Extension Office Pollinator Bed in September
Garden Hotline
The Penn State Extension Garden Hotline, staffed by trained Master Gardeners, is a free service available to answer horticulture-related questions for Montgomery County residents. Contact the hotline for topics such as growing and propagating plants (vegetables, fruit, ornamental plants, trees, turf), along with insect and disease problems. The Hotline is covered throughout the year.
Please send a detailed email with your question(s), along with photographs (if appropriate) to montgomerymg@psu.edu. While emails work best since we work remotely, voice messages can be left at 484-971-6525. Please leave an email for a faster, more detailed response.
Penn State Laboratory Services
Insect Identification Laboratory
The Insect Identification Laboratory can be used to identify insects via photographs and/or sending physical samples to the laboratory via mail. Contact the Garden Hotline first to get guidance if this is necessary. A link to the state’s Tick Research Lab of Pennsylvania can also be found here, which offers free analysis of ticks for tick-borne diseases.
Plant Pathology
The Plant Pathology Laboratory can diagnose plant diseases using photographs and/or sending physical samples to the laboratory via mail. Contact the Garden Hotline first to get guidance if this is necessary.
Soil Testing
Soil Fertility testing can be performed by Agricultural Analytical Services Lab (AASL) by following the instructions on the website or by purchasing a test kit at the Penn State Extension office at 1015 Bridge Rd, Collegeville, PA 19426. The Hotline can help provide guidance with submissions and interpretation of the results, if needed.
