SALISBURY — Rowan County 4-H is now taking orders for its annual Spring Plant Sale. Varieties available include: strawberries, Allstar; blueberries, Baldwin, Delite and Tifblue; blackberries, Natchez and Ouachita; raspberries, Dorman Red; muscadines, Southland and Tara and figs, Brown Turkey and Celeste.
Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, muscadines and figs are in one-gallon containers and are well adapted to the Piedmont growing conditions. The cost for each plant is $9 or $8 if five or more of the same variety are ordered.
Allstar strawberries produce sweet, large fruit. They ripen mid-season. Growth is vigorous. The cost for strawberry plants is 25 for $10, 50 for $15 and 100 for $20. Supplies are limited.
When planting blueberries, it is recommended to plant at least two varieties to ensure cross-pollination. Varieties available include Baldwin, Delite and Tifblue. Baldwin ripens early July to early August and has large, dark blue fruit. Growth is moderately vigorous and upright. Delite ripens mid- to late July and have medium-sized berries with good flavor. Growth is upright with average vigor. Tifblue blueberries ripen mid-season and bear a medium to large light blue berry. Growth is vigorous and upright.
Both blackberry plants are a thornless variety and are erect-growing plants. Both varieties produce large fruit with great flavor. The Natchez ripens early to mid-June. The Ouachita ripens mid-season over a five-week period.
Dorman Red raspberries ripen mid- to late summer and produce medium to large berries with excellent flavor. It is heat, drought and disease resistant.
Southland muscadines produce medium to large black fruit with good flavor. They are disease resistant and ripen mid- to late season. Plant vigor is average. The Tara muscadine has large, bronze fruit with good flavor. The fruit ripens early to mid-season. The Tara muscadine is initially slow growing, but becomes more vigorous after the first growing season. They are disease resistant and cold hardy.
The Brown Turkey fig bears twice a year (early and late summer) with the flesh of the fruit turning from various shades of amber to pink. The skin is copper-brown. The plant is very hardy. The Celeste fig produces fruit that is small to medium in size with a light brown to violet skin and a whitish-pink colored flesh. It contains very few seeds and ripens early summer.
If you would like to help support the Rowan County 4-H program, please call the Extension Office at 704-216-8970 to place your order today. Orders must be received by Feb. 28.

Sara Drake, extension agent, 4-H Youth Development.