Search Results
Surveys of consumers and the recently bereaved were conducted to determine who sends flowers as a sympathy gift and when and why sympathy flowers are sent. Of consumers, 85% sent flowers as a sympathy gift at least once; similarly, 84% of the recently bereaved had sent sympathy flowers. Most sympathy flowers are sent to close friends (63%) and close family members (62%), and sympathy flowers are most often received from close friends (56%) and close family members (43%). Ninety-three percent send flowers as a sympathy gift immediately after notification of a death. According to our survey, sympathy flowers serve two roles in the bereavement process—an emotional and a functional role. Except contact of family and friends, participants indicated that receiving sympathy flowers to help deal with grief was equally or more valuable than all rituals associated with funerals.
Developing the Interdisciplinary Research Team of the Office of Consumer Horticulture has proven to be very effective at Virginia Tech. Established with the support of the Director of the Agricultural Research Station and the Dean of Research, the initial team was gathered based on their diverse fields and a common “interest” in plants. This core group consisted of three horticulturists, a landscape architect, a psychologist, a sociologist, and an Extension administrator. A campus-wide promotional mailing brought several new members. Members were also invited to join based on their human-factors research activities as reported in campus media. There are currently 19 members; they have actively pursued cooperative research projects to keep costs at a minimum. Members have conducted a 100-participant campus workshop as well as the national symposium, “The Role of Horticulture in Human Well-Being and Social Development,” and are currently working on ten research projects which will help develop methods and data valuable for learning about the effects of horticulture on human life quality.
The Virginia Gardener Nutrient Management Education Program addressed non-point, urban-runoff pollution of Virginia's streams, estuaries, and groundwater, and included a calendar aimed at alerting the garden consumer to the connection between overfertilization and water pollution. Over 15,000 calendars were requested.
A survey of calendar recipients was conducted. 1500 persons were chosen at random, a subsequent address check confirmed adequate distribution among the regions of the state. The response rate was 28%. Responses indicated that 91.3% of those surveyed had changed their garden practices in some way because of the calendar. 90% of the respondents indicated that the calendar had shown them a connection between proper gardening techniques and water quality, with 82.2% indicating the calendar had been moderately to greatly successful in showing them this connection.
The 1989 Virginia Gardener Calendar was an effective method of educating garden consumers about the connection between water quality and nutrient runoff, and cultural practices which lessen the need for fertilizer in the home garden.
A mass media water-quality program aimed at changing lawn and garden fertilization practices of homeowners successfully elicited responses from individuals by using local cooperative extension offices and newsletters. Traditional extension media tools, such as radio and news releases, were less successful in eliciting requests for further information. In addition, the program reached more people by transmitting the information in the form of a calendar than it reached in the first year through videotapes and slide sets created for use in public and Master Gardener training.
A national survey was conducted of teachers who use school gardening and horticulture as a teaching strategy to enhance student learning within a educational curriculum. The surveyed teachers are employed by schools that were recipients of a Youth Gardening Grant from the National Gardening Assn. in the 1994–95 and 1995–96 school years. The intent of this survey was to define the factors that are crucial to the successful implementation of school gardening into the elementary school curriculum as determined by educators who have already implemented such a program. The survey also described the characteristics of school gardening experiences at these elementary schools. Personal interviews with experienced school gardening educators in Virginia and Maryland verified survey results. Educators reported that the factors most responsible for school gardening success were a person responsible for school gardening activities, a growing site, and funding. Support of the principal and the availability of gardening equipment were also highly rated as success factors. Teachers indicated that, although these factors are important, they are not necessarily available at their individual schools. Responses also included an enormous listing of resources used by teachers to meet their school gardening needs. The survey overwhelmingly indicated that experienced educators view school gardening as a successful teaching strategy to enhance student learning. However, educators rely primarily on their personal knowledge of gardening to implement learning experiences with their students. Teachers feel that although their personal gardening knowledge is adequate, they are greatly interested in continued education in the use of school gardening and horticulture, either as in-service training, Master Gardener training, or for continuing education credit.
