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
Pawpaw trees and zebra swallowtail butterflies. Without the first, we won’t have the second because zebra swallowtail caterpillars only eat pawpaw tree leaves. You can get a FREE potted pawpaw (or buttonbush) tree seedling to plant later this fall (one per family, while supplies last) by attending Pollinator Day. Keep it in the pot, in the shade, and water frequently through summer. This fall, plant it under taller trees, and you might get to feed zebra swallowtails! You may also get to see pawpaw sphinx moth caterpillars eating the leaves, or see leafcutter bees using the leaves, or maybe some day, if you plant a few more, get fruit! Hang around till the end of our pollinator focused event, and you’re welcome to pick a second pawpaw or a buttonbush if we have leftovers. (All photos from the garden of EMG Stacey.)
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Pollinator Day is June 20th from 11 - 1 at Sleepy Hole Park Children's Garden and includes a pollinator scavenger hunt, butterfly exhibit, children's activities and crafts, a pollinator-focused traveling seed library, and a potted-up native tree seedling giveaway.
We will also have plant door prizes, free books and materials from the Suffolk Public Library, special guests from the Butterfly Society of Virginia with an informational display, and, tentatively, a honeybee educational display.
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Virginia Cooperative Extension is a partnership of Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and local governments and is an equal opportunity employer. For the full non-discrimination statement, please visit ext.vt.edu/accessibility. If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services, or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact Rose Hughes, VCE City of Suffolk, at 757-514-4331/TDD 800-828-1120 during business hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to discuss accommodations five days prior to the event. ... See MoreSee Less
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Tomorrow, June 5th’s, Open Garden is rescheduled to June 12th. See you then! ... See MoreSee Less
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We’re in the garden on this beautiful morning. Come learn about what’s growing and ask your own gardening questions! ... See MoreSee Less
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