August 20, 1996 Contact: Jennifer McNulty (408) 459-2495; mcnulty@ua.ucsc.edu

GARDENERS: GET READY FOR FIRST-EVER FALL PLANT SALE AT UC SANTA CRUZ

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SANTA CRUZ, CA--Fall is a prime time to plant perennials and winter vegetables on the Central Coast, and the UC Santa Cruz Farm will help you get ready by sponsoring the first-ever Fall Plant Sale on Friday and Saturday, September 6-7. Hours are noon to 6 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. The sale will take place at the Barn Theater parking lot at the intersection of Bay and High streets at the base of campus.

The sale will feature an array of some of the Farm's best- selling perennials, including lavenders, penstemon, yarrow, ornamental oregano, roses, subtropical salvias, lamb's ear, and ornamental grasses. A broad range of vegetables will also be available in six-packs, including broccoli, salad mix, head lettuce, kale, and chard. All plants are organically grown.

"Fall is the best time to plant perennials on the Central Coast because the plants get started while the days are still relatively long and temperatures are relatively warm," explains UCSC greenhouse manager Christof Bernau. "You may have to water your plants a few times before the rains come, but by spring they'll be established and acclimated and ready to take off when the weather dictates. A little effort now really pays off by the spring, when you'll have much more substantial plants."

Some vegetables, including lettuce, that usually have a two- or three-week harvest period in the summer after becoming fully mature, will produce for two to three months during the winter, notes Bernau. The Farm specializes in native plants suited to the Central Coast's Mediterranean climate, offering a lot of color and show without a lot of water or care, he adds.

Sponsored by the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, the sale will benefit the UCSC Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture. Members of the Friends of the UCSC Farm & Garden will receive a 10 percent discount on purchases; memberships will be available at the sale. For more information about the Fall Plant Sale or the Friends of the Farm & Garden, call 459-4140.

This release is also available on the World Wide Web at UCSC's "Services for Journalists" site (http://www.ucsc.edu/news/journalist.html).

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