Welcome to
Suffolk Extension Master Gardeners
We Exist to Serve You
The Suffolk Extension Master Gardeners (Suffolk EMGs) are proud residents of the City of Suffolk, VA who volunteer their time and expertise, to provide FREE horticultural resources for the residents of the City of Suffolk. Resources concerning tree care, native plants, flower gardening, vegetable gardening, pest and disease identification and management are just a few of the topics we can assist you with! We also maintain gardens all over the City of Suffolk where we conduct educational programs, guided tours, and other events.
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
Save the Date
National Pollinator Week
June 17-23, 2024
Suffolk Master Gardeners
Here in Suffolk we are know for peanuts! Have you ever stopped to think about how they grow or where they come from? 🥜 Find out more about this amazing food over here 👇
www.facebook.com/VCEMasterGardenerProgram/posts/pfbid02qPW1RvHs3hXndDftZGarVk1SRMq19bWLCBa2NRoLRn...You probably knew peanuts grow underground, but have you ever really thought about that? A peanut is not root tissue, it's a fruit produced from a fertilized flower. What's going on here?
Geocarpy! An extremely rare form of plant reproduction. After peanut flowers self-pollinate, a short stalk at the base of the flower ovary forms a thread-like structure known as a "peg". This peg grows into the soil, allowing the fruit to develop underground. This reproductive strategy evolves as a way for the plant to ensure a safe environment for its offspring, for example in an environment with lots of soil freezing/thawing that results in soil heaving. In this kind of environment, a seed could get pushed right out of the soil. By burying seeds while they are still attached to the parent, geocarpic plants ensure their offspring stays in the soil.
Want to learn all about peanuts? Watch this Virginia Cooperative Extension webinar:
www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/pubs_ext_vt_edu/en/4-H/4H-932/4H-932.html ... See MoreSee Less
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It’s butterfly season here in Suffolk! Check your spicebush, milkweed, and golden alexanders (or dill, fennel, rattlesnake master, parsley, etc) for eggs or caterpillars. Found the first spicebush swallowtail and black swallowtail caterpillars this week, plus a monarch depositing a couple dozen eggs! What butterflies have you seen?
Learn more about spicebush swallowtails at content.ces.ncsu.edu/spicebush-swallowtail. ... See MoreSee Less
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I'll have to check my dill, I have plenty ready, but no pickles yet
Have you ever noticed a white frothy mass on your plants? They are from spittlebugs which can be harmful to strawberries. Take a look over here to learn more 👇
www.facebook.com/VCEMasterGardenerProgram/posts/pfbid0315PPxeQKWNRyDieRJggAMDRwXGGpLZEapEBSLAyP2E...Spittlebugs! Inside this white frothy mass is a nymph meadow spittlebug. This "spittle" protects the nymphs from desiccation and possibly predation as it feeds on the plant.
This group of pests is best known for the mass of “spittle” produced by nymphs. There are several species in VA, but the meadow spittlebug is common and ranges from light brown to almost black.
Eggs overwinter after being laid in rows of 1-30 between sheaths and stumps near the soil surface. These hatch in April.
Nymphs are initially yellow but turn green as they grow. The nymphs feed on plant sap, and excretion products are mixed with air from a specialized “air canal.” This creates the spittle, a white frothy mass, which protects the nymphs from desiccation and possibly predation.
The adult stage is reached in 30-45 days, depending on temperature and other factors. After mating, females oviposit in late August or early September. There is only one generation per year. Spittlebugs are general feeders but may be particularly damaging to strawberry. Plant growth and yield may be reduced. They are also a source of annoyance to pickers. ... See MoreSee Less
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Did you know an important service Master Gardeners provide is to research clients' gardening problems? We diagnose and make research-based recommendations to solve issues, and our advice is based on Integrated Pest Management principles. We do this during monthly office hours, out at community events, or through email/phone.
You will never have to know the answer to every gardening question, just how to go about finding it or getting help! We teach all volunteers how to do this during class training. You'll learn a lot of interesting information along the way that makes you a better gardener.
Think you might enjoy helping home gardeners? Become a VCE Master Gardener Volunteer! Planning has started for the Fall 2024 Suffolk VCE MG Training Class, with a planned hybrid format that includes in-person workshops, web-based learning from home at your own pace, and a few required in-person classes from August through early November.
More information will be available soon, including a class schedule, costs, and training/volunteer requirements. If you'd like the opportunity to serve our community with us, subscribe to our email list, and you'll get it in your inbox as soon as it's released. We'll also post here. Subscribe: bit.ly/suffolklist
Want a taste of what to expect? Training uses the "Virginia Cooperative Extension Gardener Handbook," available as a free PDF or online resource at vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/items/0f4b661d-c1d8-4f96-8a53-b4a3207a4401. You'll also find a link on that page to order a print copy. It's a great resource! ... See MoreSee Less
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