LAUREN HUMPHREYS-KULESZ
Lettuce plants for sale lined up in one of the three greenhouses found on NW Campus for the Horticulture program. Other vegetables were also for sale.
Spring is in full bloom in Tarrant County. Local green thumbs, along with curious newcomers, gathered for the Annual Spring Plant Sale at NW Campus.
Tables overflowed with vibrant flowers, hardy perennials and native plants, while cheerful students stood by, eager to share their gardening know-how.
Cameron Grant earned his associate degree in horticultural science from TCC and now serves as the horticulture lab manager.
After completing his bachelor’s degree in horticulture at Texas A&M, Grant returned to TCC to help bridge the gap between education and industry, a journey shaped by the very professors who once taught him.
“Whenever I was here, I loved my professors,” Grant said. “David Cole was the coordinator at the time, and he encouraged me to pursue higher education. The influence they all had on me brought me to where I am today. I want to give back.”
Last summer, Grant helped launch a hydroponic system on campus, a method of growing plants using a nutrient-rich water solution instead of soil.
“Most of our greens are grown in California and Arizona,” he explained. “I wanted to show students a different way of growing, to show them what can be produced locally. So much of our produce travels a long way to get here. There’s no reason our fruits and vegetables should come from so far away. We can grow lettuce right here and feed people right here.”
Grant likened the hydroponic system’s setup to building an Erector Set, noting its simplicity and hands-on appeal.
“It was so easy to build that my daughters were able to help me,” Grant said. “The hardest thing about the system is managing the water and nutrients. We have hard water in Texas which makes managing the nutrients more challenging.”
Grant said most students don’t know about hydroponics and the benefits it has with conservation.
“I want to show them that food can be grown in your backyard, on a patio, there are so many ways to feed yourself without relying on a tomato that has traveled 800 miles,” he said.
The hydroponic system was on full display in three greenhouses, along with the fruits of their labor: vibrant bell peppers, crisp cucumbers and tomatoes hanging plump on the vines.
Another key benefit of the system is that it’s reusable.
“The whole setup is pretty sustainable,” Grant explained. “We can reuse the rocks inside the system, and we never have to buy new soil.”
In addition to the new hydroponic system, the greenhouses now feature a state-of-the- art environmental control system funded through the Perkins Basic Grant.
“It’s a major technological upgrade for our greenhouses,” Grant said. “This facility was built in the 1970s, and technology has come a long way since then. The new system makes our operations much more energyefficient and environmentally friendly.”
Another greenhouse, which had recently been reskinned and completely renovated, has also been integrated into the new system and now features a plastic wet wall. The wall is renewable and designed for easy maintenance, it can be removed and power-washed each summer instead of being replaced.
“Last year’s plant sale raised around $18,000, which funded travel for 11 students to attend the National Collegiate Landscape Competition,” said Grant. “This year’s sale brought in $19,000, enough to send 12 students to the 2026 competition, which will be held in Michigan next spring.”
The NCLC allows students to showcase their skills in landscaping, horticulture, irrigation and more. It is a competition that is held annually. In 2025 TCC came home with two students in the top 50 of over 700 students from over 50 different schools across the country.
TCC student Ben Beagle earned the highest score among TCC participants at this year’s NCLC. A part-time student with a fulltime job, he has been balancing academic and professional experience with dedication.
“I’ve learned so much through the program about different areas of the horticulture business,” Beagle said.
Kelly Wilson, who relocated to the area from Georgia four years ago, attended the sale for the first time this year after hearing about it through a Facebook group. She was especially grateful for his expertise.
“I’m upset I didn’t get here earlier. I’m always looking for perennials, so that I don’t have to replant every year,” Wilson said.
Marsha Ramsey, who previously worked in academic advising at NW, is a longtime supporter of the plant sale for years.
“I always have to be careful to watch for TCC’s plant sale because I don’t want to miss it,” Ramsey said. “I would love to see even more natives in the sale next year.”
Ramsey won’t have to wait a full year for the sale as Grant has started an additional plant sale in the fall and plans to include even more natives.