Published: November 29, 2007 11:09 am      

Prosser classes selling poinsettias for holiday season

The horticulture classes at C.A. Prosser School of Technology are beginning to reap the rewards of their hard work.

They are selling poinsettias now through Christmas break — or sooner if the 1,500 plants are sold before Dec. 21.

The plants — which are available in red, white, pink and “jingle bells” — are $6.50 each and can be purchased from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Prosser, 4202 Charlestown Road, in New Albany.

First-year horticulture students plant the poinsettias in September and nurse them to maturity over the next 10 weeks. Mike Johnson, horticulture teacher, said the students are graded on how well their plants grow and how many die.

“It’s a very finicky plant,” Johnson said. “They don’t like a lot of water or heat. Their grade is determined whether their plants live. I think we only lost five out of 1,500 plants this year, so that is pretty good. The kids have done a good job with them this year.”

Johnson said the money raised from the sale goes back into the horticulture department and pays for jackets, field trips and other expenses.