Students Host Pop Up Plant Sale

Green fingered students from SERC’s Downpatrick Campus, have been keeping fellow students and staff well stocked with garden and indoor plants as part of their social enterprise.

In the spirit of collaboration, Skills for Life and Work students extended their plant know-how by growing flower and vegetable seedlings, garden and house plants throughout the year.  Then fellow students from the Level 1 and Level 2 Traineeship NI Retail course gained valuable retail skills through plant knowledge and sales techniques by organising and promoting a series of pop-up plant sales.  Delighted students and staff at SERC were able to purchase the plants at a fraction of the price you would expect to pay at a garden centre and the funds will be used to self-fund the project with further supplies of garden equipment and seeds. 

Course tutor, Rosemary McMullan said, “The students have really enjoyed the project which has involved Skills for Life and Work students growing all kinds of plants from seeds and cuttings.   It has been a learning curve for everyone involved as they have had to plan, plant and look after seedlings and cuttings to have a good supply of stock for the pop-up sales.  This has included keeping them in the right conditions and, for those involved in sales, providing excellent customer service by giving advice to customers on how to plant or look after their purchase.”

The students  grew carrots, peas, tomatoes, peppers, beetroot, courgettes and a range of herbs from seeds, as well as inch plants and spider plants and some succulents from cuttings - all proved popular choices for customers.

If anyone would like to donate seeds, cuttings, pots, or other supplies to help with this venture, please contact Rosemary McMullan (rmcmullan@serc.ac.uk)

Pictured above: Aodhan Branigan, Cora May Mahon, Ryan Johnston and Adam Morgan, Level 1 and Level 2 Traineeship NI Retail students at SERC’s Downpatrick Campus who organised a Pop Up Plant Sale as part of their studies in collaboration with Skills for Life and Work students.