Master Gardeners host Garden Fair 2025

Indiana gardeners are finally seeing signs of spring!  

We’re checking our garden tools, thumbing our seed catalogs, eyeing this year‘s garden spot, and planning our gardening strategies. And we’re marking our calendars for the annual Garden Fair, hosted by the Putnam County Master Gardener Association.

The Garden Fair 2025 will be on Saturday, March 15, at the Putnam County Fairgrounds from 8 AM to 3 PM. It’s free, it’s open to the public, and it’s a terrific time to think about gardening, whether you’re an expert or a novice. There are things to buy, speakers to hear, and experts to talk to.

Plan to shop! Vendors will be selling everything related to gardening, including seeds and bare root plants, herbs, flowers, shrubs, and ornamental trees. There will be vendors selling soil, worm castings, pottery, yard art, skin care products, clothing, leather goods, bee-raising equipment and honey products. There will also be bird houses and squirrel feeders and bat houses for sale.

For bird lovers, birding groups will be there to talk with folks who are interested in birdwatching. Quail Forever will be there to offer free cover crop and pollinator seeds to help the quail population recover, and the Hendricks County Bluebird Society will help people who are interested in protecting our bluebird populations. 

Be sure to bring your garden tools that need sharpening. Drop off your favorite pruners and hedge trimmers, etc. to get them back into tiptop shape for the new gardening season. 

Plan to visit the Master Gardeners’ garage sale, where you’ll find gently used garden-related items at bargain prices. 
Come hungry and plan to buy lunch and snacks that have been prepared by the Master Gardeners’ best cooks.
Throughout the day, there will be expert speakers who will be discussing various gardening topics.

Container Gardening– – 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM – – Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp, popular author who is known as the Hoosier Gardener.
Tree Selection, Planting and Care in the Un-Natural Environment – – 10 AM to 11 AM – – Ben McAllister.
Dazzling Dahlias – – 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM – – Barb Pantos
Pollinator-Friendly Native Plants – – 1 PM to 2 PM – – Carrie Little.

The Putnam County Master Gardeners host this annual event because they want to encourage people to discover gardening, improve their skills, raise food for their families, and create beautiful green spaces. The funds the Master Gardeners raise go towards scholarships and community educational events. 

Plan to attend this year’s Garden Fair 2025 on March 15. Spend the day learning from gardening experts, shopping vendors of all kinds, and visiting with folks who just love gardening. More info can be found at: https://extension.purdue.edu/county/putnam/garden-fair.html .

If you are in need of accommodations to attend this program, please contact Jenna at 765-653-8411 or smith535@purdue.edu. If you need an interpreter or translator, please contact Jenna at 765-653-8411. 

Visit our homepage at www.extension.purdue.edu/putnam or you can contact the local Purdue Extension Office by calling 765.653.8411 for more information regarding this week’s column topic or to RSVP for upcoming events. It is always best to call first to assure items are ready when you arrive and to RSVP for programs. While many publications are free, some do have a fee. Purdue University is an equal access/equal opportunity institution. All times listed are Eastern Time.

Upcoming Events:            
Mar. 15 – Garden Fair, 8 am – 3 pm, fairgrounds, speakers throughout the day  
Mar. 18 & 25 – Navigating Farmland Inheritance webinar, 7-9 pm, $25, register at 
                Cvent.me/xABXmR 
Mar. 29 – Chainsaw Safety & Tree Felling Training, 9 am – 12:30 pm, Greencastle, $5 
                (max class of 20), register in advance @ Extension Office 
Mar. 24, 31, Apr. 7, & 14 – Roots of the Future: A Succession Planning Program for 
              Sustainable Land Stewardship (webinar series), 7-8:30 pm, $25, register at 
              https://purduesuccession2025.eventbrite.com