Chautauqua County Master Gardeners Announce Opening of 2016 Help Desk

-by Peg Hite, Chautauqua County Master Gardener

JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK (March 17, 2016) -- Cornell Cooperative Extension ofChautauqua County is excited to announce the return of the Master Gardener Help Desk. The Help Desk will be open beginning Wednesday, April 6^th and will continue through the end of September.

Master Gardeners will be in attendance at the Help Desk every Wednesday from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm from April to September. The Help Desk is staffed by Chautauqua County Master Gardeners who are available to answer and address gardening related questions and concerns in person, by phone, or via email. The Help Desk can be reached with a phone call to 716-664-9502 Ext. 224 or in person at the Frank Bratt Agricultural Center, 3542 Turner Road, Jamestown, NY. The Help Desk also features an available email address to send inquiries that can be reached at ccemgcc@gmail.com.

The Master Gardener Help Desk has the capabilities to complete basic soil pH testing, and can advise on the proper soil preparation processes. Master Gardeners are also available to offer suggestions on seed starting, transplanting, container planting, native plants, composting, plant problems, shade gardens, plant and weed identification, and garden insect identification. Gardeners who have a plant, weed, or insect that needs to be identified are able to bring carefully contained samples for identification. These services are also available by capturing and emailing a high quality photo to ccemgcc@gmail.com. The Help Desk can also provide information about upcoming Master Gardener events including the Master Gardener Plant Sale. This year’s Plant Sale will take place at the Frank Bratt Agricultural Center on May 14^th from 9am to 12pm and will offer native plants available for purchase as well as garden art, perennials, vegetables, and herbs.

Throughout the season, the Master Gardeners also offer an Evening in the Garden series at the Ag Center every 3rd Wednesday of the month at 6pm May through September. The first Evening in the Garden will be held May 18th at 6:00 pm in the Demonstration Garden, rain or shine. At the Evening in the Garden, different gardening methods will be demonstrated, vegetable production will be discussed discussed, food from the garden can betasted, soil testing will be offered and gardening questions can be answered. Special gardening techniques will also be demonstrated including straw bale gardening, raised bed gardening, and amending the soil with leaves and compost. There will also be different methods for pest protection demonstrated as will supports for growing climbing vegetables.

The Master Gardener Program is one of many programs offered by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County (CCE-Chautauqua). CCE-Chautauqua is a community based educational organization, affiliated with Cornell University, Chautauqua County Government, the NYS SUNY system, and the federal government through the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. For more information, call 716-664-9502 or visit our website at www.cce.cornell.edu/chautauqua Cornell University Cooperative Extension provides equal program and employment opportunities.

Last updated March 17, 2016