Employing a touch screen computer system with a survey tool in the format of a quiz can be used to assess consumer knowledge of integrated pest management and plant health care practices. This article describes the survey tool and environment the survey was administered under and summarizes the results of the survey. Homeowner knowledge of integrated pest management and plant health care concepts was high, with greater than half of the respondents choosing correct answers to the survey questions. These findings suggest that Cooperative Extension agents and specialists are positively affecting home landscape management by influencing consumer knowledge and practices

Barton, Susan

Kelley, Kathleen M

Sellmer, James C

Suchanic, David J

English

Clemson University: TigerPrints

The Journal of Extension Volume 41 Number 2 Article 13 4-1-2003 An Interactive Survey to Assess Consumer Knowledge About Landscape Plant Health Care and IPM Practices James C. Sellmer The Pennsylvania State University, jcs32@psu.edu Kathleen M. Kelley The Pennsylvania State University David J. Suchanic The Pennsylvania State University Susan Barton University of Delaware This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License. Recommended Citation Sellmer, J. C., Kelley, K. M., Suchanic, D. J., & Barton, S. (2003). An Interactive Survey to Assess Consumer Knowledge About Landscape Plant Health Care and IPM Practices. The Journal of Extension, 41(2), Article 13. https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/joe/vol41/iss2/13 This Research in Brief is brought to you for free and open access by the Conferences at TigerPrints. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Journal of Extension by an authorized editor of TigerPrints. For more information, please contact kokeefe@clemson.edu. 	 JOEHOME JOURNAL GUIDELINES ABOUT	JOE CONTACT NATIONAL	JOB	BANKCurrent	Issues Back	IssuesApril	2003	//	Volume	41	//	Number	2	//	Research	in	Brief	//	2RIB4An	Interactive	Survey	to	Assess	Consumer	Knowledge	AboutLandscape	Plant	Health	Care	and	IPM	PracticesAbstractEmploying	a	touch	screen	computer	system	with	a	survey	tool	in	the	format	of	a	quiz	can	beused	to	assess	consumer	knowledge	of	integrated	pest	management	and	plant	health	carepractices.	This	article	describes	the	survey	tool	and	environment	the	survey	was	administeredunder	and	summarizes	the	results	of	the	survey.	Homeowner	knowledge	of	integrated	pestmanagement	and	plant	health	care	concepts	was	high,	with	greater	than	half	of	the	respondentschoosing	correct	answers	to	the	survey	questions.	These	findings	suggest	that	CooperativeExtension	agents	and	specialists	are	positively	affecting	home	landscape	management	byinfluencing	consumer	knowledge	and	practices.	IntroductionPlant	Health	Care	(PHC)	and	Integrated	Pest	Management	(IPM)	are	concepts	that	have	becomehallmarks	of	the	Cooperative	Extension	effort	to	educate	commercial	and	consumer	clientele.	Theeducational	goals	behind	these	two	concepts	are	parallel	and	complementary.	IPM	employsmonitoring	of	pest	problems	and	recommends	a	combination	of	management	tactics	such	asbiological,	chemical,	cultural,	and	mechanical	methods	to	reduce	or	maintain	pest	populationsbelow	damaging	levels.	PHC	monitors	plant	health	and	focuses	on	prevention	of	plant	problemsthrough	site	analysis	and	plant	selection	before	planting,	proper	planting	procedures,	deliberateand	proper	maintenance	activities	(Ball,	1994;	Lloyd	&	Miller,	1997).Cooperative	Extension	agents	and	specialists	have	long	addressed	issues	of	properly	managinglandscape	plants	to	reduce	pest	activity	and	to	assure	healthy	plants.	