Gardeners, DIYers, and outdoor enthusiasts are invited to the 8th annual Tools & Treasures three-day fundraising event supporting local gardening education. This shopping event will take place Thursday, March 26, through Saturday, March 28, 2026, offering a wide selection of affordable gardening and outdoor items.

Proceeds from the event support the educational outreach efforts of the Sedgwick County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer program.

Shop new and gently used gardening tools, supplies, garden art, landscape décor, and more! Last year’s fundraiser supported over 29,400 hours of volunteer time and reached 1 in 5 Sedgwick County residents through educational outreach.

The fundraiser will be held at the Sedgwick County Extension Education Center (inside 4-H Hall), located at 7001 W. 21st Street N. in Wichita. Event hours are:

• Thursday, March 26: 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
• Friday, March 27: 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
• Saturday, March 28: 7:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Support a great cause while discovering amazing finds to add to your garden! Visit our website to learn more and see the full sale schedule.

For most trees and shrubs, early spring is a great time to prune, however, the ideal time to prune can vary depending on the specific type of tree or shrub. When evaluating when to prune a tree or shrub, first determine when the plant’s flowers are in full bloom.

If the plant blooms in early spring (such as redbud, crabapple, lilac, magnolia, forsythia, or quince), consider waiting to prune until immediately after the plant finishes flowering (mid-April to mid-May). Pruning these plants before they bloom will not damage the tree or shrub but will reduce the number of spring blooms the plant has.

If the plant blooms in the summer or fall months (such as butterfly bush, crape myrtle, rose of sharon, catalpa, golden raintree, or linden), late winter to early spring is generally the best time to prune. These plants will bloom on new growth that is produced in the spring, so pruning while dormant will not significantly reduce the number of flowers that growing season.

If flowering is not a concern, late winter through early spring (late February through early April), before new growth begins is the best time to prune most deciduous trees. Without leaves, a tree’s structure is easy to evaluate and improve with pruning. This also allows for the quickest wound healing, helping to prevent disease and decay within the tree.

Like any good rule, there are always a few exceptions:

• Oak trees are best pruned when dormant in the early winter months (December through February) to reduce the risk of spreading Oak Wilt disease while pruning.
• Trees with heavy spring sap flow (such as River Birch, Maple, or Elm), may be pruned mid-summer to reduce the mess of bleeding pruning cuts. While this excess sap flow is not damaging to the tree, it can create an undesired and preventable mess.

Evergreens (such as pine, spruce, or juniper) are best pruned in early summer (May to June) as the new growth develops. Most evergreens cannot develop new growth from the interior of the plant, so plant size has to be managed by pruning evergreen growth as it develops and expands.

Most gardeners have seeds from past gardening seasons. Whether they were extra seeds leftover at the end of the row, seeds collected from the garden, or gifts from other gardeners, the question that remains is this: will these olds seeds still grow?

Seeds, just like the plants they come from, are living things. This means that even though they sit in a dormant state, waiting for the ideal conditions to start growing, they are alive and impacted by their storage conditions. The longer a seed is stored, the more the quality of that seed decreases, and the less likely it is to grow. Heat, humidity, moisture, and temperature fluctuations the seed is exposed to during storage only further decrease a seed’s lifespan.

Most seeds, when stored well, can easily be saved for one year and still germinate, or sprout from the seed and grow well. Seeds stored for three to four years often experience a significant decrease in their ability to germinate, however when stored in ideal conditions, some seeds can survive ten or more years in storage and still germinate. Since there is so much variability in how long a seed can be stored, it is best to test old seeds before planting.

To test if old seeds are still worth planting, gather up a paper towel, plastic bag or container, and some water for an easy, at-home experiment. Here is what you will do:

1. Start by taking a couple of sheets of paper towel and dampen them with water. Wring out any excess water and lay the paper towel out flat.
2. Place 10 or more seeds on one-half of the damp paper towel. The more seeds tested, the more accurate the results, however, only plan to use a portion of the total seeds available.
3. Fold the paper towel over the seeds, covering the seeds, and place it in a plastic bag or container. Seal the bag to trap in the moisture. Consider labeling the bag with the date and type of seed tested.
4. Place the bag in a warm location of the house, such as on top of the refrigerator, in a sunny window, or over a heating vent. Warm temperatures above 70oF will speed up germination.
5. Check the seeds every few days for signs of germination and see if additional water is needed to keep the paper towel damp. Most seeds will germinate within 5-10 days, however some seeds may take slightly longer.

Determine the germination rate of the seeds by counting the number of seeds that have started to grow and divide that number by the total number of seeds tested on the paper towel. Multiply by 100 to determine the % germination rate.

A germination rate of 90% or above is excellent for most seed species. Germination rates between 70-80% are still acceptable, and common for many types of seeds. For seeds within this range, consider planting a few additional seeds to offset the lower germination rate. If your germination rate is 50-60% or less, it will probably be best to purchase new seeds for the upcoming growing season.

When the germination test is over, most often seeds from the test are disposed of. Seedlings are extremely delicate as their first root (called a radicle) emerges, and handling and seed counting may damage the radicle. If the emerging roots or shoots are damaged, the plant will not survive. If the seed can be handled carefully, without damaging the emerging plant, the seeds can be planted in the garden or in pots for transplanting outside later. This will be most easily accomplished with larger seeds, such as sunflowers, pumpkins, or squash.