Students have hands-on experience with plants

Liberty students put their green thumbs to use at the Workshop: Plant Care event Oct. 28. Student Activities hosted the workshop in the LaHaye Event Space and provided three hourlong sessions where gardening professionals taught students the basics on how to care for plants in their dorm rooms.

This event brought a lot of students out on a Friday night and provided an opportunity to gain more knowledge about proper plant care. 

“I enjoyed developing a new skill,” Maddie Fischer, a Liberty student, said. “This was something I had no idea about, and I would not have thought to do (it) if Student Activities had not put the workshop on.”

Student Activities partnered with Gary’s Garden Center, a family-owned business in Lynchburg. Gary Garner III led the workshop and shared his knowledge of gardening with the students who attended. 

Topics ranged from the type of soil to use to how often a plant should be watered. Students learned about several factors that influence plant health, such as sunlight, temperature, soil, water and season.

Students also had the opportunity to learn more about various types of plants, specifically those that thrive in dorms and apartments, such as succulents, snake plants and cactus plants.

The workshop allowed students to have a hands-on experience with a variety of plants. Many types of plants were passed around for students to see and touch a plant that was properly cared for. The workshop was catered toward students who wanted some guidance for keeping their dorm room plants alive.

 Garner addressed several common mistakes such as overwatering plants and keeping them exposed to constant direct sunlight, which can cause sunburn in some cases.

Garner also gave students advice on how to keep their plants alive in their dorm rooms while they are away during breaks. 

This workshop was put on for both students who had background knowledge of plant care as well as those just looking to learn about something new.

“This was a fun learning experience,” Kaylee Carlson, a student at Liberty, said. “If you really like plants or even if you do not know anything about them, this is good knowledge to have.”

At the end of the workshop, those in attendance were able to take home a plant of their choice, allowing them to put their newfound knowledge into practice and care for a plant of their own.

White is a news reporter for the Liberty Champion