Growing The Next Generation Of Horticulture Customers And Stakeholders Through Industry And Extension Outreach Collaborations
N. Bumgarner, A. Rihn, J. Campbell, S. Dorn, H. Kirk-Ballard
Published in the Journal of Environmental Horticulture, Volume 42, Issue 1, March 2024
A recent study investigated drivers of, and opportunities for, increased participation in plant-related activities using an online survey of 2,134 respondents. Both participants and non-participants in plant-related activities were surveyed. Some of the commonly cited reasons for nonparticipation were a lack of knowledge and overall success, illustrating an opportunity for education to be beneficial.
While many plant retailers may not have the personnel or resources to engage widely in education, collaborations with Extension could be a viable path to address knowledge limitations of their customers and increase engagement in horticulture.