may 23-25, 2025: MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND annual plant sale

THE GARDEN CLUB OF KENT

480 Ravenna Rd., Streetsboro OH

• Friday, May 23 & Saturday, May 24 - 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. 

• Sunday, May 25 - 8:00 a.m. to 12 noon

**CASH OR CHECK ONLY**

Our Annual Plant Sale features THOUSANDS of plants!  You'll find nearly 40 different tomato varieties, almost all heirloom; over 500 perennials donated by club members and other local gardeners, including very reasonably priced hostas; and thousands of vegetables, herbs and flowers. Look for the tried-and-trues along with some surprises in the inventory.

FOR TOMATO LOVERS 

Tomato lovers love our plant sale! With nearly 40 varieties on our tables — slicers, paste and cherry tomatoes — you're not going to find a greater single gathering of heirlooms in Portage County. Here are just a few of the off-the-beaten-path treats you can acquire, new to this year's sale:

Arkansas Traveler - An old Southern heirloom, flavorful and hardy.

Costoluto Genovese - A fluted old Italian favorite that's been around since the early 19th century. It's a standard in Italy for both fresh eating and preserving and known for its intensely flavorful, deep red flesh. Chefs love it!

German Johnson - Very productive pink heirloom that fruits early (for those who can't stand the wait). Lots of deep, acidic tomato flavor with a rich, creamy texture.

Stupice – Pronounced “STU-peach.” It's a very early and very productive Czech variety. Deep red tomato with a nice balance of sweet/acid flavor.

Black Prince – As a Siberian native, it does well in northern climates. Full of juice and incredibly rich fruity flavors. Good for fresh-eating and cooking.

The Abe Lincoln Original - A wonderful old heirloom. It's meaty with a tiny seed core and fantastic, old-fashioned tomato flavor.

Great White - One-pound giants with creamy white fruit. “Superbly wonderful” with hints of fresh-cut pineapple, melon and guava.  

VEGETABLES + HERBS

Pretty much everything you're looking for is available at the Annual Plant Sale:

Summer and Winter Squashes - Zucchini, yellow, patty pan, butternut, acorn and pumpkin. Thrown into the mix: the tromboncino! 

Cucumbers - Burpless and Straight Eights.

Melons - Watermelon and cantaloupe.

Greens - Kale, Swiss chard and other greens.

PLUS ... Okra. Onions. Cabbage. Broccoli. Eggplant. Sweet and hot peppers. And more! 

HERBS 

Basil, rosemary, flat leaf parsley, dill, thyme and more. (If you're a cilantro fan, grow it from seed.)

FLOWERS

Look for annuals such as zinnias (California giants), cosmos, marigolds, impatiens, geraniums and begonias, along with perennials such as hollyhocks, sea holly and cardoon.  

PERENNIALS 

Our Annual Plant Sale shoppers have come to expect the fantastic assortment of perennials we offer, with over 500 available for purchase. Hostas and ground covers are hot items here.

NATIVE PERENNIALS 

New this year, the sale will have a special section for native perennials. These are pollinator-friendly plants you want in your garden.

The Garden Club of Kent Monthly Dinner Meeting

Monday, May 19, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.

United Methodist Church of Kent

1435 E. Main St., Kent 

DINNER $16

RSVP BY MAY 15 BackyardPest@gmail.com

You can attend talk only free of charge. Presentation starts around 7:15 p.m.

Perhaps your only experience with carnivorous plants is Audrey, the bloodthirsty star of the musical Little Shop of Horrors. She was a cross between a Venus flytrap and an avocado, but, of course, as far as anyone knows, that can't happen.

However, we do know there are plants in our midst that have  "meat" on their menus. Dr. Robert McMahon has been an avid carnivorous plant enthusiast since junior high school. He's looking forward to sharing his knowledge about these amazing plants in his presentation, "The Fascinating World of Carnivorous Plants" at The Garden Club of Kent's Monday, May 19 monthly dinner meeting.  

Bob will review the background of carnivorous plants, describe their three major trapping mechanisms and take a closer look at Venus flytraps, sundews and pitcher plants. He will give detailed care instructions on how to raise carnivorous plants in the home, including root media, light requirements, nutrition and dormancy requirements. 

Robert McMahon, Ph.D., is an associate professor emeritus at The Ohio State University. He earned his B.A. in biology from St. Olaf College in Minnesota and his M.S. and Ph.D. in horticulture and botany from Iowa State University. He was the coordinator of Greenhouse Production and Management Technology at OSU-ATI for 29 years, retiring in 2015. He is also a past president of Gardeners of Greater Cleveland. 

Of course, you can’t keep a good “plant geek” down. He continues to work in his retirement as a seasonal staff member of the Lakewood Garden Center. 

“I have been a 'plant geek' since second grade, when I was hooked on gardening, thanks to my parents and grandfather,” said Dr. McMahon. “My first garden consisted of a pumpkin patch that took over half of my parents’ backyard along with tomato and pepper plants, all of which produced a bountiful harvest, and I never looked back.” 

These days, Bob grows an assortment of container perennials, sensitive plants, carnivorous plants and Bonsai on his balcony in Lakewood.  

On the Dinner Menu  TBA

Cost & Reservations  The dinner is $16 per person, cash or check only. Garden Club of Kent members will be contacted by their club callers for RSVPs. Otherwise, RSVP to BackyardPest@gmail.com.

FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Wednesday, June 4, 2025 at 6:30 pm

The Garden Club of Kent, 480 Ravenna Rd., Streetsboro

RSVP REQUESTED: BackyardPest@gmail.com

It’s possible the nation has talked about eggs more in the last year than it has in the entire history of the republic. Accompanying that conversation has been a growing interest in DIYC  – that is, do-it-yourself chickens.

First, you must ask yourself: "Am I ready for this?"

You'll have a better idea if you join The Garden Club of Kent for Seth Kannberg's presentation, “Are You Ready for Backyard Chickens?” on Wednesday, June 4 at 6:30 p.m. in the Ode to Joy building on the club's grounds. The event is FREE and open to the public. RSVP is requested by June 1.

Join Seth to learn the basics of raising backyard poultry, covering key topics, including breed selection, chicken health and the needs of your very own flock. He will also go over biosecurity practices to help minimize highly pathogenic avian influenza. 

Seth will help you answer questions like these: 

- What does it take to set myself up to raise chickens? 

- What are the best breeds for "home use"? 

- How do I take good care of an egg-laying chicken?

- What are the basic equipment and space needs?  

- Do I need a rooster?

- Are there zoning issues? 

- Can I raise chickens organically? 

Melissa Davis, president of The Garden Club of Kent, raises chickens and turkeys on her property and will participate in the Q&A. She has already worked her way through the process of setting herself up to raise chickens at home and will bring a hands-on perspective to the conversation. 

Seth is the Agriculture and Natural Resources OSU Extension Educator for Portage County. He earned his bachelor's and master’s degrees from The Ohio State University.