FFA students grow success

Rayna Glass
Rayna.glass@jpinews.com

A student waters plants in preparation for greenhouse sales to begin.

The weather outside is frightful, but before you know it, it will be time to make your garden and patio look
delightful, which means it is almost time for Hart County High School FFA to begin selling the products of
months of students’ hard work in the greenhouse!
Beginning in October FFA students begin their work in the greenhouse with ferns and cuttings from a
variety of plants, and by January they start seeding annual bedding plants. Often the variety of annuals is
upwards of 30, with a great deal of time dedicated to transplanting seedlings to containers in preparation to
sell in the spring.
They also grow a large selection of vegetables- tomatoes, peppers, etc, as well as prepare hanging baskets,
patio pots, and offer custom planting to customers with their own containers.
The FFA’s greenhouse courses offer students the ability to not only learn how to grow and care for a
variety of plants, but to gain experience in marketing products to sell by taking an active role in the process.
Students are involved in the advertising process, whether it be print, radio, or social media.
The business education extends past the ad and to customer service as well, as students work with members
of the community to make sure their needs and requests are met during real world sales applications.
Toward the end of April the greenhouse will be open for the community to shop, from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
All proceeds received allow for the purchase of materials and plants so that the program can continue the
following school year and grow the opportunities available to students through the FFA Horticulture
program.
For more information, contact Shawn Murphy or Ashley Thomas at the high school.

A sample of the flowers available in the FFA greenhouse.

Sweet banana peppers are just one of the many vegetables offered.