Hello from the RCCF Nursery! 

Spring 2021 is here and the Ramsey County Correctional Facility (RCCF) will again be hosting its Volunteers In Corrections (VIC) Annual Spring Plant sale this year, despite some unusual conditions! The sale will begin Friday April 30th at 8:00 am, at 297 Century Avenue S, Maplewood.  Please use the Lower Afton Road entrance (look for the greenhouses and follow the signs for parking).

The nursery has been unable to use traditional inmate help this year due to a reduced population and the COVID pandemic, so the work has been getting done by staff and a very eager, diverse group of volunteers.  Family, friends, VIC members, and master gardeners have all contributed time and effort to ensure that we are able to do this event again.  This will be our 20th anniversary sale!  It has certainly grown and evolved over the years. 

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A few things to note:  Prices will remain mostly steady, a few items did go up in price slightly to reflect increased costs and inflation.  Due to the pandemic it was very difficult to source soil, pots, baskets and even plants at times this spring.  The pandemic has held up supplies all over the world and the nursery industry as a whole, has been particularly hard hit.  If you are a regular customer of ours, you may notice some changes in pot sizes and designs, as some of the things we have used in the past were just not available this season, however, all in all, most things will remain the same.  We will continue to provide a huge selection of mixed color, mixed species baskets and pots that you just can’t find at the big box stores and we remain competitively priced.  The most expensive item we have for sale is only $50 (very large 21” pots and 16” baskets)!  Other sizes include 10”, 11”, 12”, and 14” baskets.  Our deck pot sizes are 10”, 11”, 13”, and 16”, as well as our usual “specialty pots” of varying sizes.  We will also feature more of the popular 6 pack annuals, single 2.5” pot veggies and herbs, herb gardens, succulent gardens, and hundreds of climbing, vining Thunbergia, Mandavilla and Dipladenia.

Sales dates this year will start on April 30th and in an effort to mitigate the number of customers at the nursery at any one time, we will again offer extended dates.  Covid protocols will still be in place.  We will have hand sanitizer available, and we ask that you please wear a mask, and social distance when/where you are able to.

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We will be open Wednesday – Sunday.

Sale dates are as follows:

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​     If needed, we may be open May 26-30.

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Remember, we grow all of our own material on sight, and we do not bring anything in to replenish stock.  So, when we run out of things for the season, they are sold out.  Some items are “1 of a kind” or only a handful of combinations, many are unique… So, shop early, shop often and fill your yard with beautiful color.

 - RCCF Nursery Manager Sean Uslabar

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