This week, George Rogers Clark High School agriculture students cleaned the greenhouse, picked dead bulbs from the various plants and started preparing for their 2018 plant sale.

The sale begins at 8 a.m. Monday, with all proceeds supporting the agriculture and Future Farmers of America program at the school. The greenhouse will be open to buyers from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays.

There are various vegetables and flowers for sale, including geraniums, begonias, impatiens, million bells, herbs, tomatoes and peppers.

The students are also selling hanging baskets and porch pots.

Terra Pigg, an agriculture teacher at GRC, said for those buying a plant, it’s important to know how to take care of it. She said plant owners should to know what the specific plant needs, how much sunlight, how much water, etc.

Pigg also said many people forget to fertilize or feed their plant, but that’s a crucial step to a plant’s prolonged survival.

Senior Breanna Epperson said she had learned a lot while working in the greenhouse, and she prefers it to other classes.

“It’s relaxing to plant and see them grow,” Epperson said.

Sophomore Gracen Rogers said the hardest part, though, is when a plant dies.

“It’s sad cause you spent so much time planting and taking care of it,” Rogers said.

Pigg said the ag program has sold plants since the 1990s. The students do all of the sowing, planting and maintenance in the greenhouse.

“We are trying to train them to go out into the industry, and so this is industry driven,” Pigg said. “It’s much like a business; we’re teaching them the business essentials they need. At the same time, we’re teaching them how to do basic plant care. If they don’t go into the industry, then can still take that home with them.”