Springtime is well on its way, and, with area gardeners gearing up for a fresh planting season, Lincoln County Soil and Water is preparing for its annual tree sale.

The event is scheduled for 7 a.m.-noon Thursday at the Lincoln Civic Center on Beltline Drive. Plants will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis, and Smythe Dedeaux of Lincoln County Soil and Water encourages interested buyers to arrive as early as possible.

“We usually sell out in the first couple of hours,” she said.

Roughly 200 people bought plants last year, and she expects an equally large crowd this year.

The sale highlights arboreal species well suited to the subtropical climate of Southwest Mississippi, and customers can purchase both ornamental and fruiting trees. Available species include: Red Maple, Catalpa, Red Bud, White Flowering Dogwood, Persimmon, Native Crabapple, Sawtooth Oak, Bald Cypress, White Crape Myrtle, Red Crape Myrtle, Southern Magnolia, Hardy Pecan, Blackberry, Granny Smith Apple, Belle of Georgia Peach, Bradford Pear, Burbank Plum and Keifer Pear.

Dedeaux described the seedlings as “bare root,” and she said they come in varying sizes. Each tree will be individually labeled and wrapped after purchase.

Proceeds are slated to go to educational outreach programs like the Lincoln County Soil and Water Conservation Camp. Dedeaux stressed the importance of spreading environmental awareness, and she considers the sale a great way to involve local horticulturalists in regional landscape preservation.

“We put those funds back into the community. This sale is something we don’t try to make a profit off of,” she said.

For more information on the tree sale, contact the Lincoln County Soil and Water District Office at 601-833-9321. Dial extension three and ask for Dedeaux.