Making Behavior Changes in Home Vegetable Gardening

Abstract

Forty-two million households across the United States have become more actively engaged in growing their own food. Over a five-year period, an increase of 17% more households are maintaining their own vegetable garden. (Cristelli, 2014). The National Garden Association suggested the increase is due to a few changes in the past five years. The “Let’s Move” initiative, the White House vegetable garden, more public awareness, and educational outreach about the health benefits of growing your own food are among the reasons for the increase. As more people start their own vegetable gardens, it is important for horticulture extension agents to meet the communities’ demand for workshops on the basics of starting a vegetable garden. Over an eight-year period, the Manatee County Urban Horticulture Pro­gram was challenged to meet the increased demand for vegetable gardening workshops with existing resources. The program increased the annual number of workshops from two to an average of five. Through the Manatee County Extension Office Plant Diagnostic Clinic, residents consistently indicated a lack of knowledge in the following areas: soil testing for pH and nutrients, the Florida planting seasons for specific vegetables, and the proper cultural practices for pesticide and fertilizer use. Knowledge gain after workshop attendance is an important way to determine if resi­dents understand workshop contents. It is also important to determine if residents will accept modifications to their current cultural practices.