Minnesota Yard & Garden Ask an Expert Builds Relevancy and Value Answering Questions

Abstract

Citizens look to Extension Horticulture for unbiased, research-based advice on establishing and m aintaining healthy yards and gardens. Over the past decade, changes in expectations, culture and technology have required Extension to provide answers in ways that fit current lifestyles. Ask an Expert (AaE) is an online question-answer tool hosted and supported by national cooperative Extension (eXtension.org). On the surface, AaE clearly serves as a means for Extension to help citizens solve problems quickly and efficiently. On a deeper level, AaE provides a powerful tool that strengthens Extension’s relevancy and value to the individual’s daily life, and the connection they have to their land grant university. In 2015, 18 active Extension horticulture educators and Master Gardeners answered 6,914 questions from Minnesotans (average response rate per question: less than 1 day). AaE is one of the volunteer activities available to Master Gardeners. Volunteers are trained by Extension educators who lead the AaE Minnesota Yard & Garden group and are mentored by experienced Master Gardener colleagues. Volunteers help each other with tough questions via a very active listserv, and are part of the larger eXtension.org AaE and Horticulture communities of practice. Question topics range from basic plant identification to more complex explanations of landscape best practices to positive identification of emerging invasive species. In spring 2016, a Master Gardener positively identified a new infestation of black swallow-wort from pictures sent by a homeowner though AaE, and connected the homeowner with the MDA Arrest-the-Pest. (average response time: less than 24 hours per question), and we are on-track to exceed this rate with over 3500 questions answered to-date.