As the weather hopefully cools off after Thursday's start of fall, not only will it become bearable again to spend time outdoors, but also beneficial for a greener more vibrant spring garden.

The fall and winter times are the best for planting new trees, bushes and plants in order to develop a strong root system for blooming season.

" Now is the perfect time to plant," said Jule-Lynne Macie, Rockdale County Extension Coordinator. "It gives the root system all through the winter to develop. Now is perfect time for roots to be developed."

With that in mind, the Rockdale County Master Gardeners are hosting their Fifth Annual Master Gardner Plant Sale and Festival on Saturday. The plant sale will feature vendors with over 1,000 plants from annuals to trees, garden items such as bird houses and planting boxes, and food vendors such as Chik-fil-A and booths selling boiled peanuts, fried pies and pop corn. The local farmer's market will also be selling items such as honey, jellies and seasonal vegetables.

The sale and festival opens at 10 a.m. and runs through 4 p.m., rain or shine at the Rockdale County Extension Office at 1400 Parker Rd. The admission to the festival as well as all the activities is free.

There will be various activities throughout the day starting with Seven Gables Chef/Owner Alain Bouzouba doing a demonstration on cooking with fall vegetables at 10:45 a.m. At 12:15 the Conyers Police Department will be doing a demonstration with a drug-sniffing K-9. That will be followed by a belly dancer at 1 p.m. and the Boy Scouts Order of the Arrow doing Indian lore at 2 p.m.

There will also be educational speakers on Azaleas, wildflowers, planting vegetables in the red clay, tree planting and more.
Children will be able to enjoy various activates such as clowns and performers.

The proceeds from the sale and festival go toward the Master Gardener's various horticultural projects in the county including a new Educational Garden which will be at the Parker Rd. facility.

The education garden will allow people to learn about various gardening and horticultural projects from the Master Gardner in a visual setting similar to a botanical garden.

For more information call the Rockdale County Extension Office at (770) 278-7373.