Enjoy flora, seminars at FFA plant sale

The Aiken High School FFA chapter will host its fall plant sale and open house Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon featuring plant sales and seminars presented by top gardeners.

The event will be held at the greenhouse area of Aiken High, located at the rear of the school behind the ball fields. The plant sale will include pansies and mums, including large bushel baskets for $15.

Demonstrations throughout the morning will include composting, gardening in a raised bed, using a cloche and winter gardening. Sean Poppy, an educational outreach specialists for the Savannah River Ecology Lab, will display animals commonly found in gardens.

"This is the first time we've done this," said Meghan Wood, agricultural education teacher. "We really wanted to increase awareness in the community of our program."

Wood also provides an adult education program once a week and wanted to provide some educational topics for other gardening enthusiasts. Speakers for the free seminars include Tom Dix at 9 a.m. Dix, the Master Gardener Association president, and will speak on the golden rule of gardening, "Do unto our soil as you would have it do unto you."

At 10 a.m., Susan Elder, an Aiken Standard gardening columnist, will share tidbits, photos and pointers from her favorite columns.

Winona Specht, the leader for Aiken High's adult leadership class, will speak at 11 a.m. on building a cloche for winter vegetable gardening. By learning to build a cloche or protective cover, said Wood, one can grow lettuce, spinach and other cool-weather greens through the entire winter.

AHS juniors Sarah Strickland and Morgan Richardson have been active in agricultural education and the FFA chapter for the past two years.

"I'm really interested in the agricultural part of life, such as knowing flowers," Strickland said. "I like being involved in something that benefits the community."

Richardson is considering a career in graphic landscaping and considers the agricultural education program a good preparation toward that goal.

"I just like the hands-on experience and the competitions," he said.

Seating for the seminars is on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, call Wood at the school at 641-2500 or e-mail her at meghanwood@aiken.k12.sc.us.

Contact Rob Novit at rnovit@aikenstandard.com.