The	message	is	carried	toboth	homeowners	and	commercial	clientele	in	numerous	forums,	including	organized	educationprograms;	newspaper,	television,	and	radio	pieces;	clientele	phone	calls;	and	question	and	answervenues	at	local	events.However,	quantifiable	data	on	knowledge	and	practices	consumers	employ	in	their	own	landscapesrelative	to	IPM	and	PHC	concepts	is	seldom	collected.	The	purposes	for	this	report	are	to:Describe	an	interactive,	touch	screen	computer	system	and	quiz-based	survey	format.James	C.	SellmerAssistant	Professor	of	Ornamental	HorticultureInternet	Address:	jcs32@psu.eduKathleen	M.	KelleyAssistant	Professor	of	Consumer	Horticulture	InformationDavid	J.	SuchanicOrnamental	Horticulture	Extension	AgentMontgomery	CountyThe	Pennsylvania	State	UniversityUniversity	Park,	PennsylvaniaSusan	BartonExtension	HorticulturistUniversity	of	DelawareNewark,	DelawareSummarize	the	results	of	a	weeklong	assessment	of	consumer	understanding	andimplementation	of	IPM	and	PHC	practices	in	their	home	landscape.The	Survey	SiteThe	Philadelphia	Flower	Show	is	the	largest	indoor	flower	show	in	the	world.	Annually,	230,000people	visit	the	weeklong	show	orchestrated	by	the	Pennsylvania	Horticultural	Society	(PHS)	inMarch.	The	show	is	built	around	a	new	theme	each	year	that	is	interlaced	through	all	the	displays,exhibits,	and	competitions.	Universities,	colleges,	schools,	landscape	architects,	nurseries,	florists,landscape	construction	firms,	and	supply	companies	design	and	construct	displays	to	educate,entertain,	and	elicit	future	business	from	the	attendees.In	2001,	Delaware	Valley	College,	Horticulture	Academy	at	Abraham	Lincoln	High	School,Williamson	Free	School	of	Mechanical	Trades,	Walter	Biddle	Saul	High	School	of	AgriculturalSciences,	U.	S.	Environmental	Protection	Agency	Region	III,	Temple	University,	Penn	StateCooperative	Extension,	Delaware	Cooperative	Extension,	Rutgers	Cooperative	Extension,	and	theSoutheast	Pennsylvania	IPM	Research	Group	came	together	to	create	a	display	depicting	andemploying	IPM	and	PHC	practices	(Figure	1).Figure	1.The	"Improving	Plant	Health	with	IPM"	Display	at	the	2001	Philadelphia	Flower	ShowIndividual	themes	within	the	display	area	related	to	the	concepts	outlined	in	the	Penn	StateExtension	Publication	Series	"Creating	Healthy	Landscapes,"	which	are	available	online	athttp://pubs.cas.psu.edu/landscapes.html.	Each	publication	in	the	series	addresses	a	specific	topicin	proper	plant	health	care	and	pest	management	using	a	focused,	descriptive,	and	easy-to-readformat.The	display	provided	an	ideal	setting	to	assess	the	visitors	on	their	understanding	of	the	conceptsof	IPM	and	PHC	and	the	practices	they	employ	in	their	landscapes.The	Survey	ToolThe	site	and	participants	offered	several	challenges	relative	to	standard	surveying	techniques:Large	number	of	visitors	at	the	display	at	one	time,Background	noise	and	visual	distractions,Participants'	short	attention	spans,	andVariability	in	participants'	age,	experience,	and	interest	in	gardening	and	the	environment.To	address	the	site	and	participant	limitations	in	a	thought-provoking,	educationally	rewarding,and	interactive	manner,	a	quiz	format	for	the	survey	was	developed	using	multiple-choice	answers.To	address	survey	format	issues,	a	computer-based	quiz	with	a	touch	screen	was	chosen	thatwould	allow	direct	interaction	with	the	respondent.	This	approach	also	maintained	participantinterest	in	the	survey	(Figures	2	and	3).Figure	2.Question	1	and	Computer	Responses	the	Participants	Received	Based	on	Their	Answers	to	theTouch-Screen-Administered	SurveyWhich	of	the	following	features	of	your	landscape	are	important	to	consider	whenchoosing	plants	to	purchase	for	your	yard?	