The Garden Hotline is a free service offered through the Penn State Extension office to help Beaver County residents with questions and concerns about flowers, vegetables, trees, shrubs, lawns, household insect and animal pests, and more.
Let us help with your gardening questions.
Master Gardeners answer questions on a variety of topics including growing vegetables, fruits, ornamentals, turfgrass, plant identification, pruning, and insect and disease problems. Advice encourages the use of integrated pest management and environmentally sound practices.
Garden Hotline is working remotely during the winter months; we will resume walk-in service in May 2024. Volunteers check the below email account and voicemails during remote winter months and will respond to inquiries within two business days.
If you have a computer:
- Email your plant and/or insect questions to beavermg@psu.edu.
- Attach clear digital photos, if possible, of the specimens in question to assist with the diagnosis (under 1 MB each).
- A daytime phone number where you can be reached must be included.
- This is the fastest and easiest way for our hotline volunteers to assist you.
If you do not have a computer:
- Call the Garden Hotline at 724-371-2062 to provide a detailed description of your question and any control measures you may have used as well as a daytime phone number where you can be reached. Office staff will transcribe your message and forward to the hotline email.
OR - Bring a plant and/or insect sample to the office during our regular business hours of Monday through Thursday, 8 AM - 5 PM (closed 12-1 PM). It is suggested to call 724-774-3003 to ensure that someone will be available to assist you, as office staff are limited at this time.
- Office staff will take photos of the specimens, ask you to complete a short specimen info form, and submit all to the hotline email for follow up.
Please follow the specimen guidelines below:
- Plants: Select fresh plant samples with intact parts including flowers, if present, showing both healthy and unhealthy growth.
- Insects: Enclose live insect specimens (and infested plants) in an airtight container or zip-top bag. If you cannot keep the insect alive, either place it in a jar with a small amount of rubbing alcohol or freeze it (no alcohol) for several days to preserve the specimen.
