The ripples of COVID-19 have affected gardening and the green industry in many ways. The popularity of gardening has surged, as individuals and families have sought a rewarding hobby, outdoor activity, and food security. But the pandemic has also limited gardeners to where and how they learn and how they can participate in horticulture programs.
Normally, we could attend workshops, travel to conferences, learn in groups and engage with other gardeners to hone our skills. But since mid-March, most all in-person opportunities have been canceled or postponed. Which is why many organizations have taken their events and programs to a virtual platform.
Many gardening programs have been easily brought onto the digital platform. Other programs aren’t as easy, such as garden tours or plant sales. But public gardens, botanical gardens and horticulture liaisons have quickly learned to adapt to meet the needs of the public.
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In some capacity, chances are you have participated in a Zoom meeting within the last few months. If not a Zoom meeting, perhaps a social media video or a YouTube video. I’ve watched several videos posted live by local public gardens. Zoom allows gardeners to log in to discuss a wide range of topics or hear an expert speak on a specific plant or method.
Local knowledge
Local cooperative extension offices are always a wealth of knowledge about gardening, vegetables and farming. Forsyth County Extension’s regular programs include gardener workshops and an arboretum adult education series, which cover a wide range of topics every year. When COVID-19 began to change how people interacted with each other, Forsyth extension agents adapted to continue their scheduled programs.
“Back in March, extension stopped all face-to-face programming for a period of time, so we had to shift how we are educating the public,” said Leslie Peck, a Forsyth County Extension Horticulture Agent. “Here in Forsyth County, we did cancel or postpone some programs that had time-sensitive topics or programs that we feel we cannot do justice to in a virtual program. Otherwise, we are offering classes online.”
Forsyth County extension’s July classes include container gardening and food preservation, which you can register for through Eventbrite online. Once you’re registered, the class will be held via Zoom, where participants engage with the host speaker in a virtual classroom.
Peck also said that though staff members are working remotely, they are quickly able to respond to phone messages and emails. If you have a plant or garden question, please include good quality photos in your email, which is helpful for staff to identify problems and solutions. Soil samples are still being done, too.
“We have recently put soil testing kits out in our demonstration garden for pickup,” Peck said. “People can pick those up, take their soil sample, and then they need to mail it directly to the lab in Raleigh for analysis.”
The JC Raulston Arboretum at North Carolina State University in Raleigh is a big resource for gardeners all over our state. They always pack a large amount of events into their calendar, most of which were canceled or postponed due to COVID-19.
The Raulston has made a seemingly seamless transition onto a digital platform, though. Its YouTube channel is full of information for all ages and its packed calendar of classes and workshops just keeps ticking along. The arboretum has free resources, such as weekly plant discussions. It also has different webinars for adults and children, which meet weekly and vary in price.
The American Public Gardens Association (APGA) is a fantastic resource for professional gardeners, horticulturists and plant persons. Its website (www.publicgardens.org) is a trove of useful articles and networking opportunity, which has only proved more practical during the pandemic.
APGA hosts an annual conference, which was reworked onto a digital format. From home, conference attendees were still able to enjoy speakers and learn how public gardens can best adapt to our “new normal.” Although not the same as attending in person, these virtual conferences do provide unique opportunities for gardeners who are not able to travel.
Unfortunately, not all plant-related conferences were able to go online. For example, the 2020 Cullowhee Native Plant Conference was canceled, a much anticipated event for North Carolina gardeners. However, the N.C. Native Plant Society still provides a wealth of great information on its website, www.ncwildflower.org.
Here in Winston-Salem, Forsyth Tech’s horticulture program has gone largely to online classes. The fall semester is offering a hybrid mixture of in-person labs and online learning, which gives students a great amount of flexibility with their education. Although this platform looks much different than the traditional classroom setting, it is allowing more nontraditional and working students an opportunity for continuing education.
It’s important to stay engaged with the gardening community, even if it is through our computers. Although gardening is extremely hands-on, we can still draw experience from digital opportunities. I encourage you to stay connected and use this time to explore and learn from the comforts of home.
Amy Dixon is an assistant horticulturist at Reynolda Gardens of Wake Forest University. Gardening questions or story ideas can be sent to her at www.facebook.com/WSJAmyDixon or news@wsjournal.com, with “gardening” in the subject line. Or write to Amy Dixon in care of Features, Winston-Salem Journal, 418 N. Marshall St., Winston-Salem, NC 27101