SGTC Horticulture students tour American Camellia Society

April 5, 2024
SGTC Horticulture students Kyle Davis and Arial Hudson are shown above enjoying a field trip to the American Camellia Society in Marshallville and the Fort Valley State Aquaponics facility with Instructor Brandon Gross.
SGTC Horticulture students Kyle Davis and Arial Hudson are shown above enjoying a field trip to the American Camellia Society in Marshallville and the Fort Valley State Aquaponics facility with Instructor Brandon Gross.

Marshallville, GA – South Georgia Technical College Horticulture students participated in a field trip to the American Camellia Society in Marshallville and to the Fort Valley State Aquaponics facility recently with SGTC Horticulture Instructor Brandon Gross.

   “This field trip provided students with a great opportunity to see different avenues for career opportunities and expose them to different aspects of the horticulture industry,” said Gross. 

   The SGTC Horticulture program features short-term technical certificate of credit opportunities along with diploma and an associate of applied science degree.  Specializations include: Greenhouse Management, Landscape Installation, Nursery Production and Management, Small Scale Food Production, Horticulture Business Management, Turfgrass Management, Small Engine Repair and Maintenance.  Classes also expose students to Pest Management, plant identification, and more.

   SGTC Horticulture students Arial Hudson and Kyle Davis toured the American Camellia society in Marshallville to learn more about camellias.  SGTC has its own Georgia First Lady Camellia Garden on the Americus campus and this allowed them to add more plants to the campus camellia collection.

   The students also traveled to Fort Valley State to tour their Aquaponics facility to see how the use a symbiotic relationship between fish and plants to grow an assortment of vegetable and tropical plants.  The college hopes to add a small aquaponics system to its greenhouse in the future.

   Individuals interested in learning more about the SGTC Horticulture program can contact instructor Brandon Gross at bgross@southgatech.edu or 229-931-2705.

   SGTC is currently accepting applications for Summer and Fall semester.  Summer classes begin May 23 and will conclude by July 31.  Students can apply on line at www.southgatech.edu and click on Apply Now.  Financial aid is available.  Registration days for summer semester are set for April 23 and May 21.  Fall semester registration is scheduled for July 23 and August 13.  Fall classes begin August 15.