Master Gardeners completed community service volunteer hours valued at over $5 million: Demonstration gardens provided 37,795 pounds of produce for local food banks

{"ops":[{"insert":"Many Indiana residents are interested in home horticulture and gardening. Increased attention to gardening has occurred as consumers seek to learn how to grow their own food.\n"}]}

{"ops":[{"insert":"Purdue Extension’s Master Gardener program reaches across Indiana. During the year, the program delivered 1,100 hours of a great variety of in-person and virtual activities, gatherings, events, updates, and trainings involving 13,000 adult participants.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"Training"},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"new Extension Master Gardeners -"},{"insert":" Since COVID-19, this traditionally in-person “basic” training has been made more widely available with addition of a virtual training option through local county cohorts and as a statewide offering. Another addition to programming is a virtual “advanced” training for existing EMG volunteers to provide opportunities for their required continuing education."},{"attributes":{"indent":1,"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"EMG Basic training (local in-person or virtual) includes at least 40 hours of training on the required core topics: Purdue EMG orientation, plant science, soils and plant nutrition, plant disease diagnosis, weed ID and control, insect ID and control, invasive species, pesticide safety and alternatives, lawn care, herbaceous ornamentals, woody ornamentals, vegetable gardening, fruit gardening, and animal pest management. Participants take an end-of- training exam. With a passing score, they become Extension Master Gardener interns who commit to 40 hours of gardening projects in the county. They have two years to complete their hours, and when finished, become certified Extension Master Gardener volunteers."},{"attributes":{"indent":1,"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"Virtual Basic training (statewide)"},{"insert":" consisted of 14 two-hour virtual sessions on required core topics. Presentations were live-streamed to multiple Purdue Extension “host” sites across Indiana. In addition, each host site led a virtual, in-person, or hybrid, one-hour “County Connection” for deeper discussions. In spring 2024, 242 people participated at 11 host sites. 83 virtual basic statewide participants completed the post-survey."},{"attributes":{"indent":1,"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":" "},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"Further training"},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"for certified Extension Master Gardeners -"},{"insert":" A new “advanced” EMG training series was delivered virtually or available as recordings. All current, certified EMG volunteers were invited to participate. Sessions included Wild by Design, Landscaping with Native Plants, Backyard Gardening for Birds, Gardening with Weather Extremes, Season Extension Techniques for Home Gardens, and Rainscaping for the Home Landscape. Session attendance ranged from 45 to 106."},{"attributes":{"indent":1,"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"}]}

