CORVALLIS, Ore. — Interest in vegetable gardening has surged nationwide as people stay home during the pandemic. More than 17,600 people — at a rate of about 1,000 new signups per day — have enrolled in a free online gardening course offered by the Oregon State University Extension Service.
The introductory vegetable gardening course includes topics such as planning, soil preparation, plant care and harvesting.
From Jan. 1 through March 19, just 15 people had registered for the on-demand, online course. That changed quickly when OSU Extension’s Master Gardener program waived the $45 fee and promoted the course on Facebook on March 20. By 10 a.m. on April 1, 17,656 people had registered.
“The results have been stunning,” said Gail Langellotto, Extension statewide Master Gardener coordinator and professor of horticulture at Oregon State.
The introductory vegetable gardening course includes topics such as planning, soil preparation, plant care and harvesting. It has been offered online since 2008 as part of the Master Gardener Short Course Series through Oregon State’s Professional and Continuing Education unit. The course will remain free through at least the end of April.
“We were inspired to do what we could during this very difficult time, after seeing the actions of our colleagues,” Langellotto said. “Master Gardener programs in Polk and Lincoln counties turned canceled plant sales into opportunities to get free vegetable seedlings to food pantries and their communities. Labs in Oregon State’s horticulture department donated personal protective equipment.
“When we asked what we could do, we knew we had this course and thought it might be of interest to a few folks.”
Master Gardeners support local food systems
OSU Extension Master Gardeners have long contributed to food access in Oregon. In 2019, they supported 23 school gardens and 46 community gardens. That same year, they donated 52.5 tons of fresh fruits and vegetables to food banks and food pantries.
Due to the pandemic, many of these in-person activities are on hold. For example, the Grow an Extra Row Garden in Clackamas County — one of the program’s largest food providers — cannot be planted this spring.
In response, Master Gardeners are shifting their focus. They’re encouraging people to use the free online course to grow food at home and contribute to the national Plant a Row for the Hungry effort.
Facebook post sparks national interest
Langellotto announced the free course on the OSU Master Gardener Facebook page on March 20. The post went viral, with more than 24,000 shares — including 4,500 in the first few hours — and more than 1,700 comments.
“Because the Facebook post went viral, we’re also reaching lots of folks across the country who may not know that they have a university Extension office in their own backyard,” Langellotto said. “So, I’m also trying to use this as an opportunity to introduce folks to their local Extension office.”
Assigned reading for the course includes Growing Your Own, an OSU Extension publication written by Langellotto. Additional resources include Vegetable Gardening in Oregon.
