Student-Led, Student-Grown: Horticulture Students Host Annual Plant Sale at York College

Students in the Appell Environmental Horticulture Program at York College of Pennsylvania are taking their classroom skills to the community with a special Plant Sale on Friday, May 2, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The sale will be held in the Appell Horticulture Center parking lot; in the event of inclement weather, it will move indoors.

The Plant Sale showcases the work of Environmental Horticulture students, who have been responsible for every aspect of the project — from selecting plant varieties and cultivating them, to handling marketing and preparing for the event. Visitors will find a wide range of plants available for purchase, including perennials, pollinator plants, annuals, succulents, and vegetables.

The idea for the sale began in 2023 when Dr. Jason Smith, Assistant Professor of Environmental Horticulture, saw an opportunity to turn a class project into a real-world learning experience. "When students are growing so many plants as part of their coursework, it only made sense to find an outlet for their work — and a plant sale was the perfect solution," Dr. Smith said.

Multiple horticulture classes have worked together this semester to grow the plants, monitor their health, and plan the event. Students also designed promotional materials to spread the word around campus and the community.

"This project is about more than just growing plants," said Dr. Smith. "It’s about teaching students the full cycle — from production to marketing to customer interaction. I want them to experience the satisfaction of producing a product that is valued by others and goes home with happy customers."

The Plant Sale not only provides valuable hands-on experience for students, but it also helps raise funds to support future student projects within the Environmental Horticulture Program.

If you plan to attend, please respond to Director of Communications Julie Loeper.