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A Helping Hand Cooperative Extension Offers a Wealth of Gardening Assistance Story by Catriona Tudor Erler
As gardeners, we have a wealth of free, valuable information available to us through the Cooperative Extension, a government-sponsored organization dedicated to providing research-based educational resources. Useful services provided for home gardeners include the following: Gardening Advice
If you’ve got a problem in your garden with weeds, pests or disease, a Cooperative Extension agent or a Master Gardener will be delighted to provide advice on identification and control. In addition, they provide free brochures and fact sheets on a multitude of diverse gardening topics, including a vegetable planting guide for Virginia, backyard wildlife habitats, pest control, and composting. Check out the Virginia Cooperative Extension website at www.ext.vt.edu. Click on “Educational Programs and Resources,” and then on “Home Gardening.” Volunteer Master Gardener Training
If you’ve got a hankering to learn more about plants and their care, the master gardening program may be for you. The Cooperative Extension offers 50 hours of free horticultural training, followed by a written exam. Those who pass earn the title Extension Master Gardener. In exchange for the free training, within the next year, each participant must contribute 50 hours of volunteer time in horticulture programming to the community. To maintain the title of Extension Master Gardener in subsequent years, volunteers must contribute a minimum of 20 hours. Activities include answering citizens’ questions on gardening and diagnosis of plant problems, conducting winter gardening workshops, staffing information booths at various community events, and maintaining educational gardens.
Call your local Extension office to find out about the schedule of classes. Soil Testing Extension agents get many calls from people whose plants are ailing. In general, the first question people ask is, “What spray should I use?” The more fundamental question is, “What is wrong with the soil?” Soil is the basis of a healthy garden. If the soil is missing a key nutrient or if the pH level is off for a particular plant, that plant will begin to fail, and it will then be vulnerable to a host of pests and diseases.
One of the valuable services offered by Virginia Cooperative Extension is a high-quality, inexpensive soil test. For $7, they will provide a comprehensive soil analysis, complete with a report telling you what nutrients your soil needs. If you have any questions when you receive your report, you can call your local Extension office. They will have a copy of the report, and can help you interpret it. Pick up the kits at your local office, or call and ask them to be sent to you. Follow the soil collection instructions carefully. The reliability of the soil test will be no better than the sample you submit.
Soil is a living organism, constantly changing. To keep abreast of any changes in pH and nutrient balance, you should test your soil every 3-4 years. The trouble and expense are small costs for the advantage of knowing exactly what nutrients or soil amendments your plants need to perform at their best. Catriona Tudor Erler is a freelance garden writer and photographer who divides her time between Smith Mountain Lake and Charlottesville, Virginia. She is the author of eight garden books, including “Poolscaping: Gardening and Landscaping Around Your Swimming Pool and Spa,” “The Frugal Gardener: How to Have More Garden for Less Money,” and “Complete Home Landscaping.”
Local Cooperative Extension Offices:
Bedford County
122 East Main Street, Suite 102
Bedford, Virginia 24523-2035
Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mon-Fri
Phone: 540.586.7675
Franklin County
90 East Court Street
Rocky Mount, Virginia 24151-1740
Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mon-Fri
Phone: 540.483.5161
Pittsylvania CountyUSDA Service Center (Agriculture Service Center)
1 Center StreetChatham, VA
Office Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mon-Fri
Phone: 434.432.7770
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