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
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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
🍎 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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🌳 Tree topping: why it’s not a good practice ✂️
Topping a tree, removing large sections of the canopy all at once, is not beneficial for tree health and can actually cause long-term damage.
Proper pruning, when done correctly, can help trees stay healthy by removing hazardous branches, improving structure, and enhancing overall appearance. But poor pruning practices like topping can weaken trees, stress them, and in some cases lead to decline or death.
As the Maryland Grows blog explains:
“Pruning is good for trees. Done well, it can help to control size, remove potentially hazardous branches and improve both appearance and health. But bad pruning is harmful and can kill trees...”
Learn more about why topping trees should be avoided:
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Have you ever come across a neat plant while traveling that we don’t grow here? ...
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