{"ops":[{"insert":"Certified EMG volunteers and EMG interns documented their activities for the year: \n• 2,780 EMG volunteers logged 174,013 volunteer hours valued at over $5.2 million. \n• EMG volunteers logged a total of 37,589 education hours and made 376,964 contacts with clientele. \n• Master Gardener associations throughout the state awarded $39,250 in scholarships and donated 37,795 pounds of produce grown in educational demonstration gardens to local food banks. \n• Donated produce from about 84 educational demonstration gardens with 315 Extension Master Gardener volunteers contributing over 24,122 volunteer hours.\n\nVirtual Basic training (statewide) post-survey (83 respondents) results were: \n• All (100%) indicated the statewide virtual training helped them become a better gardener. Here’s an example: “I learned that there are so many different pesticides available because they treat a variety of specific pest issues. In that respect it is very important to read the label and understand what the chemicals contained do and how toxic the product is.” \n• Half (47%) reported they have already changed a gardening practice as a result of the training. Here’s a sample: “How I use mulch, how I water my plants, when I fertilize — there are many things. In fact, the more I learned the more I wondered how anything ever grew in my yard.” \n• Half (46%) reported they intended to change a gardening practice in the future. One example: “I will institute crop rotation, soil testing, and get better at planting crops in the appropriate growing season.\"\n\n(93%) reported changing their gardening practices as a result of their Extension Master Gardener involvement. Changes in gardening practices were: \n• Increased use of pollinator plants or use of practices that protect pollinators (87%), \n• Chose the right plant for the right place (75%), \n• Removed or replaced invasive plant species (71%), \n• Reduced yard waste headed to landfills by composting and/or leaving grass clippings on the lawn (66%), \n• Improved habitat for wildlife (57%).\n\nExtension Master Gardeners shared their changes in gardening practices: use of native and heirloom plants, modified lawn care practices, extended the gardening season, crop rotation to maintain soil fertility, more composting, read labels more carefully and used the information on seed packages, started using cover crops in the garden, and tried no-till in garden.\n\nAs a result of applying their skills, Extension Master Gardeners reported:\n• increased efficiency of gardening practices (75%),\n• saved money by choosing the right plant for the \nright place (57%),\n• saved money through more effective use and/or \npurchase of pesticides or fertilizers (42%),\n• increased fruit and/or vegetable yields (35%).\n\nOn the Advanced training post-surveys, Certified Extension Master Gardeners responded after each session.\n• Wild by Design (106 respondents); most (97%) indicated they were more knowledgeable on the topic and more confident answering questions in their role as Extension Master Gardeners. Half (56%) indicated a desire to make changes to their gardening practices, including: “I will be more mindful of creating habitats for all the wild things in my garden. Will try not to pick up leaves and leave the dead plants over winter for shelter. Going to make a brush pile for creatures to live in.” “I will remove more invasive shrubs.” \n• Native Plants for Indiana Landscapes (106 respondents); most indicated they were more knowledgeable on the topic (98%) and felt more confident answering questions (91%). Half indicated a desire to make a change to their gardening practices (48%), including these: “Add more native plants, especially for the butterflies and hummingbirds.” “I would plant more butterfly and bee nutrient plants.\n• Backyard Gardening for Birds (98 respondents); nearly all (95%) indicated they were more knowledgeable on the topic and felt more confident answering questions. And 61% indicated a desire to make a change in their gardening practices as a result of attending the program. For example: “Making sure to plant blooms for all seasons and trees that sustain the birds, especially service berry. Provide food, water and shelter for birds.” “Plant more bird-friendly flowers & trees.” \n• Gardening with Weather Extremes (68 respondents); most (92%) indicated they were more knowledgeable on the topic, and 95% felt more confident answering questions about the topic in their role as Master Gardeners. Some 45% indicated a desire to make a change in their gardening practices as a result of attending the program. For example: “I will use the sites referenced to understand a bigger picture of weather in my area and apply the coping strategies to it.” “Increase my use of drip irrigation.” \n• Season Extension Techniques for Home Gardens (62 respondents); all (100%) indicated they were more knowledgeable on the topic after the program, and nearly all (93%) felt more confident answering questions in their role as Extension Master Gardener volunteers. Just 12% indicated a desire to make a change in their gardening practices, including these: “Being very careful with plastic over vulnerable plants, and as well as using objects that will hold more heat due to density. I would love to incorporate more edible plants into my landscape, and this was incredibly helpful.” “How to cover plants for heat retention during cool temps.” \n• For Rainscaping for the Home Landscape (45 respondents); most (91%) indicated they were more knowledgeable on the topic after the program, and 88% felt more confident answering questions about the topic. Some 40% indicated a desire to make a change in their gardening practices as a result of attending the program. For example: “Put in a small rain garden by one of my downspouts.” “Being more mindful about areas in my yard with runoff and coming up with plans for those areas.\n"}]}

{"ops":[{"insert":"Through the Purdue Extension Master Gardener Program, volunteers across Indiana are learning more about gardening, gaining skills for their own personal development, and applying practices to their own and demonstration gardens. They are putting this knowledge to work in Indiana communities by volunteering with home horticulture education and demonstration gardens. Their efforts help improve gardening and all its benefits to sustainability and local food production across Indiana, providing harvested produce to food pantries, and helping fund scholarships for aspiring horticulture students for the future.\n"}]}

Agricultural Systems

Agricultural Systems

Smith-Lever (3b&c) Capacity Funds

None Selected

No

2025

No

Rachel Dillhoff

rdillhof@purdue.edu

No

None Selected

Through the Purdue Extension Master Gardener Program, volunteers across Indiana are learning more about gardening, gaining skills for their own personal development, and applying practices to their own and demonstration gardens. They are putting this knowledge to work in Indiana communities by volunteering with home horticulture education and demonstration gardens. Their efforts help improve gardening and all its benefits to sustainability and local food production across Indiana, providing harvested produce to food pantries, and helping fund scholarships for aspiring horticulture students for the future.