Rowan County 4-H is now taking orders for its annual fall plant sale. Varieties available include: Nova raspberries; Brightwell, Climax and Premier blueberries; Apache and Arapaho blackberries; Cowart and Triumph muscadines; and Brown Turkey and Celeste figs.
All plants are sold in one-gallon containers and are well adapted to the Piedmont growing conditions. The cost for each plant is $9; the cost is $8 apiece if five or more of the same variety are ordered.
Nova raspberries are early ripening red berries that are medium to large in size. The berries have good flavor, are slightly tart and are perfect for jams and preserves. Nova raspberries are noted for winter hardiness, are heat tolerant and have good disease resistance.
When planting blueberries, it is recommended to plant at least two varieties to ensure cross-pollination. Brightwell blueberries ripen mid-season over a long period. It is very productive with large fruit and excellent quality. Growth is vigorous and upright. Climax blueberries ripen early over a short period and produce a medium-size berry with a sweet flavor. The growth is upright with an open spreading crown. Premier blueberries are large in size with excellent flavor. They ripen early to mid-season and are light blue in color. Plants are upright with good foliage.
Both blackberry plants are a thornless variety and are erect growing plants. The Apache produces large fruit with good flavor and typically ripens over a five week period. The Arapaho is an early ripening blackberry with a firm, medium fruit. It typically ripens over a four week period.
Cowart muscadines produce large black fruit in large clusters with good flavor. They are good for eating or making juice, jelly and wine. Cowart ripens early to mid-season and is disease resistant, vigorous and productive. The Triumph muscadine has large, thin-skinned, greenish-bronze fruit with high sugar content. The plants are winter hardy and productive. The fruit ripens early to mid-season and is good for eating and making wine.
The Brown Turkey fig, which bears twice a year, has a copper-brown skin with the flesh turning from various shades of amber to pink. The Celeste fig produces fruit that is small to medium in size with a light brown to violet skin and a whitish-pink color flesh. It contains very few seeds and ripens early summer.
Call the N.C. Cooperative Extension Office at 704-216-8970 to place an order. Orders must be received by Oct. 26.
Sarah Drake is an extension agent for 4-H Youth Development.