Gardeners' Toolbox Classes
Sound Home Landscape Management
Wilson
Home & Consumer Horticulture
Sustainable Agriculture
Home gardeners face a myriad of products and internet information that can confuse even a knowledgeable person. It's easy to find an answer on the many pages of the web, especially those websites promoting a product.
Those planting for their enjoyment at home have a number of choices in what to grow in their landscapes. Getting plants established and caring for them correctly is the next hurdle.
With the right information from Extension, home gardeners can be better stewards of their little patch of earth. Many gardeners feel overwhelmed with pesticide and fertilizer choices, plant choices, and most are not well-versed in soil fertility and which pesticides are the safest and are the most efficacious.
Home gardeners who participate in home horticulture programs from Extension will be successful in their home gardening projects, add value to their homes, and be good stewards of natural resources.
Home gardeners who participate in Extension home gardening programs will feel empowered to complete horticulture projects on their own and be examples to their neighbors of using sound horticultural practices. Participants will respond to pest problems and landscape problems in a judicious way.
Participants in Extension home horticulture classes will come away with improved knowledge on horticultural topics covered by the different classes.
Initial Outcome: Participants increase knowledge
Indicator:
Method: surveys
Timeline: throughout year 2018-19
Intermediate Outcome: Participants respond to landscape problems in a judicious way
Indicator:
Method: phone calls, home visits, surveys, soil tests
Timeline: throughout year 2018-19
Long-term Outcome: Participants have well-managed, sustainable landscapes
Indicator:
Method: follow-ups, phone calls,
Timeline: throughout year 2018-19
Audience: Home gardeners
Project or Activity: various classes on home gardening topics
Content or Curriculum: powerpoints, Extension publications
Inputs: Specialists, other Hort agents, Extension publications
Date: throughout year 2018-19
Audience: Home gardeners
Project or Activity: Horticulture newsletter
Content or Curriculum: unique articles, Extension publications
Inputs: Specialists, other Hort agents, Extension publications
Date: throughout year 2018-19
Audience: all citizens of Pulaski Co
Project or Activity: Newspaper articles
Content or Curriculum: timely updates on home landscape issues, Extension publications, KY Pest News
Inputs: Extension publications, Specialists social media posts or emails, KY Pest News
Date: throughout year 2018-19
Audience: all citizens
Project or Activity: social media updates
Content or Curriculum: timely information, interesting information as related to horticulture, environment, or sustainability
Inputs: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Hootsuite app
Date: throughout year 2018-19
Author: Bethany Wilson
Major Program: Home & Consumer Horticulture
Pulaski County is a growing community. It is projected that by 2020 Pulaski County’s population will be 71,036 or 11% more than our current population. Many of these incoming residents will benefit from home horticulture programming Gardener’s Toolbox classes were held focusing on various home gardening topics. Eleven Gardener’s Toolbox classes were scheduled and an additional 14 home horticulture classes and events were conduc