Gardening with Muscadines: Exploring learned Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Principles and Sustainable Practices Across Plant Growth Cycles
Early Career Development
Claude Jean
Urban Horticulture Extension Agent and Master Gardener Coordinator
University of Florida
Bunnell
Abstract
Two educational workshops were designed to assess acquired skills throughout the muscadine grape plant growth cycle. The initial workshop took place during the muscadine harvest season in August, serving as an introduction to muscadines. Participants engaged in hands-on activities, including harvesting muscadines, sampling their flavors, and familiarizing themselves with these alternative edible habitats. Each participant had the opportunity to take home a propagated portion of their preferred muscadine variety. Following this workshop, all 15 participants expressed a commitment to adopting recommended gardening practices, commonly referred to as "best management practices," for cultivating muscadine grapes. Furthermore, they indicated their intention to incorporate these practices into their landscapes. When asked about which Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ (FFL) principles they would integrate while growing muscadines, the majority identified Fertilize Appropriately (14 participants), Right Plant Right Place (13 participants), and Mulch (11 participants). The second workshop, held during the planting and pruning season, attracted 19 participants, including four who attended the initial session. Participants were asked to identify FFL skills they had acquired, with the most commonly cited being Fertilize Appropriately (12 participants), Right Plant Right Place (10 participants), and Mulch (10 participants). A vast majority of attendees (18 participants) expressed their intent to incorporate muscadines into their landscape following this workshop. Additionally, there was notable knowledge enhancement in pruning (18 participants), training (14 participants), and planting (13 participants). A follow-up survey will be conducted after one year to assess any behavioral changes participants have made in their landscapes as a result of attending these workshops.
Authors: Claude Jean, Julio Perez, Terra Freeman, Brittany Council-Morton
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Claude Jean Urban Horticulture Extension Agent and Master Gardener Coordinator, University of Florida, Florida, 32110
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Julio Perez Horticulture Agent I , University of Florida, Florida, 32131
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Terra Freeman Urban and Commercial Horticulture Extension Agent, Master Gardener Program Coordinator, University of Florida, Florida, 32092
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Brittany Council-Morton Urban Horticulture Extension Agent & Master Gardener Coordinator, University of Florida, Florida, 32724