SALISBURY — Rowan County 4-H is now taking orders for its annual Fall Plant Sale. Varieties available include: blueberries — Brightwell, Climax and Premier; blackberries — Navaho and Ouachita; raspberries — Nova and Caroline; muscadines — Nesbitt 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 each or $8 if five or more of the same variety are ordered.
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. The Navaho produces a medium-size fruit that ripens late in the season. The Ouachita produces a large fruit. It ripens mid-season over a five-week period.
Nova raspberries are early ripening red berries that are medium to large in size. Nova raspberries are noted for winter hardiness, are heat tolerant and have good disease resistance. Caroline raspberries produce large berries and ripen in June, then again in September. They are disease resistant.
Nesbitt is a black muscadine with large fruit. They are a good producer that ripens over a four- or five-week period beginning in early September. Tara is a bronze muscadine with large fruit. They ripen early to mid-season. Tara is slow growing, but becomes more vigorous after the first growing season.
Brown Turkey figs bear fruit twice a year. The skin is copper-brown and the flesh varies from shades of amber to pink. It is very hardy and ripens early and late summer. 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.
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 Nov. 7.

Sara Drake is an Extension agent, 4-H Youth Development.