At this time of year, gardeners are full of questions:
When can I prune my lilac bush? What can I do to get rid of these weeds? I
found this bug — what is it? Will it ever warm up so my tomatoes will
grow? But even though garden information is everywhere — books,
magazines, television, the Internet — each of our gardens has a
unique set of growing conditions, and that’s why it’s important
to get gardening advice from local sources. Searching the Internet will net
you thousands of answers, but not all of the information will be
appropriate for central Illinois. Local gardeners have several places where they can
get questions answered. Many local nurseries have well-qualified
individuals who will answer plant questions. Another option is to call or
visit your local University of Illinois Extension office. Most county
extension offices have a master-gardener program. Master gardeners are
volunteers who have successfully completed diversified training in insects,
diseases, trees, shrubs, fruits, vegetables, flowers, lawns, and
houseplants. The Sangamon-Menard Extension Unit has an excellent
group of master-gardener volunteers who enjoy the challenges of diagnosing
plant diseases, identifying plants and six-legged creatures, explaining
proper pruning procedures, and giving general gardening advice. Master
gardeners may not know the answer to every question, but they’re
ready, willing, and able to find the answer when they’re stumped. When trying to diagnose a problem with a sick plant,
be prepared to play “20 Questions.” It is important to know the
plant’s name (preferably the scientific nomenclature), when was it
planted, where is it planted, light and soil conditions, and how much water
the plant receives. Knowing the progression of the problem is also
important — did the damage occur bottom to top, top to bottom, or all
over the plant? Are other plants affected by the same problem? Pay close
attention to your plants, noting slight changes before they become big
problems. Remember, unlike people, plants cannot tell us what ails them. Gardeners may call the local extension office, bring
samples to the office, or send photos. The University of Illinois Extension
Sangamon-Menard office is just a phone call (217-782-4617), click
(www.extension.uiuc.edu/sangamonmenard) or short drive (Illinois State
Fairgrounds) away. If your master gardener is stumped by a plant
problem, consider sending a plant sample to the University of Illinois
Plant Clinic. The clinic accepts samples, along with a detailed description
of problems or symptoms and growing conditions, May 1 through Sept. 15. A
fee of $12.50 covers most diagnoses. For more information or to get a
clinic form, visit plantclinic.cropsci.uiuc.edu. If you are a
do-it-yourselfer, check out gardening information on the University of
Illinois Extension Horticulture Corner Web site,
www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/hort/index.html. Don’t let gardening questions continue to bug
you or take information from inappropriate sources — get answers from
a reliable, local research-based source.
This article appears in May 18-24, 2006.
