Activity Schedule

Talks and Demonstrations

Planting a Container Garden
11:00 AM
Learn about growing food in small spaces via a live demo from Master Gardener MyLisa Flowers-Shipanga!

Let's Talk Salsa! Tips for Growing Your Tomatoes and Peppers
12:00 PM
Learn about best practices for growing peppers and tomatoes so you are ready to make your own salsa this summer! Through this demo with Master Gardener Michelle Sipics, you will learn about different types of tomatoes and what variety is best for your space, best watering and soil practices, and strategies for controlling tomato blight!

How to Build a Worm Bin!
1:00 PM
Learn about vermicomposting via a live demo from Master Gardener Wes Claffee! In this demo, you will learn: 
- What is vermicomposting, why is it important, and who is it for?
- How to create a worm bin
- Details about how vermicomposting works, and what worms need to thrive
- Common problems and how to troubleshoot
- How to harvest worm castings and use them in the garden
- Information about an invasive species new to Pennsylvania, the Jumping Worm

You will have a chance to win a pre-made worm bin, including starter worms, after the demo!

Demonstration: Free
Raffle tickets: $5.00 (cash only)

Kid Zone

Ongoing from 10 AM to 2 PM

Paper Seed Pots
Use biodegradable recycled materials to create a paper pot for seedlings. After your seeds sprout, these pots can be directly planted into the soil.

Make Your Own Pollinator Seed Ball
Make your own flower seed ball and paper seed pot while learning about the butterfly life cycle, monarch migration, and the importance of supporting butterfly habitat.

Garden Scavenger Hunt
Explore the gardens around the Horticulture Center with an English and Spanish language scavenger hunt.

Reading Corner
Join the Free Library of Philadelphia to read stories from our collection of plant- and garden-themed picture books. Perfect for young children or those who need some quiet time.

Bee and Butterfly Masks
Transform into your favorite pollinator! Kids can color and decorate their own bee or butterfly mask to take home.

Walking Tours

Edible Garden tour
10:30 AM
Take a tour through our edible garden, managed by the Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Philadelphia. The garden is just waking up for spring, but check out our early-season veggies and hear about our big plans for summer. Our garden is our classroom! As you tour it, you will experience pollinators fluttering, vegetables growing through intensive cultivation, smell edible flowers in bloom, and the aromatic sensation from our herb collection. Children and adults alike will leave inspired to grow food and eat in a healthier way.

Food Forest tour
11:30 AM
Take a tour of the Food Forest and see fruiting trees, shrubs and an edible understory working together. Established in 2014 as a collaboration with the Master Gardeners, Philadelphia Orchard Project, and Philadelphia Parks & Rec, many of the plants are at their mature peak and producing significant yields every year. The Food Forest is a short walk from the plant sale.

Pollinator Garden tour
12:30 PM
The garden features dozens of species of native flowering shrubs and plants, and some early bloomers will be out. The key to supporting pollinators is to have pollen and nectar sources throughout the growing season. We hope you will make regular visits to the garden to see what's in bloom. Stay for a weeding demonstration, learn about identifying invasive plants in the garden, and help remove them.

Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center tour
1:30 PM
Shofuso was built in Japan in 1953 using traditional techniques and materials. It was moved to West Fairmount Park in 1958. This historic site and museum includes a hill and pond garden with a tiered waterfall, an island, and koi fish, a tea garden featuring a traditional tea house, and a courtyard garden leading to a bathhouse.

This is a special, free tour with Shofuso staff for the Garden Day & Plant Sale. 20 people max. First come, first served.

Information Tables

All information tables will be present from 10 AM - 2 PM.

All About Native Bees
What's the difference between honey bees and native bees? Why is bee diversity so important? Master Gardener and Planet Bee educator Melissa Marazas will answer these questions and more. Swing by to meet some Mason bees live!

Ask A Master Gardener
Tulip troubles? Composting conundrum? Seedling struggles? Our experienced Master Gardeners will be available to answer all your gardening questions.

Composting 101
Learn the ins and outs of how compost contributes to soil health. You'll find information on what can go in compost, basic requirements to make a compost pile, and local resources for compost collection for those who do not have the space to make their own. We will also have info about building your own vermiculture compost bin (aka: worms!).

Don't Call It Dirt!
Soil has been called "the living skin of the earth." Find out why, and what soil type, pH, and other soil characteristics are so important to successful gardening. Learn how to test your soil and pickup a soil testing kit from Penn State.

Free Library of Philadelphia
Info coming soon!

Gardening for Pollinators
Learn from Master Gardeners how to best support our beloved bees, butterflies, and other insects so they, in turn, can pollinate our gardens. Pollinators are most attracted to the native plants they have evolved with and are adapted to. Our partner table on native plants can help you select key species to include in your garden.

Growing Mushrooms with the Philadelphia Mycology Club
The Philadelphia Mycology Club is a diverse group of novice and experienced mycophiles who work with other environmental groups in and around Philadelphia to provide free and accessible mushroom guidance in an urban setting and to work towards our common goals of environmental justice. Stop by their table to learn more about all things mushroom as well as about their foraging forays, guided walks, workshops, in-person and virtual lectures, social events, and trash clean-ups year round.

Herbal Teas and Smelling Herbs
Learn how to grow herbs for making tea. You will get to see and smell the different herbs and learn about their unique properties.

Insects Are Your Friends!
Insects and invertebrates play vital roles in our ecosystem: as pollinators, food sources for wildlife, pest predators, and decomposers. Learn how we can support them in our home gardens.

Native Plants for Your Garden
Learn about native plants and the benefits they provide even in our urban setting. We will explain the differences between native, non-native, and invasive plants that are found in our area. Get tips on the best types of native plants for all sun and light conditions, and how to incorporate native plants into your home garden, whether a backyard or a collection of pots.

Natural Dye with Laura Hricko and Cait Nolan
Learn about how plants can be used to dye fabric and paper with artist Laura Hricko, who is an artist, educator, and lifelong Philadelphian dedicated to the conviction that art is transformative and capable of enriching the lives of all people. Laura's artistic practice involves various fiber arts techniques, including sewing, quilting, embroidery, and textile surface design. Laura has been captivated by the processes of natural dyeing, which allow her to feel a connection with nature and history, as she employs these ancient craft techniques to coax color from homegrown, foraged, and food-waste natural dye sources. linktr.ee/Lauravhricko IG handle: @lauravhricko

Penn State Extension 4-H and Integrated Pest Management Programs
"Protect Yourself... But Protect the Pollinators Too!" is a hands-on STEM activity where youth ages 8–12 learn how to stay safe from ticks and mosquitoes while also protecting beneficial pollinators. Through an interactive sorting game, participants explore safe repellent practices and pollinator-friendly prevention tips.

Penn State Extension Master Watershed Stewards
The Penn State Master Watershed Steward program was established to strengthen local capacity for management and protection of watersheds, streams, and rivers by educating and empowering volunteers across the commonwealth in watershed protection and education. Stop by their table to learn more!

Philadelphia Beekeeper's Guild   
Learn about sustainable urban beekeeping and the importance of bees to our environment. Stop by to taste varieties of local honey during our honey tasting workshop!

Temple University Institute on Disabilities - Garden Accessibility Working Group
If you are a gardener with a disability or work with gardeners with disabilities, learn about information resources and adaptive technologies to make gardening accessible.