This study was undertaken to determine the homegrounds improvement situation among 4-H families in Polk County, Tennessee. It was conducted for the purposes of: (1) obtaining information concerning characteristics of homeowners and renters, (2) determining which recommended homegrounds improvement practices they were using, and (3) identifying some of the factors influencing them to adopt practices. Representatives of 84 4-H families (65 homeowners and 19 renters) were interviewed in random samples for comparison. Data were analyzed in numbers and percent, and adoption levels of homeowners and renters were compared on the basis of practice diffusion ratings. Findings disclosed that the average interviewee in this study in 1966 had the following characteristics: (1) was about 44 years of age, (2) had completed about nine years of schooling, (3) was a rural non-farm resident, (4) was a housewife, and (5) lived in a house built between 1950-59. Homeowner families were more often farm families, older, first occupants of their homes, lived in homes built between 1950-1959, and spent more money for plants than did renter families. With regard to the adoption of 27 recommended practices studied, homeowners were consistently farther along than were renters on nearly all practices. With regard to eight attitude toward landscaping statements and eight attitude toward nurseries statements, renters had better attitudes than did homeowners on most of the statements. More owners than renters reported larger inventories of trees and shrubs. (Author/CK)