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
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You can prepare for the entire planting season by visiting https://brnw.ch/plantguide
To determine your USDA zone, you can enter your zip code here: https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov
Suffolk's VCE Master Gardeners are always learning! Volunteers and family members recently enjoyed a wonderful tour of Colonial Williamsburg's arboretum and Orr Garden led by Tree Stewards and James City County Williamsburg Master Gardeners Rick, Dave, Michele, Stacy, Susan, Scott, and Bill. Four of our five Advanced EMG Tree Steward students were also on the tour.
We all learned a lot, and as a lifelong Virginian myself, this was a new perspective on gardens and trees I've seen dozens of times over 50 years. I look forward to visiting again over the seasons with this new knowledge!
If YOU are looking for a volunteer opportunity and have a passion for flowers, vegetables, trees, insects, or anything else gardening related, the Suffolk VCE Master Gardener volunteer program may be for you! We volunteer our time to educate Suffolk's home gardeners and to solve their gardening problems. This year's training program is full, but if you'd like to be contacted about next year's training, let us know at forms.gle/LG8dahisPMmPzopP8 or sign up for our email list at bit.ly/suffolklist.
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Photo Descriptions
photos by EMG Stacey unless otherwise indicated:
Group of Master Gardeners in front of Governor's Palace in Colonial Williamsburg.
Tour group listening to speaker in front of large Compton Oak tree.
Tour group listening to speaker in front of Compton Oak tree.
Tour group listening to speaker in front of American Basswood tree.
Scenic view of Colonial Williamsburg trees and pleasure gardens behind red fence.
Tour group listening to speaker in front of Oak tree.
Tour group listening to speaker in front of Pecan tree.
Tour group listening to speaker in vegetable garden.
Orr Garden flowers.
Group of Master Gardeners and family in front of Governor's Palace in Colonial Williamsburg. (Photo by EMG Mary's husband.) ...
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Who else is excited about all the delicious veggies we can start adding to our gardens this month?
Check out the image below to see what you can start growing this month!
Direct Sowing:
Zones 6A & 6B: Baby Salad Lettuce, Mustard, Radish, Spinach
Zone 7A: Beginning of the month: Beets, Swiss Chard, Collards, Kale, Kohlrabi. All month: Baby Salad Lettuce, Mustard, Radish, Spinach, Turnips
Zone 7B: Beets, Swiss Chard, Collards, Kale, Kohlrabi, Baby Salad Lettuce, Mustard, Radish, Spinach, Turnips
Zone 8A: Beginning of the month: Carrots, Rutabaga. All month: Beets, Swiss Chard, Collards, Kale, Kohlrabi, Baby Salad Lettuce, Mustard, Radish, Spinach, Turnips
Zone 8B Direct Sowing Recommendations are available in the publication linked below.
Transplanting:
Zones 6A & 6B: Beginning of the month: Head Lettuce
Zone 7A: Beginning of the month: Broccoli. All month: Head Lettuce
Zone 7B: Beginning of the month: Broccoli, Cabbage, Chinese Cabbage, Leeks. All month: Head Lettuce.
Zone 8A: Beginning of the month: Cauliflower, Cabbage, Leeks. All month: Broccoli, Chinese Cabbage, Head Lettuce
Zone 8B Transplanting Recommendations are available in the publication linked below.
You can prepare for the entire planting season by visiting brnw.ch/plantguide
- keep in mind that this resource has not been updated to reflect the new hardiness zones. To determine your USDA zone, you can enter your zip code here: planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/ ...
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🍎 Heritage Apples: A Taste of History in the Orchard 🌳
Heritage (or heirloom) apples have been getting renewed attention, including coverage from both A Way to Garden and Lee Reich’s Garden Page. These historic varieties include apples once grown by early American figures like Thomas Jefferson, and many are still available today through organizations like Seed Savers Exchange.
One exciting part of this preservation work is learning how to propagate apples through grafting—attaching scion wood from heritage trees onto rootstock so these unique varieties can continue to be grown and enjoyed.
Even more recently, researchers have started using DNA testing to help identify and confirm apple varieties, adding a modern scientific tool to help solve centuries-old identification mysteries.
If you enjoy fruit history, orchards, or just a good apple story, these articles are worth a read:
🍏 awaytogarden.com/heritage-apples-grafting-dna-i-d-and-more-with-jamie-hanson/
🍎 leereich.com/2025/11/one-of-the-greatest-apples.html ...
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