Special Issue "Consumer Horticulture Advancement"

A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Horticultural Economics, Policy, Business Management and Marketing".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2021.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ellen Bauske
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
UGA Cooperative Extension, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
Interests: urban agriculture programs that focus on consumer horticulture; urban water issues; urban agriculture professional development; local food; arboriculture
Dr. Sheri Dorn
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Horticulture, University of Georgia, Griffin, GA 30602, USA
Interests: human dimension of horticulture; engagement with plants; underlying motivations and benefits of gardening
Dr. Lauren Garcia Chance
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
American Public Gardens Association, Kennett Square, PA 19348, USA
Interests: sustainable landscaping; water quality; consumer marketing; consumer education; public horticulture

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Consumer horticulture is practiced worldwide in cities, towns, villages, and farms in gardens, landscapes, and homes; it is everywhere plants and related horticultural items are used and enjoyed for the benefit of individuals, communities, and the environment.

Consumer horticulture plays an obvious role in the protection and conservation of natural resources. Yet there is much research to be done. We must develop and promote sustainable practices specific to consumer horticulture and define the appropriate use of production and management inputs. We must identify and utilize plant products and technology appropriate to the diversity of landscape and gardening practices that can enhance ecosystem services.

Consumer horticulture also plays a critical role in cultivating healthy, connected, and engaged communities. We have just begun the scientific exploration of the nutritional, physical, psychological, and social impacts of consumer horticulture. Cumulatively, the results of these studies suggested we should strengthen the adoption of consumer horticulture and that it is an effective tool for improving human health and community well-being across diverse populations. Additional research in this area will define methods and strengthen the adoption of consumer horticulture.

Consumer horticulture is a driver of the agricultural economy. Plants, seeds, fertilizers, and other typical agricultural inputs are routinely purchased. However, the commercial sector of consumer horticulture also includes service and retail operations not typically considered part of the agricultural economy, but which have significant economic contributions. These include garden retail; landscape design, installation and maintenance; and many others. These sectors are continually seeking to increase their profitability and are eager for the development of better economic management tools and technologies.

We look forward to sharing your research that explores the environmental; nutritional, physical, psychological, and social; and economic impacts of consumer horticulture.

Dr. Ellen Bauske
Dr. Sheri Dorn
Dr. Lauren Garcia Chance
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Horticulturae is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • landscaping
  • sustainable
  • urban
  • marketing
  • ecosystem services
  • well-being
  • environmental impact
  • economic impact
  • garden
  • community

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

Article
Weekly Question-and-Answer Extension Radio Show Helps Listeners Adopt Environmentally Sound Horticulture Practices
Horticulturae 2021, 7(4), 72; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae7040072 - 06 Apr 2021
Viewed by 414
Abstract
Cooperative Extension has a long history of using radio broadcasts in educational programming. The Minneapolis, MN-based CBS affiliate WCCO Radio 830AM contacted the University of Minnesota Extension (UMNExt) in 2013 to reinstate an 8:00 AM Saturday live gardening show titled “Smart Garden”. After [...] Read more.
Cooperative Extension has a long history of using radio broadcasts in educational programming. The Minneapolis, MN-based CBS affiliate WCCO Radio 830AM contacted the University of Minnesota Extension (UMNExt) in 2013 to reinstate an 8:00 AM Saturday live gardening show titled “Smart Garden”. After several years of doing the radio show, we wanted to determine the effectiveness of getting information to listeners, what people were doing differently because of what they heard on the show, and how much they used the Extension’s resources after listening to the program. After analyzing 410 responses to an online survey, we found 78% of respondents reported they frequently or always learned something new when listening, and 56% reported adopting environmentally important practices, such as pollinator gardens, less chemical use, better lawn care, water conservation, and removing invasive plants. We concluded that this educational programming was making a positive impact on consumer horticulture practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Consumer Horticulture Advancement)
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