Cooperative Living June 2021 - 23

GreenThumb | by Pamela A. Keene, Contributing Writer
Putting Gardening Help
Right at your Fingertips
A wealth of resources make sure you get it right
N
o matter where you live, access to fact-based gardening
information is merely a click or phone call away.
The Cooperative Extension System, housed at landgrant
universities across the nation, provides research-based
hyperlocal advice about everything from how to solve
blossom-end rot on tomatoes to keeping garden pests, such
as deer or insects, at bay.
" Best of all, it costs nothing to contact your local extension
office where trained and educated experts can help the public
solve their gardening challenges, " says Doug Steele, vice
president for Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources of
the Association of Public Land Grant Universities, based in
Washington, D.C.
RELIABLE INFORMATION
Can I grow blueberries in my backyard? Why aren't my
daylilies blooming? When is the best time to prune my holly
shrubs? My maple tree is dropping leaves in the summer;
what's wrong? Your local extension office staff or your state's
extension website can answer these and countless other
questions.
" When you have questions about your landscape or your
garden, that's the time to reach out to your local extension
office, " Steele says. " Many typical problems that occur when
growing plants, garden and landscape can be prevented by
planning before planting. "
Local extension agents generally hold either bachelor's or
master's degrees in agriculture, horticulture or a related field.
ext.vt.edu
Youth gardening extension
While they may specialize in crop management, turf grasses
or animal science, they are trained to educate the public
and provide reliable and understandable knowledge.
" The internet is filled with all kinds of gardening and
plant advice, but when people call their local extension,
they're assured of getting the latest information from a tested,
peer-reviewed and reliable source, " he says.
MASTER GARDENERS
Many local extension offices offer formalized community
education through Extension Master Gardener programs.
Open to private citizens interested in garden education,
volunteerism and community service, candidate Master
Gardeners attend classes taught by experts.
" While formal programs vary in duration and number
of classes from state to state, the objective is the same, "
Steele says. " The focus is to train community members to
assist the local extension office with horticulture education
and to provide a strong volunteer resource in the area.
Candidates must apply for the annual course; most
states have online applications. There is a nominal cost
to participate, which includes class materials.
" The Master Gardener program is a critical link to the
work of the extension, " he says. " It helps us reach even
further into the community and extend the educational
mission of the extension. "
Extension Master Gardener Program
Welcome!
Whether you've been gardening for years or you're just starting out,
the Extension Master Gardener program can help!
extension.umd.edu
GRASSROOTS COMMUNITY BENEFITS
Today, 112 land-grant institutions in the U.S. and
territories oversee extension offices in approximately 3,000
counties. The mission has been broadened to embrace
agriculture, nutrition and home economics. Through
national 4-H initiatives, extension trains young leaders.
Since the pandemic, the interest in home gardening
has surged. People are interested in growing their own fruits
and vegetables, partly to know where their food comes from
but also as a safe outdoor activity that can be enjoyed by
all members of the family.
" Information from the extension is far-reaching and freely
available to the public, " Steele says. " With the resources of
your local extension office, you have a pipeline to gardening
success. If you're perplexed about an issue or simply want
to know the best way to start a home garden, just ask your
local extension office. They're here to help. " 
YARD & GARDEN
Pamela A. Keene is a freelance journalist who writes about travel,
personality features, gardening and how-to topics for electric
cooperative publications and other magazines.
co-opliving.com
June 2021 | Cooperative Living | 21
PHOTO COURTESY PAMELA A. KEENE
http://ext.vt.edu http://extension.umd.edu http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living June 2021

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