MANHATTAN – The popularity of gardening in Kansas and across the United States was brought to light in a lunchtime program launched by Kansas State University during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The organizers of the K-State Garden Time said 9,882 participants attended at least one session in 2021 – more than half of those on the live program and the rest who viewed recordings online. These numbers, they say, have already surpassed the number of participants for all of 2020.

Matthew McKernan, a horticultural officer with K-State Research and Extension in Sedgwick County, added that participants came from 104 counties in Kansas, as well as 37 states and four countries.

“In my opinion, a big part of the success of this program is that a lot of people love to garden,” McKernan said. “Gardening is something that appeals to people of all ages and walks of life, and can be as simple as a few pots, or as large as a few acres.”

The user-friendly format – in which a K-State horticultural professional presents on a prime topic – also appeals to gardeners of all skill levels, he said.

“Even the most seasoned gardener knows there is something more he can learn,” McKernan said. “We try to deliver this new knowledge with our programs, and do it in the most accessible way possible, and that’s what I think helps make K-State Garden Hour so popular.”

The K-State Garden Hour will launch its fall online series on August 4 with “Organic Gardening”. The program will take place on the first and third Wednesday of each month until September 15 from noon to 1 p.m. (CST).

A one-off registration fees gives viewers free access to all fall sessions, which include:

● August. 4 – Organic gardening.

● August. 18 – Gardening with beneficial insects.

● Seven. 1 – The basics of growing berries in Kansas.

● Seven. 15 – Composting with worms – Vermicomposting 101.

The organizers have also established the schedule for the winter series (October 6 to November 3). The planned programs and a description of each is available online. Recordings of sessions from last year and this year are also available.

“The K-State Garden Hour was originally a collaborative effort born out of the pandemic, but has since grown into something bigger,” McKernan said. “We have already started planning for the K-State Garden Hour in 2022. We want to continue to combine the expertise and knowledge of our horticultural team with the topics and interests that most excite our growing audience. ”

In addition to online information, those interested can also contact their local K-State research and extension office for more details on the K-State Garden Hour.