Home Gardening

Want to Start a Vegetable Garden?  Here's How.

Gardens create beauty, food and hope

Do you Have Gardening Questions?

Do You Want toLearn More about Gardening Techniques?

Our home horticulture staff can:

• Identify insects and tell you whether they are harmful or beneficial
• Suggest organic and chemical treatments for pests and plants
• Identify plants and offer care guidelines
• Discuss landscape problems and solutions:

Our goal is to teach you safe, effective ways to garden and manage your landscape that promote healthier gardens and communities.  Our recommendations are based on University of Maryland research and guidelines.

We also offer educational talks on gardening topics.  Our speakers visit garden clubs, social and civic groups and businesses to talk about everything from winterizing the garden to gardening with arthritis.  We host classes, too, that can teach you how to prune trees, create a backyard wildlife habitat or attract birds to your garden.

Our Master Gardeners are an enthusiastic group of volunteers who love to share their gardening passion and know-how.  They create teaching gardens, give educational talks, answer gardening questions at plant clinics and horticultural therapy.  They benefit from 40 hours of formal training by University of Maryland educators plus stimulating, ongoing learning opportunities.

To learn more about our consultation service, speakers' bureau or Master Gardener program, contact the Extension Office at 301-791-1604.

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!
• Or send your questions along with digital images Ask a Maryland garden expert. Your answer will be e-mailed within 48 hours! How’s THAT for service!?