Kansas State University

• Extension Educational Outreach
• New Media Technologies for Garden Center Marketing (social media and other digital tools)
• Nursery Crop Production
• Ornamental Landscape Plants (shrubs, trees, perennials, annuals)

Stakeholders

• Agricultural specialty crop businesses with emphasis on horticultural operations such as nursery producers, garden centers, and landscape contractors in Kansas
• Extension educators with emphasis on those specializing in horticulture
• Kansas citizens with interest in ornamental horticulture

Biography

Dr. Cheryl R. Boyer is an Extension Specialist (75%) of Nursery Crop Production and Marketing with a 25% Research appointment. She develops, implements, and leads an effective statewide Extension and applied research program for the horticulture industry and allied businesses focused 1) on the production, culture, and use of ornamental nursery crops; and 2) on current, evidence-based, new-media marketing tools (including digital tools such as social media, websites, and e-newsletters among others) and strategies for horticulture businesses.

Dr. Boyer is a co-creator of The Center for Rural Enterprise Engagement. She also serves as the Extension State Leader for HNR (5%), the KSRE Agriculture and Natural Resources Program Leader Coordinator (20%), and the Interim Extension Master Gardener Coordinator for Kansas.

Education

• Ph.D. Horticulture (Nursery Crop Production), Auburn University (2008)
• M.S. Horticulture, (Nursery Crop Production) Oklahoma State University (2005)
• B.L.A. Landscape Architecture, Oklahoma State University (2003)

Extension activities include but are not limited to:

• Development of publications, online learning resources, training materials, and in-service training for stakeholders
• Serving as an educational advisor for and liaison with relevant producer and business organizations
• Workshop planning and implementation

*indicates graduate student as lead author

• Baker, L.M., K.M. Tully, D.R. Sumners, E.F. Jones, A. E. León-Reyes, C.R. Boyer, and H.H. Peterson. 2020. Is it for generation me? A qualitative study exploring marketing and selling plants online to millennial-aged consumers. J. of Applied Comm. 104(2): https://doi.org/10.4148/1051-0834.2289.

• *Yao, B., A. Shanoyan, H.H. Peterson, C.R. Boyer, L.M. Baker. 2018. The use of new-media marketing in the green industry: Analysis of social media use and impact on sales. Agribusiness 1-17; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/agr.21581.

• Peterson, H.H., C.R. Boyer, L.M. Baker, and B. Yao. 2018. Trends in use of new-media marketing in ornamental horticulture industries. Horticulturae 4(4), 32; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae4040032.

• Baker, L.M., C.R. Boyer, H.H. Peterson and A.E.H. King. 2018. Online opportunities: A quantitative content analysis benchmark study of online retail plant sales. HortTechnology 28:516-523; DOI: https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH03901-17.

• *Stebner, S., L.M. Baker, H.H. Peterson, and C.R. Boyer. 2017. Marketing with more: An in-depth look at relationship marketing with new media in the green industry. J. of Appl. Communications 101:7-18. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4148/1051-0834.1001.

• Barton, E.T., E.A. Barton, S. Barton, C.R. Boyer, J. Brosnan, P. Hill, J. Hoyle, J. Reid, J. Seger, and E. Stafne. 2017. Using technology to enhance extension education and outreach. HortTechnology 27:177-186. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH03608-16.

• *Stebner, S., C.R. Boyer, L.M. Baker, H.H. Peterson. 2017. Relationship marketing: A qualitative case study of new-media marketing use by Kansas garden centers. Horticulturae 3(1), 26; doi:10.3390/horticulturae3010026.

• Barden, C., C.R. Boyer, B. Morales, L. Fisher. 2017. Promoting red elm (Ulmus rubra Muhl.) germination with gibberellic acid. J. of Forestry 115:393-396. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5849/jof.16-045.

• *Brock, J.A., J.J. Griffin, and C.R. Boyer. 2015. Rooting stem cuttings of herbaceous and woody ornamentals in substrates containing eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana). J. Environ. Hort. 33(4):155-159. DOI: 10.24266/0738-2898-33.4.155.

• Research activities include:
• Development of improved production systems, culture, and uses for nursery crops including cultivar evaluation
• Development of new-media marketing solutions that improve coordination between traditional and new-media marketing practices while increasing efficiency and profitability of stakeholders
• Research collaborations with other disciplines