Extension
It Starts With Us
Home Horticulture - - Master Gardener Volunteers and the Lakeside Commons Educational Gardens
Home Horticulture
Imbus, Turner, Koester
Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Master Gardener
Water and Soil Quality and Conservation
Community Leadership Development
The Northern Kentucky Master Gardener program is a joint effort between Boone, Kenton, and Campbell Counties. This unique collaboration allows us to consistently have a quality program of 130 Northern KY residents returning 80% of their hours to extension programs. Demand for home horticulture information continue to increase for Kentucky County Extension offices. The KY Ext. Master Gardener (EMG) Program develops trained volunteers to assist county Extension staff in meeting this need for research-based information and public outreach. 50 counties in Kentucky have a Master Gardener Program with an annual savings of $900,000/year while conducting over 300 education classes throughout the state.
In Campbell County, we have at least 25 dedicated volunteers who provide assistance with programming throughout the county reaching a diverse audience in many communities. Majority of outreach programming takes place in the Lakeside Commons Educational Gardens. These gardens provide an educational and research resource for gardeners of all ages and experiences with up-to-date techniques and varieties. This hands-on garden demonstrates to our community sustainable approaches that they can implement into their landscaping decisions. Campbell County is centrally located within a population of approximately 90,000. Eighty five percent of the county is considered urban. Teaching youth and families in the urban communities will increase awareness of food security and provide resources to make better healthy life-style choices.
The public has a positive perception of EMG volunteers as reliable sources for home horticulture information. EMG Volunteers extend the educational outreach of the Cooperative Extension Service in areas such as community gardens, youth gardening, environmentally sustaining lawn and garden practices, educational gardens, and other topics. EMG Volunteers continue to be recognized for the demonstration of new production methods as well as proven releases of varieties and plants.
The addition of new demonstration/trial bed. The addition of virtual programs with clients and MG volunteers as a result of COVID-19.
Participants gain knowledge in many aspects of home horticulture.
Increase the number of visitors and programs in the educational gardens.
Long-term Outcome: Increase in certified Master Gardeners to expand programming throughout the county
Indicator: participants become certified Master Gardeners
Method: completing volunteer hours at extension-approved sites
Timeline: 2023-2024
Intermediate Outcome: Increase in knowledge and use of environmental BMP gardening practices
Indicator: survey
Method: virtual and hands-on programming
Timeline: 2023-2024Initial Outcome: Engage new garden users
Indicator: survey
Method: provide space for youth and families to engage in outdoor interactive environmental learning
Timeline: 2023-2024
Audience: Train new participants in the Master gardener program
Project or Activity: Master Gardener class held in Campbell (hybrid)
Inputs: Horticulture Agent, Horticulture Technicians, UK Specialists, Master Gardener Volunteers2023-2024
Audience: Gardening Enthusiasts
Project or Activity: Demonstrations and hands-on programming held in the Lakeside Educational Gardens
Inputs: Horticulture Agent, Horticulture Technicians, Master Gardener Volunteers
Date: 2023-2024
Audience: Youth, families and community exploring nature
Project or Activity: Interactive displays to adopt practices such as, but not limited to: rain garden, rain barrel, plant selection, vegetable gardening, sensory gardening, and sustainable best management practices for the home landscape and lawn
Inputs: Horticulture Agent, Horticulture Technicians, Master Gardener Volunteers
Date: 2023-2024
Audience: Home gardeners
Project or Activity: Provide soil testing and plant diagnostics services to help gardeners implement BMP into their landscape
Inputs: Horticulture Agent, Horticulture Technicians, UK Specialists, Master Gardener Volunteers
Date: 2023-2024
Audience: Food Pantry
Project or Activity: teach growing techniques to participants, harvest produce and donate to local pantry. Provide educational material for cooking and meal prep
Inputs: Horticulture Agent, Horticulture Technicians, Master Gardener Volunteers, FCS agents, SNAP, and collaboration with local agencies such as: FUEL NKU Food Pantry, Hosea House, Brighton Center
Date: 2023-2024
Author: Sarah Imbus
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Campbell County Extension District Board awarded Williams Creek Management to design and lead the garden renovation project at the Campbell County Extension Lakeside Commons Educational Gardens. Construction began in Fall 2023 with the installation of a retaining wall and raised beds. Extension’s focus is to create a welcoming and assessable spaces around the gardens and incorporate sustainable best management practices. Extension will be demonstrating small scale vegetable and
Author: Sarah Imbus
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The horticulture industry uses plastic in many forms such as pots, trays, labels, irrigation equipment, colored rolls of plastic for pest and weed suppression, packaging and more. Most of the current plastics used in the horticultural industry used are polypropylene (#5PP), polystyrene (#6PS) and high-density polyethylene (#2HDPE), which are typically not able to be curbside recycled within most metropolitan recycling facilities. Some local nurseries and box stores in Campbell County