Select	all	that	apply.The	amount	of	sun	or	shade	the	area	receives	each	daySoil	type	(clay,	loamy,	or	sandy)	&	amount	of	water	held	by	the	soilThe	soil	pHThe	average	temperatures	recorded	in	the	area	during	the	yearExposure	to	the	wind	of	the	areaAll	of	theseResponse	for	any	answer	except	"All	of	these"You're	partially	correct.	Actually	all	of	the	answers	are	important	when	considering	choosingplants	for	your	yard.	Sunlight,	soil	type,	soil	pH,	ground	water	&	plant	types	are	all	importantfactors.	Matching	site	conditions	to	the	growing	conditions	that	best	suit	the	plants	you	areinterested	in	is	the	first	step	in	insuring	a	healthy	landscape.	Check	out	the	PSU	publications"Landscaping	Your	Home"	and	"Selecting	Plants	for	Pennsylvania."Response	for	"All	of	these"Correct.	Sunlight,	soil	type,	soil	pH,	ground	water	&	plant	types	are	all	important	factors.Matching	site	conditions	to	the	growing	conditions	that	best	suit	the	plants	you	areinterested	in	is	the	first	step	in	insuring	a	healthy	landscape.	Check	out	the	PSU	publications"Landscaping	Your	Home"	and	"Selecting	Plants	for	Pennsylvania."Figure	3.Sample	Screen	Respondents	Would	See	After	Incorrectly	Answering	a	Question	on	Factors	MostImportant	in	Deciding	When	and	How	to	PruneThe	survey	consisted	of	16	questions	and	was	administered	by	Survey	America	and	theTouchSource	Group	(Indianapolis,	IN)	on	three	touch-screen	SurveyCenters™.	The	computerautomatically	recorded	survey	results	as	respondents	touched	the	answers	on	screen.	Data	werecollected	continually	during	the	hours	of	the	show.	This	approach	allowed	participants	to	answerquestions	at	their	own	pace.The	survey	consisted	of	several	parts,	including	questions	regarding	demographics,	plant	healthcare,	and	integrated	pest	management	activities.	Seven	demographic	questions	addressed	age,gender,	home	ownership,	interest	in	gardening,	interest	in	protecting	the	environment,	use	ofprofessional	landscape	services,	and	location	of	residence.The	plant	health	care	questions	were	multiple-choice	questions	allowing	individual	and	multipleresponses	or	the	collective	answer	"all	of	these."	Questions	included	site	analysis	concepts,planting	practices,	mulching,	and	pruning.	Questions	were:Which	features	of	your	landscape	are	important	when	choosing	plants	to	purchase?What	information	should	you	know	about	the	area	you	are	landscaping	to	help	you	inchoosing	plants?Select	all	of	the	practices	that	you	should	do	when	planting	a	tree	or	shrubCan	you	identify	all	of	the	reasons	for	applying	2-3	inches	of	mulch	around	your	landscapeplanting?What	one	factor	would	you	consider	most	important	when	deciding	when	and	how	to	prune?Integrated	pest	management	questions	were	multiple-choice	questions	and	required	a	singleanswer	response.	Questions	allowed	answers	of	two	types	either	"yes,	no,	and	no	opinion"	or"always,	sometimes,	never,	and	no	opinion."	Questions	focused	on	identifying,	monitoring,	andkeeping	records	of	plant	problems.	They	included:As	a	general	rule,	do	you	identify	the	insect	on	your	plants	before	deciding	how	to	treat	them?Do	you	regularly	(once	a	week	or	so)	walk	through	your	yard	to	see	how	your	plants	are	doingand	whether	there	may	be	a	pest	problem?Can	you	identify	pest	damage	without	seeing	the	pest?Do	you	keep	track	of	the	pests	and	insect	that	you	find	around	your	plants	and	how	you	havetreated	them	in	the	past?Data	Analysis	and	Survey	ResultsSurvey	America	tabulated	the	data,	conducted	basic	statistical	analysis,	and	provided	a	reportconsisting	of	frequency	and	respondent	percentage	data	for	each	question.	