| YEAR-ROUND GARDENING |
The Master Gardener Answer Line By Dan Carlson, Master Gardener
Answer Line Non-commercial gardeners and home owners can submit their gardening questions and concerns in Elkhart County and nearby areas.
(574) 533-0554 Elkhart.mg@gmail.com 17746 CR 34, Suite E, Goshen, IN 46528, Gate 2 of the Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds
24 | Michiana House and Home | March 2022 |
As you garden through the spring, summer and fall, issues can and will arise. Maybe your pride and joy maple tree is not leafing out. What is this strange looking bug that is eating your tomato plants? There are many blooms on your zucchini plants, but you are not getting any fruit. Why do you have these brown spots in your lawn? How much fertilizer should you use and what type is best for your begonias? Who do you call….the Master Gardener Answer Line! The Master Gardener Answer Line is a free service sponsored by the Elkhart County Purdue Extension Office. To be a Master Gardener you have to complete 40 hours of classroom horticultural training and complete 40 hours of volunteer horticultural service. Each year Master Gardeners must maintain their status with additional training and volunteer service, a minimum of six and twelve hours each respectfully. Several of these Master Gardeners volunteer to work on the Answer Line. They accept questions and concerns from non-commercial gardeners and home owners in Elkhart County and nearby areas. Inquiries can be submitted through the Elkhart County Purdue Extension Office. Inquiries may be submitted April through September. Submissions may be made via phone (574) 533-0554, email, Elkhart.mg@gmail.com or personal visit to the office at 17746 CR 34, Suite E, Goshen, IN 46528, Gate 2 of the Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds. If possible, it is very helpful if photos or samples can be submitted with the inquiry. The submission must have the contact information of the person making the inquiry. Inquiries may be submitted on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. The office staff will forward the inquiry to the Master Gardener who has volunteered for that period of time. The Master Gardener reviews the inquiry, most likely contacting the client to discuss the issue and to request any needed information, photos or samples. Once researched, the Master Gardener responds with a diagnosis and possible remedies. The volunteers on the Answer Line share information as the growing season progresses. Almost every issue raised becomes a learning experience for the Master Gardeners. Often, an issue that arises in one garden will appear in other gardens. Some concerns may reappear every year in different places. In working with clients, an Answer Line Master Gardener may be the first to encounter a new issue in the county. That information is passed on to the Extension Office for possible further action. If you see something new or unexpected, contact the Answer Line. Many of the Master Gardeners also belong to the Michiana Master Gardeners Association. The MMGA works with the Extension Office in providing other opportunities for gardeners of Elkhart County. MMGA sponsors an Annual Garden Walk, an Annual Garden Expo, and helps with the tree sale in partnership with the Elkhart County Soil and Water Conservation District. Upon request, a Master Gardener can also make a gardening presentation to organizations. n
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The weather is turning warmer; the white snow is yielding to tiny flowers and greening grass. It seems each day brings more seed and plant catalogs. You start to think about your garden, lawn, trees, shrubs and flowers that adorn your property. You are excited to get out in the dirt and plant and to see what survived the winter.
