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For Henry County High School students, Greenhouse Technology I is a pathway to become industry-certified in plant sciences. Senior Dillon Edens completed the class for the certification, but also the opportunity to peer-tutor the class and work in the school’s greenhouse.

“I plan on going into landscaping,” Edens said.

Agricultural teacher and FFA advisor Lindsey Davie opens the greenhouse to students of the class for its value as a supervised agricultural experience.

“They are working on that still,” Davie said of the current students. “We do some classroom and work out here (in the greenhouse) as well.”

The students’ work in the greenhouse pays dividends in more ways than one.

They receive the curriculum education for greenhouse technology, but also gain experience in agricultural sales and customer service when the greenhouse opens to the public and offers for sale its array of flowers, like impatiens, marigolds, geraniums, zenias and cosmos, in addition to other plants, including a variety of tomato plants, succulents and peppers.

Davie said the class goal for annual greenhouse sales is $8,000. In the first two Friday and Saturday weekends this year before Mothers’ Day, the greenhouse rang up $6,500 in sales.

“The students work on Friday, and, so far, I’ve had a student work on Saturdays,” said Davie.

Among the best sellers this year is the Mosquito plant, that is transplanted from a stock plant in the greenhouse and propagated by its cuttings.

“They grow really big and fast,” Davie said of the plant that helps repel mosquitoes.

Depending on how much sold last week, the greenhouse may or may not be open this Friday and Saturday. But if the greenhouse is open, there might be a couple of $10 pots of wave petunias or $2 four-packs of Roma tomato plants left among the other offerings.

For Davie, 2022 has provided a welcomed return to normalcy for the greenhouse, both for curriculum purposes and horticulture sales.

In 2020, students weren’t allowed into the greenhouse because of COVID fears, which meant Davie did the work: “I transplanted every single plant myself.”

Despite the restrictions, the greenhouse grew on under the watchful thumb of Davie. Sales were still made, though, then, in 2021, sales went online through a Google form that she posted on Facebook.

Davie has taught at Henry County for 14 years now. Over her tenure, the greenhouse experience continues to develop into more than an educational tool and seasonal sales outlet: it’s a fixture.

“Our community has been very supportive,” said Davie.

She noted several community helpers with the program, like Barbara Gregory, who sells the greenhouse plants at The Tobacco Festival and “whipped my greenhouse into shape when I had maternity leave.” 

Davie also mentioned Starview Greenhouses, who are “always willing to host us for a tour and encourages the students to get involved in horticulture.”

She also related the impact that the program has had in its draw for previous students to reconnect over time. Among those is a former student, Kyle Atchison, who called to let her know he planned on opening a greenhouse down the road from her: “He had Mr. Stahl, but our students opening their own businesses is the best that we could wish for.”

She also likes for her previous students to visit the greenhouse when it’s open, so she can “get to meet their kids and see them ‘adulting’ and getting plants for their own gardens or homes. It is great to see!”  

For more information and updates about the greenhouse, Davie administers the Facebook group, Henry County High School Greenhouse.

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