school program, time must be made not only for propaga- tion, but also for the necessary transplanting, watering (weekends, too!), and maintenance of “weeds” (or what we horticulturists call “volunteer plants!”). How you strategize for weekend watering depends on your student demograph- ics; however, options include installing timers for sprinklers or setting up a system wherein students, teachers, mainte- nance staff, or others can volunteer to lighten the weekend load. As they say in real estate, “location, location, location.”


The sale should take place at or near where the plants are stored to logistically reduce time spent transporting mate- rials to and from the sale site. The site also needs to have strong visibility to help build momentum as you begin to set up in the days prior to the sale. Also consider the visual set-up of the sale. Placing plants straight on the ground does not work well aesthetically; having them on pallets or tables made from pallets looks more organized. Wood benches and picnic tables work well, too. A simple arrangement is to have plants on pallets spaced 3–5 inches apart, with metal fence posts to serve as structures for laminated plant signs that can be zip-tied to the posts. Simple foldout tables can also do the trick and are easily managed for transportation by students.


Plant propagation & sourcing


If you are working on a constrained budget, propagation costs of plants from lowest to highest are as follows:


1. seeds, cuttings, divisions, and donated plants from com- munity members (with the caveat that the exact name and cultivar should ideally be known) A great time to approach retail centers for donations is after the growing season, as they reduce stock to make room for holiday items. Keep in mind that donated specimens might not look great at first; however, with time and skilled effort, many plants can be transformed.


2. purchased seeds and plants to become stock for cuttings (with the caveat to be cautious of ebay & Etsy sources, as their plants are sometimes overpriced and incorrectly labeled)


3. bulk bulbs for bagging and starter plants in plugs, liners, and tublings


“Tubling” is the name for starter tree seedlings that come in a tube. If you have already had a successful plant sale and can either project your sales, access a small fund, or establish terms of credit with a wholesaler, then the starter plant route is a huge time saver. Starter plant plugs and liners typically come in trays of 32, 50, or 72 plants and average about $45 a tray. It is highly recom- mended to purchase starter plants from a grower in your geographic region to ensure that you receive eco-types from your specific grow zone.


You obviously need soil and containers. I never once had to pay for containers, as we partnered with several landscaping companies to acquire all of their one-, two-, and three-gallon pots. Avoid growing plants larger than three gallons because anything larger requires too much soil. Economically, four- and one-gallon-sized plants are the easiest to manage. Be cautious of allowing people to drop off their old containers.


Even though you might specify sizes, you always receive sizes and trays that you do not need. Sterilizing containers is suggested as a best-management practice and can easily be accomplished with a 55-gallon trash can full of water, Clo- rox, and liquid dish soap. Regarding soil, a 64-quart bags should be about $12 and


allow you to pot 27 one-gallon plants. Because soil is not highly regulated, purchasing a known brand is the preferred option. Pro-mix is a very reliable soil with several mixes available to meet your specific grow requirements. Purchas- ing soil wholesale from a garden supply company expands your budget significantly. Check with the supplier first on how they would deliver it. If you have the ability to unload a pallet of bagged soil (Most companies have a forklift on the truck.) and store the soil, then this is probably the most economical and logistically feasible option. Vermiculite and perlite also need to be factored in for propagation of seeds and cuttings, and the materials for this can usually be sourced from the soil provider. Your work area becomes wet, so remember that vermiculite and perlite must be stored in dry containers; a 55-gallon bin should do the trick.


Labor, partnerships, volunteers, & service learning


“Work smarter, not harder” was always our approach, and it significantly helped reduce our efforts. While students should be involved in all aspects of the program, forging partnerships can potentially result in donated materials and on-hand expert advice. As there are nearly 400 botanical gardens and arboreta in the U.S. alone, the chance that one exists in your area is high. Collaborating with these institu- tions enhances your credibility, while providing these insti- tutions with community engagement, which is often a key component of their educational missions. A low-hanging fruit is that many schools today require service-learning components, so crafting opportunities for students to per- form meaningful work (e.g., transplanting) opens the door for a vast pool of resource help. And lastly, connecting with master gardeners, horticulture extension agents, and parents increases learning opportunities and connections for stu- dents and allows you to have knowledgeable help on hand for the big sale day!


Marketing


Where and how you market only serves to increase your sales. Try to go beyond the typical school modes of com- munication (newsletters, email blasts, and flyers sent home with students). Connect with your partners, including master gardeners and local garden clubs. If your community has a free weekly newspaper dedicated to “what’s going on,” then posting there is always a must and the expense is minimal to free. Having parents post within their places of work and neighborhood associations is heavily underutilized and it can increase your clientele. Lastly, don’t forget social media. Involving all teachers in posting increases your audience. As your credibility for having quality specimens increases, people start to pay attention. Informational signage is also a key component to


increasing your credibility. Pertinent details to include for each plant are as follows: scientific (Latin) and common English name, flowering season, and growth conditions,


Green Teacher 126 Page 43


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