Leanne Sheffer stood eagerly in a semicircle of about 25 students around a white table holding jars, tin cans and cut up egg cartons.
Sheffer, an 18-year-old UF sustainability studies freshman, held a Mason jar in her hands as she waited for the table to be set up.
She was waiting for the first Plantsgiving, an event hosted by UF EcoReps, Friday afternoon on Plaza of the Americas. Students planted vegetable seeds into reusable containers. The group aims to educate students about sustainable living, said Marlee Wasserman, a group director.
She said the group wants students to appreciate the environment and feel thankful for plants.
“It’s really important to see the value of growing something yourself,” Wasserman said.
Students planted leafy greens, beans and squash with provided soil and packs of seeds, Wasserman said. Most students brought their own glass jars, while others used the tin cans or cut up egg cartons provided to house their seeds.
Planters jostled the table as they painted flowers, bold stripes and fading ombre colors onto their jars. The bag of soil was used up within the first hour.
The about 20 students who came later could still decorate their jars, but not plant their vegetable seeds. About 50 students attended the event throughout the day.
Sheffer chose to plant beans and bell peppers in her Mason jar to turn into vegan chili in her dorm room. Her tropical spinach, sweet basil and Sun gold tomato plants grow outside her dorm window so they get enough sunlight, she said.
Sheffer said it’s important for students to host events about giving.
“Mix in plants and a love for the environment and you’ve got a beautiful thing,” Sheffer said.
Liam Guerin, a 20-year-old UF public health junior, clutched his biodegradable plant pot as he packed spinach seeds into the soil inside.
He said he hopes to grow his spinach so he can eat it in his apartment, but he hasn’t always been so lucky with plants.
“I had some plants at my old apartment, but unfortunately, I have a pretty brown thumb,” Guerin said.
Geurin said the event was a great way to relax before the stress of his final exams. He rated his experience a “zen out of 10.”
Freshman trio Maddie Mendoza, Julieth Sargent and Sherry Zhang stood slightly apart from the event’s main crowd admiring each other’s handiwork. They all planted sunflower seeds to decorate their shared dorm room.
Mendoza, an 18-year-old UF psychology freshman, said she and her roommates previously tried their luck with Air Plants. Even though those died in her dorm, the event left Mendoza feeling inspired to try again.
“It might lead to you growing more plants and growing your own food, like a kick-start,” she said.
Leanne Shaffer decorates her recycled glass jar at Plantsgiving before planting beans and bell peppers.
