Showing off their hard work in class, agricultural science students submitted their plants to, and attended, the Philadelphia Flower Show (PFS) on March 4 to celebrate their dedication to the environment.
Students began caring for their plants back in September to submit them in time for the flower show in March.
“We got our plants back in September, and then we’ve been growing them and keeping a journal of our plant growth,” senior Jackson Rohrbaugh said.
Each plant requires daily maintenance and nurturing for the plants to fulfill the judge’s standards.
“Since then, it’s been a lot of pruning back and trying to make sure everything’s symmetrical because that’s what the judges are looking for. And if it gets too lengthy, you have to trim it so it grows more fold,” Rohrbaugh said. “You don’t want your plant to grow flowers because then it’s putting all of his energy into growing flowers and not leaves and they’re looking for a very full plant.”
This year, the agricultural science students entered the challenge plant category, which is when all contestants receive and grow the same plants from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS).
“Challenge plants are when everyone gets the same plants ordered from the PHS,” senior Cayden Johnson said.
According to science teacher Kim Wilson, this was the first year the class had done the challenge plants because it would be “more suited for the AgScience class.”
Despite this only being the second year that the class has entered the Philadelphia Flower Show, the class has already won more ribbons than last year.
“I’m really excited because I know that we already have more ribbons. [The plants] placed higher than they did last year so I’m really proud about that,” Wilson said. “I really feel like the kids got into it more this year. They’re seeing that it’s an interesting, fun project that they can invest themselves in. Just seeing them being excited at the flower show was just a teacher’s dream.”
According to Wilson, the Philadelphia Flower Show “connects generations.”
“They were really happy to have our school down there because they’re trying to get the next generation involved in horticulture so they were thrilled that we were there so that makes me happy too,” Wilson said.