Success StoryUsing Virtual Horticulture Webinar Wednesday to Provide Science-based Gardening Information



Using Virtual Horticulture Webinar Wednesday to Provide Science-based Gardening Information

Author: Annette Heisdorffer

Planning Unit: Daviess County CES

Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home

Plan of Work: Agriculture Production, Management, and Environment

Outcome: Initial Outcome

Horticulture Webinar Wednesday virtual programming was developed by Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Agents for Horticulture Education in March of 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic to reach  citizens of the Commonwealth.  The Daviess County Horticulture Agent serves as one of those team members. Webinars were presented live through the virtual format of Zoom on Wednesdays and recorded.   The format includes a question-and-answer period after the live presentation.  The program continues to see interest and growth in its third season. Since February 2022, when the 3rd season started, through June 30, 2022, a total of 522 attendees have participated in the twenty live weekly webinars. Additionally, the Zoom based “lunch and learn” horticultural program continues to draw in participants not only at the weekly Wednesday webinars at 12:30 ET/11:30 CT, but also through the Horticulture Webinar Wednesdays YouTube channel. The channel has received 34,516 views with 4,900 watch hours since it first launched in April 2020. The channel presently has 530 subscribers.  Rapid growth in 2022 has been noted with a 10% increase for monthly viewing (2500 views monthly). The viewer population is 67.9% female and 32.1% male. Age of viewers include 27.5% ages 25-34; 25.7% ages 45-54; and 23.9% ages 65+.

The Daviess County Horticulture Agent presented a webinar on the second Wednesday of February titled “What’s Happening with Succulents?”  Seventy-four people joined the presentation from across the Commonwealth.  Of the 19 participants who completed a self-assessment survey, 100% said that as a result of the information presented, they learned more about succulents, and 89% said they plan to grow a new type of succulent. This presentation is also posted to Kentucky Hort News along with other source material at www.kentuckyhortnews.com/horticulture-webinar-wednesdays/.    






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