Top picture includes many of the NKY Master Volunteers who helped with one of the many conference committes.

Below pictures, Campbell, Boone and Kenton County UK Horticulture agents and program assistants who co-hosted the 2024 State Conference

Volunteer leaders are essential for Extension to extend our presence throughout the community. The Master Gardener program is not just a training that allows gardeners to learn new skills, it is a way for gardeners to build community and help the public through volunteering.

Many of our Master Gardeners have been volunteers with us for years, helping to maintain demonstration gardens, write gardening articles for the public, teach horticulture classes, and much more. These Master Gardeners love to get together to see what other groups are doing and to share their common love of growing plants.

To allow Master Gardeners to further their passion for gardening and learn from each other, horticulture agents and staff from Boone, Kenton, and Campbell counties hosted the Annual Kentucky Master Gardener Conference in Northern Kentucky. The theme for the conference was Energize, Enrich, Engage. The mission was to give Master Gardeners the fuel to continue pursuing their passion of helping the public.

The conference was held at the Boone County Extension Enrichment Center with pre-conference tours occurring in the Enrichment Center as well as at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport. There were a total of 167 Master Gardeners from 37 counties across the State attended the conference. Speakers came from the University of Kentucky Forestry and Entomology Departments, Mt. St. Joseph University, Ohio University, USDA APHIS, the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens, and a few local plant enthusiasts.

Each NKY horticulture extension team along with their respective Master Gardener groups were tasked event planning committees. Campbell County took the lead on managing the registration and payment along with overall conference marketing. Working with UK Specialist Rick Durham and his assistant Erich Olsen were instrumental in providing the excel platform for registration. They were helpful with the conference logo design and helped manage the social media and website for the conference.   

As a result, 81% of the participants shared that they plan to implements one or more of learned from the garden. A few shared: “ Be aware of invasive (insects and plants) and help others”,  “I plan to try Bonsai now” , “Change some of my landscape by adding more pollinator plants and propagate White Oak trees to give away”, “Being aware of poisonous plant in my landscape”. 

78% of the respondents share some of their most valuable takeaway from the conference: 

“The importance of houseplants from a health perspective”, “Time to connect with other gardeners from around the state” and “ Made me think outside of the box when planting”. 

To conclude the conference, the 2025 State Conference was announced and will be held in Pulaski County. The county agent along with a few of their volunteers attended to gather ideas and information for when they host.