New Pickens Tech instructor oversees holiday plant sale Email
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Monday, November 20, 2017 07:00 AM

Sam ShroyerSam Shroyer, the new horticulture instructor at Pickens Technical College, Aurora, is looking forward to the December plant sale—his first since joining the school this semester. His love of plants, coupled with his love for teaching others about plants, makes this position “a perfect fit” for him, he says.

Shroyer’s passion for plants sprouted as a teenager in the early 1990s when he worked in a wholesale greenhouse in Iowa and led him to South Dakota State University where he graduated with a degree in horticulture. At that time, Shroyer wanted to have his own business, so he prepared himself by working and learning at greenhouses. Around 2001 he started his own business doing landscape design and install, growing perennials and completing lots of tree work—as an arborist. During a summer internship at Swingle Lawn, Tree & Landscape Care in the late 1990s, “I fell in love with Colorado,” says Shroyer.

After 14 years in business with his wife and, now, four children, Shroyer gave up his business and moved into selling growers supplies and learned a great deal about hydroponic growing, moving on to manage a hydroponic greenhouse.

Pickens Tech’s program continues to prepare students for the gamut of green industry jobs and certifications including landscape, nursery and greenhouse jobs as well as arboriculture. Shroyer says he is excited to explore new possibilities at Pickens Tech.

“We will continue Bill Cary’s legacy with the plant sale to raise money for the program,” he says. “I also want to bring new facets of the industry to the program as I help develop ‘industry ready’ students.”

The December plant sale is scheduled for Friday, December 1 and Saturday, December 2, from 8 am to 6 pm. at 500 Airport Blvd. in Aurora, Building C – the horticulture building. The annual sale offers locally grown poinsettias and holiday wreaths/centerpieces. New to the sale this year are containers of herbs or lettuce. 

“Growing and selling plants that Colorado consumers and businesses want gives our students real-world horticulture experience from seed to sale,” Shroyer explains. “It’s important for students to understand that many edibles can be grown in non-traditional areas like warehouses. If they think outside the box, they can use their horticultural skills to bring healthy, nutritious herbs and veggies to food desert neighborhoods.” 

Students in the Pickens Tech program learn vital horticultural and landscape industry skills leading to a wide variety of career paths and several industry certifications.  Many Pickens grads work in landscape industry careers at Aurora-based landscape companies.

In addition to off-campus work experience for students, landscape industry professionals have formed an Advisory Committee and provide resources for the new Pickens instructor. Volunteer advisors include Lyle Fair and Shelley Kowalenko, All Phase Landscape; Kyler Neuman, Aurora Public Schools; Jon Gerber, Todays Nursery; and Jake Leman, Singing Hills Landscape, Inc.

Read more in this issue of Colorado Green NOW:
CSU recognizes best annuals in 2017 flower trials
2018 testing announced for Landscape Industry Certification
Aspen invites business feedback on water efficiency standards
Report shows consumers value online reviews