Eastern Iowa plant sales sprouting early

Plant sales, where gardeners can find locally grown perennials and other plants that perform well in Iowa, are off to an early start this year.

Tender plants, such as tomatoes, peppers and annual flowers, should wait to be planted outside until after the final frost, but others, including native plants, can successfully be planted in April.

Read about the Three Frozen Kings frost warning legend

Following are Eastern Iowa spring plant sales for 2025. Leave a comment if you know of others.

Scotch Grove Country Church Farmers Market & Bazaar will feature plant sales from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, April 11, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 12, at 15791 95^th Ave., Scotch Grove. Also find crafts, baked goods, jewelry and more from local artisans.

Easter Showcase at the Noelridge Greenhouse, includes a plant sale from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 19, and Sunday, April 20; 4900 Council St. NE, Cedar Rapids. Shop local vendors including the Hosta and Orchid societies, Linn County Master Gardeners and more! Friends of Noelridge will be selling houseplants and natives as well as whimsical Fairy Gardens.

Save CR Heritage Home & Garden Sale, 9-11 a.m. Saturday, April 26; J.E. Halvorson House, 606 Fifth Ave. SE, next to Kathy’s Pies in Cedar Rapids. Find rain lilies, Aztec lilies, ferns, Peruvian daffodils, Golden Cutleaf Sumac, canna, “Autumn Joy” sedum, grape hyacinth and more! Also, garden figurines, ladders and gates to support vines, windows to create cold frames, and garden accessories. Cash or check preferred. Proceeds benefit the early-1900s J.E. Halvorson House, where the sale is held. Parking available in back. www.facebook.com/savecrheritage

Plants and garden decor will be sold from 9-11 a.m. Saturday, April 26, 2025, at the Save CR Heritage Home and Garden sale. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Penn Garden Club, 2-6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 1, Penn Elementary School, 230 N Dubuque St., North Liberty. Native flowers and grasses, rooted houseplants, veggies: tomatoes and peppers. Cash or Venmo to Penn PTO only.

Grinnell Farm to Table’s Community Plant Sale, 4-7 p.m. Friday, May 2, 1032 Main St., Grinnell. Greenhouse plants, annuals, perennials, flowers, vegetables, herbs and grasses.

Indian Creek Nature Center Annual Spring Plant and Art Sale, 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 3; 5300 Otis Rd SE, Cedar Rapids. Wildflowers, hosta, geraniums, perennials, prairie plants and more, plus milkweed for monarch caterpillars, seedlings and seed packets, garden accessories, home decor and art. Proceeds support educational programs. https://indiancreeknaturecenter.org/gallery/spring-plant-sale/

Field to Family fundraiser, 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 3; 431 Elmridge Ave., Iowa City. Prairie plants, edibles, shade plants and many others, contributed from area gardeners in the community. Proceeds will be donated to the nonprofit Field to Family.

Cultivate Hope Spring Plant Sale, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 3; Cultivate Hope Urban Farm, 437 G Ave. NW, Cedar Rapids. Greenhouse-grown fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers, plus locally-grown annual and perennial plants and tools sale. https://www.matthew-25.org/event/cultivate-hope-spring-plant-sale-2/

Native Plant Sale by Johnson County Conservation and Johnson County Master Gardeners, 9 a.m. to noon Sunday, May 4; Kent Park, 2048 Highway 6 NW, Oxford, Iowa. One of four native plant sales in 2024, along with June 1, Aug. 3 and Sept. 7. Each sale happens concurrently with a Native Plant Speaker Series. Registration for the speaker series is required. Native plants vendor is Troutleaf Native Plants. Registration: https://www.mycountyparks.com/County/Johnson/Park/JOHNSON-COUNTY-EDUCATION-PROGRAMS/Events/26707/Native-Plant-Series-Native-Grasses-Sedges-Spring-Ephemerals

Iowa Humane Alliance 4-Day Plant Sale: 4-7 p.m. Thursday, May 8 and Friday, May 9 and 10-4 Saturday, May 10 and 10-2 Sunday, May 11; next to Saint Rescue, 1200 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids. Hanging flower baskets and containers, hostas, perennials, vegetable plants, herbs, succulents, house plants and more. All proceeds support lifesaving IHA programs and services. Grow plants, not pet populations. https://iowahumanealliance.org/events/plant-sale

Iowa County Master Gardeners annual plant sale, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 10; American Legion Hall, 1669 Court Ave., Marengo, located just west of Gateway Park and Arboretum. Vegetable plants, perennials, annuals, tree seedlings and more, including mini educational sessions. Cash and local checks only.

Linn County Master Gardeners annual Spring Plant Sale, 4-7 p.m. Friday, May 9, and 8-noon Saturday, May 10; Lowe Park Arts and Environment Center, 4500 N. 10^th St., Marion. Vegetables, herbs and annual flowers started and tended by Master Gardener volunteers in the greenhouse at Lowe Park, plus perennials and native plants propagated from heirlooms from Master Gardeners’ home gardens. All proceeds go towards educational programming and community/donation gardens.

Seed Savers Exchange Heirloom Plant Sale, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, May 9, and Saturday, May 10, Lillian Goldman Center, Heritage Farm, 3074 N. Winn Rd., Decorah. All plants grown from open-pollinated, untreated, non-hybrid, non-GMO seeds! Select from dozens of heirloom vegetable, herb, and flower plant varieties. Proceeds support Seed Savers Exchange’s nonprofit work to save and share open-pollinated seeds. Visit: https://seedsavers.org/events/heirloom-plant-sale/ for plant list.

Plants for the Bird House, 8-11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 10; 2608 Bluffwood Circle, Iowa City. Bedding plants, hosta, perennials, hanging baskets, garden items, house plants. Check or cash only. Proceeds benefit the Bird House, a residential hospice home.

Johnson County Master Gardeners 15th annual Plant Sale & Flea Market, 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 10; Johnson County Fairgrounds, 3109 Hwy. 218 South, Iowa City. Perennial flowers, vegetables and herbs, shrubs and woody plants as well as flea market items and gift selections.

Feed Iowa First’s Annual Plant Sale fundraiser, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 10; NewBo City Market, 1100 Third St. SE, Cedar Rapids. Flowers, herbs and vegetable plants. Pre-orders: https://form.jotform.com/250960696298170