Environment and Natural Resources

EXTRA! EXTRA! Just in time for gardening season* – step right up and get all of your questions answered! Such as:

• How do I get rid of those pesky weeds without chemicals?
• What is the best variety of tomato for a container garden?
• What is the best time to plant grass seed?
• Why is my boxwood turning yellow?
• Is it OK to compost oak leaves?

Ask the Certified Professional Horticulturists any time, day or night.

Send your questions along with digital images.  Answers will be e-mailed within 48 hours! How’s THAT for service!?

Click here or look for the Ask the Experts image on the HGIC website.

Visit our new and improved websites!

Everything you want to know (well, almost) about maintaining the plants in and around your yard, identifying and controlling the pests inside and outside of your home…and much, much more!

Home and Garden Information Center

• Learn the difference between an annual and a perennial
• Visit Grow It Eat It for food gardening information
• Learn how to prepare your soil for planting
• Find the latest in lawn care and how to reduce hours maintaining your lawn
• Soil testing information – including a How-to video
• Right plant – right place. How to select, purchase, plant, and maintain trees and shrubs for your landscape
• Subscribe to HGIC eNewsletter
• Visit the Resource Library for: Archived eNewsletters, Featured Plants, FAQ’s, Gardening Glossary, Publications, Tips, How-to Videos, and more!
• Stay tuned in to the latest happenings via Social Media on Facebook and Twitter!

*Gardening season is considered by many to be a year-round hobby! Catch the fever!

The mission of the Howard County Master Gardeners is to educate residents about safe, effective, and sustainable horticultural practices that build healthy gardens, landscapes, and communities. The Master Gardener program is administered by the University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Service.

Howard County Master Gardeners are volunteers, trained by the university, who provide horticultural education services to individuals, groups, and communities including government agencies, neighborhood associations, non-profit organizations, historic sites, schools and youth groups, senior citizens and garden clubs. Master Gardener programs and services are available free of charge to all Howard County residents and community groups. 

Congratulations to the Howard County Watershed Stewardship Academy awarded a prestigious Cornerstone Award!

What WSA Does

The Howard County Watershed Stewards Academy increases the number and diversity of trained volunteers who become Master Watershed Stewards. These Stewards have the knowledge and skill required to enhance the health of our local streams, rivers, and lakes. Master Watershed Stewards also work with their community to provide the best storm water management practices.

The Howard County Watershed Stewards Academy is a training program to empower residents to improve the water quality of local streams. Stewards become community leaders in reducing harmful effects of polluted storm water running off into our streams.

The Academy provides Stewards knowledge and expertise from lecturers, training in using watershed assessment tools for analyzing storm water runoff and hands-on experience installing a solution to a storm water management problem. Experienced storm water management practitioners provide Stewards with on-going support for community projects.

We provide property owners with assessments that help them correct erosion problems and storm water damage. We also work with Homeowners Associations, Condominium Associations, Schools, Scouts, Businesses and Non Profit Organizations to inform and help them prevent pollution.