Overview of the Survey and Who Responded

This report summarizes the findings from a survey distributed to shoppers at the Davis Farmers Market on several Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings in July 2006.  The Master Gardeners of Yolo County and the Davis Farmers Market Foundation are in the process of planning the renovation of the gardens in Central Park.  A total of 119 shoppers completed the survey in exchange for “Farmers Market Gift Dollars”

Of the shoppers who responded,  90 percent identified themselves as having a garden, and rated their gardening proficiency as Beginning (34  percent), Intermediate (28  percent) or Advanced (38  percent).

Among the respondent’s households, 44  percent reported that they have children present.  A few, in addition, cited benefits of the garden for their grandchildren.  

Most of the respondents ( 72 percent) identified themselves as Davis residents.  In addition, respondents came from  Woodland (6 ), Sacramento (7), Dixon (3), Vacaville (1),  or Other (13).

In terms of frequency of visits to Central Park, 76 percent visit weekly, 16 percent visit monthly, and 7 percent visit annually.  More than half (58 percent) reported that they visit Central Park at times other than Farmers Market hours.

Finally, the survey asked whether respondents would be interested in volunteering or donating money to help in development of the gardens.  Sixteen persons indicated an interest in volunteering, and 24 stated they would be willing to donate to garden funding.

 

Expressed Preferences

Preferences among alternatives were not widely distributed, and caution should be used in interpreting the results.  Each shopper rated items in five sets of alternatives from 5 ( “very interesting”) to 1 (“not at all interesting”).

In terms of types of plantings, the following were preferred:

Type of Planting	Preference Rating
Plants that attract butterflies and birds	4.5
California native plants	4.4
Drought-tolerant plants	3.9
Fruit trees/berries/grapevines	3.6
Vegetables/culinary herbs	3.4
Roses	3.2

 

In terms of focal gardening practices to be demonstrated, the ratings were:

Gardening Practice	Preference Rating
Plant selection	4.1
Non-toxic pest control	4.0
How and when to water/efficient irrigation	3.9
Preparing soil for planting	3.8
Garden design	3.8
Identifying pest and beneficial insects	3.8
Lowering maintenance	3.8
Harvesting and cooking from the garden	3.8
Seasonal cycles of garden work	3.7
Pruning and training plants	3.6
Planting techniques	3.6
Composting	3.5
Identifying and managing weeds	3.5

In terms of desired use of the gardens in Central Park, the following were chosen in order of preference:

Use of Gardens	Preference Rating
Enjoy a beautiful garden	4.2
Meet my family and friends	4.0
Learn what to plant in my garden	3.5
Learn how to take better care of my plants	3.4
Place for my children to play	3.2
Place for my children to participate in garden-based activities	3.1
Be by myself	2.9

 
Eight respondents also identified other possible uses for the garden space.

In terms of ways to learn about (or from) the gardens, the following preferences were expressed by the survey responses:

Ways to Learn	Preference Rating
Plant Labels	3.9
Interpretive Signs	3.6
Informal demonstrations	3.5
Hands-on workshops	3.5
Guided tours with Master Gardeners	3.3
Self-guided tour brochures	3.2
Drop-in "office hours" with Master Gardeners	3.1

Five respondents identified other ways of learning from the garden.