DIG plant propagation for the 2027 Plant Sale begins in September, when members gather to turn healthy cuttings into thousands of plants. Long before shoppers arrive in May, DIG members are already learning, working, and growing together.
September marks the start of Delta Informal Gardeners’ propagation season and the beginning of preparations for the 2027 DIG Plant Sale. The sale will be held in May on the Saturday before Mother’s Day, but producing thousands of healthy plants takes months of planning, teamwork, and care.
Learning How to Grow a New Plant
On Saturday, September 19, DIG members will take part in a hands-on Learn to Propagate class led by Robin at DIG’s Garden.
DIG primarily uses asexual plant propagation—the process of producing a new plant from part of an existing plant rather than growing it from seed. For this project, members will mostly work with stem cuttings.
During the class, members will learn how to:
● Select healthy plants and suitable stems
● Make and prepare a proper cutting
● Remove leaves that would be below the growing medium
● Apply rooting hormone correctly
● Place the cutting into perlite
● Provide the moisture, warmth, light, and protection needed for roots to develop
The newly prepared cuttings will be kept in a protected propagation area while they form roots and grow strong enough for the next stage.
From a Cutting to 4,000 Plants
Plant propagation is one of DIG’s largest annual group projects. Club members help produce approximately 4,000 plants for the Plant Sale.
The propagation area will be set up on September 12. Robin’s class follows on September 19, and weekly propagation sessions begin September 26. Members will gather every Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to noon at DIG’s Garden through mid-November.
These mornings are about more than producing plants. Experienced gardeners share what they know, newer members gain hands-on experience, and everyone has an opportunity to get better acquainted. There is plenty of socializing—and some of the best snacks this side of Mount Diablo.
Growing Plants and Building Community
The annual Plant Sale is an important DIG tradition, but the months leading up to it are equally valuable. Members work together, learn practical gardening skills, and help grow the plants that local gardeners will take home the following spring.
The propagation class and weekly Saturday sessions are DIG member activities. Members participating in the September 19 class should bring clean clippers, gardening gloves, and healthy, pest-free cuttings from home.
Interested in hands-on gardening, learning from other local gardeners, and becoming part of projects like this one? Visit https://deltainformalgardeners.org/ to learn more about Delta Informal Gardeners.
The 2027 Plant Sale may still be months away, but its story starts now—with a cutting, a group of gardeners, and a Saturday morning at DIG’s Garden.