PALMER – The horticulture program at Pathfinder Vocational Regional Technical High School is growing exponentially, at least 25 percent in the last couple of years. The program currently has more than 40 students who could have full-time jobs the day they graduate.

“We have so many jobs, people calling us for employees – we don’t have enough kids. The school is doing tons of enrollment. They’ve gone to different schools talking with students to get them into our program,” said Lynn Dupuis, horticulture department head.

The students are being hired by landscapers, plant nurseries, local cities and towns — virtually any business or agency that has anything to do with raising plants, landscaping, greenhouse management and other areas of the industry.

It is against this backdrop that Pathfinder’s horticulture department is hosting its annual plant sale to raise funds that will purchase new equipment, fund field trips and support the horticulture program in general.

The plant sale will take place in the back of Pathfinder near the school’s three greenhouses. The sale runs from May 2-6 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and May 7-8 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., or until the plants sell out.

The sale will feature thousands of plants including perennials, annuals, cactuses and hanging plants. The students have planted, nurtured and grown everything themselves. The sale is a chance for them to show off their green thumbs while raising some green currency to support their department.

“The prices are reasonable. We’re not changing them from last year. Come right away because we sell out very fast,” said Dupuis.

The horticulture program has a broad and comprehensive curriculum. Students learn everything from growing plants to the proper use of fertilizer and pesticides, caring for grass and trees, using power equipment to do landscaping or build patios and fixing engines on the small equipment they use.

“I enjoy working with the students. It’s fun to watch them learn. Some of these students have never had gardens and don’t know anything about them. But they eventually excel at it and enjoy doing it, which is nice. They’re learning stuff that some kids would never learn,” said Dupuis.

The demand for plants has also skyrocketed in the last couple of years. Homeowners have an increasing interest in dressing up their homes and property with plants.

“The industry grows quite a bit each year. Farms are also telling us they are selling an increasing number of plants. It could be because of COVID[-19], but people are putting in a lot of gardens, staying on their property and not going anywhere,” said Dupuis.

While a handful of horticulture students continue their education at colleges and universities, 75 percent land jobs as soon as they graduate. Some even work in the business during their summer breaks.

Dupuis said when interest in the environment is high, which it is now, students come flocking to the horticulture program.