What can Master Gardeners do for you?

• Help you select and care for annual and perennial plants, shrubs and trees.
• Determine if you need to test your soil.
• Provide you with information on lawn care.
• Identify weeds, beneficial and noxious insects, and plant diseases and remedies.
• Teach you how to use pesticides, mulch and compost.
• Guide you in pruning trees and shrubs.
• Provide you with options for managing wildlife.
• Teach you how to search the Internet to get reliable sources to answer your questions.
• Provide you with gardening fact sheets.
• Help you submit a plant sample for diagnosis.

The University of Maryland’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (HGIC) website offers tips, publications, and a diagnostic feature. A plant pathologist, an entomologist and horticulturalists are available to answer gardening questions.

Trees

Maryland will provide you with a $25 dollar off coupon on the purchase of a tree valued at $50 or more at participating nurseries as part of the Marylanders Plant Trees program. To qualify, the tree must be on the recommended list and be purchased from a participating nursery.

An arborist may be consulted regarding the health and maintenance of your trees, but only a Licensed Tree Expert is permitted to work on trees over 20 feet. To verify a Licensed Tree Expert,check the Department of Natural Resources website.

Fertilizer Use Act

Regulations regarding the application of fertilizer will go into effect by October 2013. Both homeowners and professionals are required to follow the guidelines set by the Maryland Department of Agriculture.