Have gardening questions? Master Gardeners' hotline has answers

Home gardeners can have their questions answered beginning April 1 via the annual garden hotline sponsored by Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Westmoreland County.

The hotline is a free service offered through the Penn State Extension Office to help Westmoreland County residents with various gardening questions and concerns, including growing vegetables, fruits, ornamentals and turf grass, plant identification, pruning and insect and disease problems.

The service will be available until Oct. 1.

Questions should be emailed to westmorelandmg@psu.edu. Name, email address, telephone number, address and county should be included.

If concerned about a specific plant disease or insect, correspondents should attach photos in the email. With a close-up photo, Master Gardeners say, it is helpful to include a ruler or coin so the size of the insect, disease or plant can be determined.

Emails are being handled remotely by Westmoreland County Master Gardeners working from their homes.

While coronavirus restrictions are in place, Penn State Extension offices across the Commonwealth are closed.

Penn State has temporarily suspended receiving plant, turf and insect specimens from home gardens for identification and diagnosis.

The Agricultural Analytical Services Laboratory remains open to meet any critical needs including, testing of drinking water and agricultural samples associated with food/crop production. Sample turn-around times may be longer than usual.

Details: Penn State Master Gardeners of Westmoreland County on Facebook or extension.psu.edu