Every state has a cooperative extension service that offers research-supported help and information to the state’s residents. Much of the information available is tailored to the needs of the local community.
Rose gardeners will find lots of expert help on the cooperative extension websites. If your state’s website doesn’t answer your questions, another state’s cooperative extension website may.
I recently set up a new website that makes it easy for rose gardeners to search all the websites of the state extension services. Go to the Cooperative Extension Search and just enter your search terms. You might want to try searching for topics like pruning roses or rose pests.
This Google-powered search is restricted to just state cooperative extension websites.
Cooperative Extension Services
Most state cooperative extension services provide a number of services that appeal to both the professional and the beginning gardener. They include:
- Master Gardeners. These are volunteers that study plants that grow well in the state and help others learn to grow them, too. Walking encyclopedias about growing issues within their states or regions, these folks run free seminars to help gardeners learn about plants, conservation and more.
- Soil testing. This might come with a small charge, but many state cooperative extension offices will help farmers and even backyard growers learn about their soil’s consistency so they can make informed decisions about what nutrients need to be added for growing certain crops or plants.
- Plant advice. Most cooperative extension service offices have people on call to answer an array of questions about growing plants in certain areas. They can provide advice about what kinds of trees, plants and flowers to grow in an area.
- Yard and landscape advice. Extension agents and master gardeners can even help with creating a backyard environment that’s friendly to the surrounding ecosystems.
- Plant disease and pest identification. Agents are available to help homeowners and gardeners identify and eradicate pests that might be plaguing plants.
- Conservation programs. Cooperative extension offices provide a lot of information on environmental conservation.
This is just a sampling of what most state cooperative extension services offer. With knowledgeable staff and a veritable army of volunteers, these agencies can provide a world of information on gardening in your specific area.
GardenSites.Info Directory
This is another of my websites that you may find useful. There’s a special page listing the links to Cooperative Extension and Master Gardener websites by state.
