-quality improvement, habitat restoration, and naturalization projects. 

The mission of the WCCD is to assist residents with the conservation, management, and wise use of natural resources in Washtenaw County. The WCCD is a unit of local government managed by an elected 5-member board of directors and funded in part by Washtenaw County residents through a 2020–2026 conservation district millage.

To learn more about the Fall Tree & Native Plant Sale and other programs, please visit the WCCD website at www.washtenawcd.org. 

For questions or more information, contact Doug Reith, Resource Coordinator, at doug@washtenawcd.org or (734) 302-8713.

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.