Understanding College Student’s Experiences, Knowledge, and Preferences in Horticultural Activity

Background and objective: In order to develop basic data for horticultural education and activities for college students struggling to overcome various stress and practical problems, this study is designed to understand the actual conditions of college students' horticultural experience, knowledge, and preferences.Methods: First, the experiences of horticultural activities were classified and analyzed using Google Forms. At this time, the horticultural experience was investigated by dividing it into whether there was a plant cultivation experience, a personal plant experience, and plant purchase experiences. Second, gardening activities and knowledge and preference were analzed. Third, the correlation between plant experience and plant knowledge was analyzed, and a factor analysis was conducted to determine preferred horticultural activities and class programs.Results: In the case of experiencing plant cultivation, there was a high interest in companion plants, understanding plant management methods, preventing pests, packaging or storage methods of flowers, and social media related to plants. In the case of no experience in plant cultivation, plant indifference, difficulty in cultivation, and mental and time leisure were cited as conditions for plant cultivation. While personal plant purchasing experience is about two to three times a year, gift purchasing experience was very high, and the reason why flowers were not purchased except for gifts was because they were discarded or did not know how to store them. Plant knowledge, such as plant types, names, and breeding methods, was very low, but plant terriers showed high interest, and preferences for flower plants, foliage plants, succulent plants, and fine dust removal plants and gardens, gardens, and plantation activities were high. "Plant experience" was highly connected with the latest knowledge such as "understanding fine dust plants" (<i>p</i> < .001), especially "plant interest" was highly connected with all the horticultural knowledge presented (<i>p</i> < .001). As a result of the arithmetic factor analysis, the rotational factor analysis of the six factors showed the highest number of "plant activity" types, and the factor load was important in the order of flower complex tour, plant shop tour, water cultivation, terrarium, and indoor gardening activities. The second factor was "horticulture and horticultural activities," and the factor load was high in the order of correctional care, garden care, gardening, herb raising, and vegetable raising activities.