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
🌿 Restoring nature can start right in your own yard with keystone plants! 🐛🦋
Some native plants do more than just look good, they play a huge role in supporting local ecosystems. These are called keystone species, and research by entomologist Douglas Tallamy shows they are especially important for butterflies and moths. Their caterpillars are a critical food source for birds and other wildlife.
Woody plants like oaks (Quercus) and chestnuts (Castanea) support hundreds of species, while perennials like goldenrod (Solidago) and lobelia still play an important role. Adding even one or two of these plants to your landscape can make a meaningful difference.
🌳 The big takeaway? If you have space, including native trees and shrubs can have an even greater impact.
Want help choosing the right plants for your area? There are some great tools available:
• National Wildlife Federation Keystone Native Plant: www.nwf.org/Native-Plant-Habitats/Plant-Native/Why-Native/Keystone-Plants-by-Ecoregion
• Biota of North America Project (BONAP): bplant.org/website/13
Small changes in our yards can have a big impact on local wildlife! 🐦✨
(Keystone plant chart provided courtesy of Sarah F. Jayne, author of Nature’s Action Guide.) ... See MoreSee Less
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Our third annual Pollinator Day was so much fun! 🦋 🐝🪲🐜🐛🪰 Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate these powerful little parts of our gardens.
We had wonderful weather,
created beautiful butterfly flyers and bumble bees with our younger guests, who also took home zinnias and parsley,
gave away pollinator-focused seed and native pawpaw and buttonbush plants,
enjoyed educational displays by our guest exhibitors Butterfly Society of Virginia and City Bee's,
shared butterfly development,
toured and scavenger hunted the children's garden with guests of all ages,
answered questions at the Ask a Master Gardener table,
chatted with a few of this year's trainee applicants,
and gave away door prizes!
This community event grows each year, and we appreciate the volunteers that made it happen, as well as our partnership with Suffolk Parks and Recreation, which hosts our demonstration garden and this annual pollinator celebration.
#PollinatorWeek #pollinatorgarden ... See MoreSee Less
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