By Rebecca Krans, Michigan State University Extension
As we gear up for the growing season, many gardeners often have questions related to their yards and gardens. Do not delay in getting your question answered. We invite any gardener to call the Michigan State University Extension lawn and garden hotline staffed by Consumer Horticulture staff and specially trained Extension Master Gardeners from across the state.
Open now Monday through Friday from 9am-12pm and 1-4pm EST, call 888-678-3464. From plant identification to what is happening in your lawn to possible insect or disease problems, lawn and garden hotline responder teams from across the state are ready to assist.
Organized as a statewide resource in 2010, the MSU Extension lawn and garden hotline provides answers to over 8,000 callers per year. Calls come from counties all across Michigan. Some questions relate to proper plant identification. Others may be what is wrong with my tree, shrub, lawn, or vegetable? Or the caller may want to properly understand a soil test recommendation.
Key messages of responders focus around smart gardening practices, which help gardeners make sound decisions in plant selection and plant care that are best for the environment and based on scientific research. Examples include providing information to callers for making better plant choices or proper fertilizer selection and application based on soil testing results.
One team of hotline responders is located in the Upper Peninsula. Made up of trained hotline responders, this team of Extension Master Gardeners are from Delta, Dickinson and Marquette counties. Coordinated by the Consumer Horticulture educator, they work together to provide callers with resources to help with their gardening questions. When asked what they like about assisting callers, one Extension Master Gardener responded, “I like the fact that I feel I learn more from the caller.”
Other responder teams assist the statewide hotline from Kalamazoo, Kent, Oakland, Macomb, Genesee, Washtenaw, as well as Consumer Horticulture staff around the state. Stay tuned for future articles highlighting them. Check out other MSU Extension Smart Gardening resources to help you with your gardening this year.
