Consider seeing if the newspaper will publish a story about all of the great skills that your students are learning in the greenhouse with a couple photos. Then you could run a small companion ad that tells about the sale. Have your students produce the story. It can provided needed human interest stories. Tell how the students learned how to grow large planters, stunning hanging baskets, healthier and stockier vegetable crops, etc. Have the English teacher look over the article. You don't want to embarrass your paper or your program with a poorly written article.
Radio can be a positive way to do a similar piece. Have your students develop a human interest story that could be run, with a short plug for the sale.
Next question is who should do the marketing, of course it should be the students.
When you are selecting varieties of bedding plants and vegetables to plant consider proven varieties. Go to the University Research and Extension in your state and find the varieties that they recommend. They have grown the plants accross the state and have determined plants that will thrive in your conditions.
In Kansas, we have the Prairie Star collection and the Prairie Bloom (perennials) collection. We also have the Recommended Vegetable Varieties that are proven successful. Nationally, you can look at the All American Selections. You could also grow Proven Winners. Follow all regulations in advertising either of these.
Also, I like the idea of planting a variety of plants. It is a learning experience for your students, and it is a community service for your buyers. You can teach them about herbs, perennials, etc. Baskets that work well include impatiens (Super Elfin), petunias (Wave), houseplants (wandering jews, swedish ivy, babys tears) and even try some compact vegetables (cucumbers, tomatoes, strawberries).
Geraniums can be good sellers, but remember that it is a learning experience for your students and don't fill your greenhouse with a few varieties that sell well. Have fun, and experiement.
(View the PowerPoint on Benches in Commercial Greenhouses by John Biernbaum, to give a perspective on benching.) It is linked on this site.
There are several issues to consider in maximizing the growing space in your greenhouse. How can you have greatest amount of growing space and reduce wasted space, due to space used for activities, equipment and supply storage. Benches that are devoted to general labor such as potting, transplanting, etc. waste space. If possible do much of this work in a head house, or in the classroom, if the greenhouse is attached. I have also seen greenhouses connected to a shop, and much work was done on shop benches. Space devoted to separated soil bins wastes space. If you have moved to a rolling plastic trash can, you can move the growing media right to the location where you are working. Also having a soil sterilizer in the greenhouses takes up space, considering it will only be used a couple times a semester. If you don’t have a sterilizer then don’t buy one. It is not cost effective to sterilize such small quantities of growing media.
Also don’t store supplies in the greenhouse. Utilize a head house, or if you don’t have one create large storage shelving in the corner of your shop or storeroom. Boxes will fall apart due to high humidity.
©2007 Clark R. Harris
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