Kelly Peterson (above), a DMACC Horticulture student from Altoona, arranges a beautiful selection of kalanchoe plants during the first day of the DMACC Horticulture Club's Valentine's Day Sale on Tues., Feb. 13, in the Bldg. 5 Student Center at the Ankeny Campus. Starting last fall, students in the DMACC Horticulture Club worked together to raise approximately 400 kalanchoe plants for this year's sale, and their timing was near-perfect. As the sale began, the plants were just a few days away from bursting open in vibrant orange, yellow, pink and red blooms. A perfect Valentine's Day gift!

DMACC Horticult​​ure​ student Danii​ Brady (right) of Indianola and Nancy Nicodemus (left) of Urbandale share a smile as Brady hands Nicodemus her purchase during the first day of the DMACC Horticulture Club's Valentine's Day Sale on Tues., Feb. 13, at the College's Ankeny Campus.

DMACC Horticult​​ure​ student Danii​ Brady (above, right) of Indianola and Nancy Nicodemus (above, left) of Urbandale share a smile as Brady hands Nicodemus her purchase during the first day of the DMACC Horticulture Club's Valentine's Day Sale on Tues., Feb. 13, at the College's Ankeny Campus. Nicodemus said the sale, which was set up just inside the​ Trail Point Aquatics & Wellness entrance to the Bldg. 5 Student Center, caught her eye when she stopped the UnityPoint Health Physical Therapy office at Trail Point.​​

The student-raised kalanchoe plants were available to pre-order online through Feb. 12, with pick-up taking place from 2-5 p.m. on both Tues., Feb. 13, and Wed., Feb. 14, in the Bldg. 5 Student Center at the Ankeny Campus. However, for anyone who didn't place a pre-order, select kalanchoe plants could also be purchased at the pick-up booth. The blooming succulents were sold in 4.5" containers ($5), 6" containers ($10) and 8" containers ($15).

Megan Snook-Lautner (above, foreground), Assistant Director of Student Development at DMACC, pauses for a quick photo after picking up her order of kalanchoe plants during the first day of the DMACC Horticulture Club's Valentine's Day Sale on Tues., Feb. 13, at the Ankeny Campus.

Megan Snook-Lautner (above, foreground), Assistant Director of Student Development at DMACC, pauses for a quick photo after picking up her order of kalanchoe plants during the first day of the DMACC Horticulture Club's Valentine's Day Sale on Tues., Feb. 13, at the Ankeny Campus. All proceeds from the sale will help fund DMACC Horticulture Club​ activities and student trips.

The DMACC Horticulture Club's crop of kalanchoe plants, shown here in an October 2023 photo taken by DMACC Horticulture student Danii Brady of Indianola, has flourished over the past few months, thanks to the skill, effort and dedication of students.

The DMACC Horticulture Club's crop of kalanchoe plants, shown here in an October 2023 photo taken by DMACC Horticulture student Danii Brady of Indianola, has flourished over the past few months, thanks to the skill, effort and dedication of students. This is the first year that students have raised kalanchoe plants for a public sale.

DMACC Horticulture students Danii​ Brady (left) of Indianola and Kaylee Stites (right) of Des Moines showcase two of the approximately 400 kalanchoe plants they helped raise for the DMACC Horticulture Club's Valentine's Day Sale this year.

DMACC Horticulture students Danii​ Brady (left) of Indianola and Kaylee Stites (right) of Des Moines showcase two of the approximately 400 kalanchoe plants they helped raise for the DMACC Horticulture Club's Valentine's Day Sale this year. 

For information about the sale and the DMACC Horticulture Club, visit facebook.com/DMACCHorticultureClub.​​

You can also learn more about the DMACC Horticulture program at horticulture.dmacc.edu.

Contact: Christina Riessen, DMACC Horticulture Instructor, (515) 965-7310, criessen@dmacc.edu