Native Plant Sales: An Opportunity for Outreach December 22nd, 2010
Plant Sale at the Santa Rosa Plateau
Plant sales harbor an environment rich in both a diversity of plant choices and buyers interested plants for a variety of reasons. Here is an opportunity to talk to people about invasive plants, and about responsible landscaping—the message of the Cal-IPC-endorsed PlantRight campaign (www.plantright.org). The trick is satisfying the needs of the buyer by providing “alternative” plant choices that pose minimal risk of invasion to the wildland.
1. Get to know your local nurseries, botanical gardens, California Native Plant Society chapters and other entities that sell plants. Find out which ones have special events that you could attend. The Chapter has a list of locations within southern California and can give you ideas of where to search for new locations.
2. Make contact. Call or email to introduce yourself and maintain a contact for each location you find. You are going to want to give your contact a description of the service we provide and the necessary space. For example, you would provide an information booth and desire a 6-ft table, but could utilize a smaller space. Give your contact enough advanced notice to provide a space and table (as soon as it is planned, or a few months).
3. Take a couple friends. You should provide enough volunteer hours to attend the entire day. We usually have two volunteers attend events, but you can also have several volunteers divide the day into sections.
4. Arrive early and prepare. On the day of the event, arrive at least 30-min prior to the start. You should have all supplies as self-contained as possible. We use a plastic bin with locking lid. At a minimum, you should have a display board and poster, “Don’t Plant a Pest” brochures, information sheets on the worst invasives in your area, and a few pressed specimens. When you find your table, set up your poster board on the table and try to neatly organize the materials on the open table space (so it looks more inviting). Duct tape, string, paperweights/rocks can be helpful in the wind.
5. Customize. Once you are set up check and see if you can borrow a few plants from the sale to use as examples of alternatives. It is always a good idea to know some examples of alternative plants sold at that sale. This will give you some talking points and buyers can purchase your plant examples after you educate them on their benefits.
Lynn Sweet at Long Beach Earth Day
6. Smile and outreach! Common questions asked by buyers usually include questions on specific alternative plants to replace existing invasives and methods for invasive control. If you have the brochures, these are easy guides to point out alternatives. At almost every sale, garden staff or master gardeners have a “plant expert” table set up- you can always refer folks there for more information.
7. Have fun, buy a couple of plants, and be sure to thank them for having you there!
Kai Palenscar 