The	survey	resultswere	finalized	within	2	weeks	of	the	completion	of	the	survey.Of	the	show	attendees,	2,158	participated	in	the	survey.	Participant	responses	were	screened	forcompletion	and	age.	Partially	completed	responses	and	respondents	19	years	of	age	and	youngerwere	removed	from	the	survey	population.	Seven	hundred-twenty	eight	eligible,	completed,responses	were	obtained.Survey	DemographicsThe	average	respondent	age	was	47	years,	with	the	36	to	50	year	old	group	accounting	for	44%	ofthe	population.	Varlamoff,	Florkowski,	Jordan,	Latimer,	and	Braman	(2001)	reported	a	similarlyaged	majority	respondent	pool	to	a	phone	survey	on	homeowner	landscape	practices	in	Georgia.The	next	largest	respondent	age	group	ranged	in	age	from	51-60,	22%	of	the	participants,	followedby	the	26-35	year	old	age	group,	13%	of	the	participants.	A	majority	of	the	respondents	werewomen	(69%).	Results	from	other	consumer	research	have	shown	that	the	majority	of	surveyparticipants	tend	to	be	female	(Varlamoff	et	al.,	2001;	Kelley,	Behe,	Biernbaum,	&	Poff,	2001).A	majority	of	the	respondents	(76%)	reported	owning	a	single-family	home	as	their	primaryresidence,	with	55%	living	within	Pennsylvania,	followed	by	New	Jersey	(21%).	A	majority	(56%)never	hired	a	professional	landscape	maintenance	service,	compared	to	40%	that	havesometimes,	frequently,	or	always	hired	firms.	Respondents	have	a	very	strong	to	moderateinterest	in	gardening	(90%)	and	an	interest	in	protecting	the	environment	(87%).Plant	Health	CareThe	most	correct	answer	to	the	question	regarding	important	features	to	consider	whenpurchasing	landscape	plants	was	"all	of	these."	Respondents	could	also	select	any	related	answer,including:The	amount	of	sun	or	shade	the	area	receives	each	daySoil	type	(clay,	loamy,	or	sandy)	and	amount	of	water	held	by	the	soilThe	soil	pHThe	average	temperatures	recorded	in	the	area	during	the	yearExposure	to	the	wind	of	the	areaFifty-eight	percent	of	the	respondents	chose	the	answer	"all	of	these"	or	selected	all	of	the	itemsbefore	continuing.	Among	individual	answers,	95%	of	respondents	thought	light	levels	at	theplanting	site	was	most	important,	followed	by	soil	type	(85%),	average	temperature	(74%),	soil	pH(74%),	and	exposure	to	the	wind	(70%).Selecting	proper	activities	when	planting	a	tree	or	shrub	also	allowed	multiple	answers,	but	onlyone	answer	was	correct,	"plant	only	as	deep	as	the	root	ball	or	pot."	Among	respondents,	49%chose	the	single	correct	answer,	while	64%	chose	the	correct	answer	along	with	several	incorrectanswers	(Figure	4).Figure	4.The	Percentage	of	Respondents	Choosing	the	Individual	Answers	to	the	Question	"Select	all	of	thefollowing	that	you	should	do	when	planting	a	tree	or	shrub"The	correct	reasons	for	applying	2-3	inches	of	mulch	around	a	landscape	planting	included:	weedreduction,	reducing	water	loss	from	the	soil,	providing	a	slow	release	nutrient	source,	protectingplants	from	damage,	and	to	keep	plant	looking	good.	"All	of	the	above"	was	the	most	correctanswer;	however,	selecting	all	of	the	individual	correct	answers	was	also	an	option.	Overall,	49%	ofrespondents	chose	all	of	the	correct	answers.	Among	individual	answers,	reducing	water	loss	fromthe	soil	was	most	popular	(94%),	followed	by	weed	reduction	(91%),	protecting	plants	(78%),	slowrelease	nutrient	source	(77%),	and	keeping	plants	well	groomed	(68%).Reasons	for	pruning	had	three	possible	correct	answers:	"pruning	to	remove	damage	or	diseasedbranches,"	"pruning	to	improve	strength,	structure	and	safety,"	and	"thinning	to	improve	aircirculation."	A	majority	of	respondents	chose	from	the	possible	correct	answers	(83%).	