Horticulture information is being placed at the fingertips of Virginia citizens through the use of Public Information Interactive Video Systems. A personal computer (with a touch-screen monitor) and laserdisc player work together to offer a multi-media delivery system. The user moves through programs by simply touching the screen to browse, skip ahead, back up, look up specific information, and print out needed information. A program on household plants contains photographs and information on 131 popular cut flowers and houseplants. A program on selecting landscape plants includes short video segments on the plant selection process, a plant sorter, picture album, and information on the 141 trees, shrubs, vines, and ground covers. Horticulture questions are among those answered in a section on questions most often asked of extension agents. This horticulture information program is one of the top two programs used in the Public Information Interactive Video System in Virginia.
Public concern over the impacts of pesticides and fertilizers on ground water quality has been increasing. Health impacts from ingestion of these chemicals in ground water vary considerably. Recent estimates of the volume of pesticides used in the U.S. indicate that home and garden uses account for about six to eight percent of total pesticides used. To obtain information on types and application rates of home garden chemical use, a telephone survey of Virginia homeowners was undertaken in the summer of 1988. Information was obtained on: 1) size of respondents' lawns and gardens; 2) use of a professional service to manage the lawn or garden, 3) what chemicals were applied and frequency; 4) sources of information used in making chemical use decisions; 5) use of product label instructions and difficulty in interpreting instructions; and 6) perceived threat to water quality, human health, or ground water from properly used home and garden chemicals.
Horticulture information is being placed at the fingertips of Virginia citizens through the use of Public Information Interactive Video Systems. A personal computer (with a touch-screen monitor) and laserdisc player work together to offer a multi-media delivery system. The user moves through programs by simply touching the screen to browse, skip ahead, back up, look up specific information, and print out needed information. A program on household plants contains photographs and information on 131 popular cut flowers and houseplants. A program on selecting landscape plants includes short video segments on the plant selection process, a plant sorter, picture album, and information on the 141 trees, shrubs, vines, and ground covers. Horticulture questions are among those answered in a section on questions most often asked of extension agents. This horticulture information program is one of the top two programs used in the Public Information Interactive Video System in Virginia.
The Commonwealth of Virginia has mandated a recycling goal of 10% of municipal solid waste (MSW) by 1991, 15% by 1993, and 25% by 1995. Yardwaste (leaves, grass clippings, shrub and tree prunings) comprises 15% to 20% of MSW going to landfills daily. Yardwaste can be recycled by collecting material, piling it into large windrows, and allowing it to decompose by comporting. The finished product can be used as a soil amendment by nurseries, landscapers, farmers, local/state government projects, and homeowners.
The Virginia Co-op. Ext. Service at VPI&SU was authorized to perform a feasibility study on implementing a statewide yardwaste comporting program. The methods included a literature review, site visits in other states to assess technologies, and surveys to determine potential uses and users of composted yardwaste in Virginia.
The study was presented to the Virginia Dept. of Waste Mgmt. in November 1989, and as House Document No. 34 to the Virginia General Assembly. Three bills and one joint resolution are pending.
In 1986, VPI&SU contracted with the New River Valley Workshop for a pilot project to determine the effectiveness of “enclave placement” in its landscape maintenance program. An enclave of five disabled adults and one working supervisor were employed to assist Virginia Tech's Grounds Department by working as a crew in litter removal, weeding, raking leaves, and shoveling snow.
The enclave was enthusiastic, dedicated, and had low absenteeism, thereby setting a standard for salaried employees. The enclave's participation in the Virginia Tech grounds maintenance program enabled many of the salaried employees to dedicate their time and energy to more complicated tasks.
The pilot project led to a contract that has been effective for four years, proving that disabled adults can function together as a team and, at the same time, be an integral part of a large grounds maintenance department.