Tuesday, November 27, 2018

ICYMI: Signs of xmas

25 poinsettia varieties on sale by URI Master Gardeners, Nov. 30-Dec. 1

Related imageFor those interested in holiday decorating, Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 are very big days. 

On that Friday and Saturday, the URI Master Gardeners will host their annual poinsettia sale, and 25 different poinsettia varieties will be available for purchase.

The event takes place at URI’s East Farm on Route 108 in Kingston from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 30 and 9 a.m. to noon on Dec. 1. The cost of each poinsettia is $10 while supplies last.

“The Master Gardeners have nursed the plants into a glorious display of mostly red plants, with some whites, pinks and variegated plants as well,” said Kate Venturini of the URI Cooperative Extension. “Visitors will be impressed with the size and health of the plants, as well as with their vibrant colors.”


All of the plants for sale were grown by the URI Master Gardeners as part of the North America Poinsettia Trials, a research effort to help commercial poinsettia growers learn about the growth stages, leaf structure, colors and blooms of a wide range of poinsettia varieties. 

URI is one of many sites around the country participating in the trials. The project begins when the plugs arrive from two breeders in July and are started in the Master Gardener greenhouses at East Farm. More than 100 Master Gardeners participated in the project.

Poinsettia sales support the URI Master Gardener Program’s educational services, including the Gardening and Environmental Hotline, educational kiosks, soil pH testing, public presentations and Project Open House.

For more information, call URI Cooperative Extension at 401-874-2900 or email coopext@uri.edu.