Amongthese	respondents,	47%	chose	improving	strength,	structure,	and	safety,	followed	by	32%choosing	remove	damaged	or	diseased	branches.	Choosing	to	prune	because	it	is	the	season	wasselected	by	7%	of	the	respondents.	Five	percent	of	respondents	also	chose	either	pruning	intoformal	shapes	or	topping	because	the	tree	is	too	tall.Integrated	Pest	ManagementSeventy-one	percent	of	respondents	identified	insects	on	their	plants	before	deciding	to	treatthem.	Similarly,	74%	regularly	monitored	their	landscape	plants	for	problems.	In	the	category	ofrecord	keeping,	a	total	of	72%	kept	regular	or	infrequent	records	of	pests	and	insects	they	foundand	the	treatment	applied.	Of	these,	21%	always	kept	records,	while	an	equal	percentage	kept	norecords.	On	the	ability	to	identify	a	problem	without	seeing	a	pest,	only	8%	claimed	to	alwaysidentify	pest	damage	without	seeing	the	pest,	compared	to	74%	claiming	to	identify	the	damagesome	of	the	time.ConclusionThe	results	of	this	survey	were	heartening	in	that	when	responding	to	plant	health	care	andintegrated	pest	management	questions,	nearly	half	or	greater	of	the	respondents	chose	thecorrect	answers.	While	benchmark	information	pertaining	to	the	set	of	questions	asked	of	therespondents	is	hard	to	come	by,	results	of	the	survey	suggests	that	educational	efforts	are	morelikely	having	an	impact	on	the	perceptions	and	practices	that	consumers	are	employing	in	theirlandscapes.	However,	it	is	evident	by	the	number	of	partial	correct	answers	elicited	through	thesurvey	that	continued	effort	in	educating	home	landscapers	and	consumers	is	still	necessary.The	quiz	format	and	the	interactive	computer	system	were	effective	tools	for	assessing	knowledgeunder	such	challenging	conditions.	Conducting	surveys	involving	similar	tools	under	differentenvironmental	and	site	conditions	could	be	helpful	in	assessing	consumer	understanding	andimplementation	of	plant	health	care	and	integrated	pest	management	practices.AcknowledgmentThis	project	was	partially	funded	by	the	Pennsylvania	Horticultural	Society	and	the	Penn	StateUniversity,	Department	of	Entomology,	IPM	Program.ReferencesBall,	J.	(1994).	Plant	health	care	and	the	public.	Journal	of	Arboriculture,	20(1),	33-37.Kelley,	K.,	Behe,	B.	K.,	Biernbaum,	J.	A.,	&	Poff,	K.	L.	(2001).	Consumer	preference	for	edible-flowercolor,	container	size,	and	price.	HortTechnology,	36(4),	801-804.Lloyd,	J.,	&	Miller,	F.	(1997).	Introduction	to	plant	health	care.	In	J.	Lloyd	(Ed.),	Plant	Health	Care	forWoody	Plants.	International	Society	of	Arboriculture.	Savoy,	IL.Varlamoff,	S.,	Florkowski,	W.J.,	Jordan,	J.L.,	Latimer,	J.,	&	Braman,	K.	(2001).	Georgia	homeownersurvey	of	landscape	practices.	HortTechnology,	11(2),	326-331.Copyright	©	by	Extension	Journal,	Inc.	ISSN	1077-5315.	Articles	appearing	in	the	Journal	become	the	property	of	theJournal.	 Single	 copies	 of	 articles	 may	 be	 reproduced	 in	 electronic	 or	 print	 form	 for	 use	 in	 educational	 or	 trainingactivities.	Inclusion	of	articles	in	other	publications,	electronic	sources,	or	systematic	large-scale	distribution	may	bedone	only	with	prior	electronic	or	written	permission	of	the	Journal	Editorial	Office,	joe-ed@joe.org.If	you	have	difficulties	viewing	or	printing	this	page,	please	contact	JOE	Technical	Support©	Copyright	by	Extension	Journal,	Inc.	ISSN	1077-5315.	Copyright	Policy

An Interactive Survey to Assess Consumer Knowledge About Landscape Plant Health Care and IPM Practices

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An Interactive Survey to Assess Consumer Knowledge About Landscape Plant Health Care and IPM Practices

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