Success StoryGrafting Vegetables



Grafting Vegetables

Author: Andy Mills

Planning Unit: Meade County CES

Major Program: Commercial Horticulture

Plan of Work: Improved Management Practices, Animal Science, Grain & Forage Crops

Outcome: Intermediate Outcome

As our world is ever changing we try to change with it. This filters down to even our simple backyard garden. In order to get more youth involved in agriculture and growing their own vegetables, the Great Pumpkin Pursuit committee decided to try to stimulate interest in a grafting project. This ANR agent collaborated with the local ag teachers and did a two day course at the high school on grafting watermelons. The first session was in the classroom explaining and teaching why grafting is used. Each student also planted gourds and watermelons that were to be grafted in the second session. The second session was in the greenhouse with a hands on demonstration. Each student grafted one to three watermelon scion t a gourd rootstock. From the experience students learned the benefits of disease prevention and yield increases due to grafting. They also gained knowledge about the anatomy of plants, process of increasing seed germination rates, different methods of grafting, as well as the environment needed in order to be successful at grafting and growing vegetable plants. Hopefully, this program and future program will stimulate students to enter an educational field related to plants or at least encourage them to grow their own vegetables.






Stories by Andy Mills


Grafting Vegetables

about 5 years ago by Andy Mills

As our world is ever changing we try to change with it. This filters down to even our simple backyar... Read More


State Fair Youth Beef Show

about 5 years ago by Andy Mills

For twenty-eight years this ANR agent has been working the state fair youth beef show--the superinte... Read More


Stories by Meade County CES


Teen Leadership Academy: Creating Self-Confident and Adventurous Leaders

Teen Leadership Academy: Creating Self-Confident and Adventurous Leaders

about 5 years ago by Deana Reed

Leadership education builds several important assets in Kentucky youth and provides critical element... Read More


4-H Babysitting Basics

4-H Babysitting Basics

about 5 years ago by Deana Reed

Family Magazine reports that 76% of middle school age youth are babysitting either family members or... Read More


Stories by Commercial Horticulture


New Marketing Curriculum for Commercial Horticulture Producers

New Marketing Curriculum for Commercial Horticulture Producers

about 5 years ago by Brett Wolff

In 2017, I led the development of a successful $50,000 grant proposal to the Specialty Crop Block Gr... Read More


Thank you, 'you saved my crop'

about 5 years ago by Carol Hinton

Success StoryThank you, you helped us save our cropAfter working with a new crop entrepreneur I had ... Read More