Author: Kelly Jackson
Planning Unit: Christian County CES
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Plan of Work: Endorsing Environmental Stewardship and Promoting Green Living
Outcome: Initial Outcome
According to a recent study by Gardening Insights marketing survey, gardeners spent 42% more time gardening in 2020 and younger gardeners (ages 19 to 28) are showing the most growth. This has been a noticeable trend since 2013 but the pandemic of 2020 saw the most rapid increase in gardeners. The Christian County Extension Office, working with the local Master Gardener Association, hosted the EXPO on Location as a new way to connect local garden centers with new and existing gardeners. The event was held on April 17 and highlighted 10 locations (including the local Farmers Market). The various garden centers participated in special events including tours, educational speakers, activities for children, and refreshments. Master Gardeners were present at each location to distribute educational materials and to coordinate a ticket that encouraged gardeners to visit at least 3 tour stops to be eligible for prizes. Over 120 tickets were collected. The most common comment heard was that gardeners were unaware we had so many garden centers in the area. This comment was echoed by WoodCorner Greenhouse, which saw an increase in their Saturday customers and noted that “We had several new customers. Most of those said they didn’t even know we existed until this event and that they plan to come back.” Another stop for the event, Homestead Greenhouse, stated “We had 300+ customers which is above average for that time of year. We thought it was very successful and would do it again.” Marketing was primarily through FaceBook posts, including paid advertising to our target demographic. Live remotes were held at each location during the event with a reach of 2,012 viewers.
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