Welcome to
Suffolk Extension Master Gardeners
We Exist to Serve You
Suffolk Extension Master Gardeners (Suffolk EMGs) volunteer their time and expertise to provide FREE horticultural education for residents of the City of Suffolk, Virginia. They provide programs for both youth and adults on a variety of topics like tree care, native plants, flower and vegetable gardening, pest and disease identification, integrated pest management, and more. Visit the programs, events, and demonstration garden pages to learn more!
Ask a Master Gardener
Getting help is easy! Suffolk EMGs can be found at our office, on Facebook, by phone, email, and at various Suffolk farmers markets. Take advantage of our Ask a Master Gardener program, where you can contact us from the comfort of your own home! To submit a question, email us at SuffolkMG@gmail.com or call us at 757-514-4335. When emailing, attach pictures of the plant, pest, or problem and provide a detailed description. This will allow us to serve you. A Suffolk EMG volunteer will respond in a timely manner. Beginning in 2024, volunteers will be providing monthly office hours. Stop by our Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) classroom and obtain research-based assistance with your gardening questions and concerns.
Spotted Lanterfly Information
Pest Alert: Spotted Lanternfly Identification
and Reporting in Virginia
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📣📣 POSTPONED!! Due to the upcoming inclement weather ❄️🌨️we have decided to postpone the seed swap until February 7th. We look forward to seeing you, from noon to 2:00pm at the North Suffolk Library 📚
Everyone who attends can go home with 5 packages of seeds donated by the Suffolk Master Gardeners 🌱
Bring packaged seed to swap and go home with more!
Please avoid bringing seeds that are:
🚫Moldy, wet, have been stored in excessive heat
🚫Older than three years
🚫On Virginia’s invasive species list (https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/document/nh-invasive-plant-list-2024.pdf)
📍100-200 blocks of North Main Street, Suffolk, VA 23434
* Diverse Plant Selection: From vibrant flowers to native plants, shrubs, and vegetables. 🍅🥒🌶️🪻🌳
* Expert Advice: Extension Master Gardeners provide guidance and answer all gardening questions. 🧑🌾
* High-Quality, Locally Grown Plants: Perfectly suited for Virginia’s climate.🌡️
* Sustainability: Focus on eco-friendly practices and native species. 🌎♻️
* Community Impact: Proceeds support local schools, community gardens, and events like the Suffolk Farmers Market and Suffolk Peanut Festival. 🥜🎓🪴
www.suffolkvaearthandarts.com
🐞 Have you heard of Integrated Pest Management (IPM)? 🌱
IPM is a smart, sustainable way to handle garden pests without immediately reaching for pesticides. Instead, it focuses on using a mix of strategies like encouraging beneficial insects, rotating crops, choosing pest-resistant plants, and only stepping in when damage truly becomes a problem.
The goal is balance. 🌼 By working with nature instead of against it, you can reduce pest damage, protect pollinators and other beneficial insects, and keep your garden healthier overall. It’s better for your plants, your soil, and the environment.
If you’d like to learn more about how IPM works and how you can use it in your own garden, the EPA has a great overview here:
🔗 www.epa.gov/ipm/introduction-integrated-pest-management?
📸 Photo: Newly hatched lubber grasshoppers in Central Florida by Dr. William Lester. ... See MoreSee Less
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The Seed Library at Suffolk Public Library's North Suffolk location was restocked today with 400 packets of seed. We had so much we overflowed into the bottom drawer!
Stop by during library hours to borrow up to three packets per week per person for your home garden. Please fill out the checkout log so we know what is borrowed and let us know if you are looking for a particular type of seed. ... See MoreSee Less
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We've been busy! We started seeds in the greenhouse last month for some of this year's youth and community education projects AND herb seeds for the Suffolk Master Gardener Plant Sale at the Earth and Arts Festival!
Over the coming weeks, we'll share more about the plants we'll have at Suffolk Earth and Arts Festival, as well as our other "perennial" favorites, like the garden sale, native tree seedling giveaway, and help desk. Plus this year we'll have a seed library onsite and seed giveaway! ... See MoreSee Less
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