A free service to local residents and gardeners. Our highly trained and helpful Master Gardener volunteers can provide information and problem solving for home gardening, insect pest and wildlife pest problems.
Our hortline volunteer staff identifying plant problem.
How to Contact Us
The Delaware County Garden Hotline is staffed in-person for walk-in, phone, and emailed questions on Tuesday mornings from 10:00 a.m. until 1 p.m. Emailed questions are also answered remotely on Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. (During October through February, on Tuesdays only). We offer free, research-based information on everything from houseplants to trees, lawns, vegetable gardens, fruit, composting, insects, weeds, mulch, and more. Our Master Gardeners can also identify plants and insects.
There are several ways county residents can take advantage of our Garden Hotline services:
In-person
The Penn State Extension Office in Delaware County is located in the Lewis House in Smedley Park, 20 Paper Mill Road, Springfield, PA 19064. Volunteers are here on Tuesday mornings from 10 am until 1 pm. Residents may stop by with plant or gardening questions, plant or weed identification, insect identification, vegetable gardening questions, or any other home gardening questions. One of our Master Gardener volunteers will be happy to assist you.
Email Hotline
The Delaware County Master Gardeners can be reached at the Garden Hotline email address delawaremg@psu.edu. When submitting a question by email, county residents are encouraged to provide as much information as they can about the plant and the problem. In addition, we recommend submitting at least three (3) clear, in-focus, high-resolution photos which clearly highlight the problem outlined in the email. Please also include your contact information (name, address, phone number, and email address) in case we have additional questions or need additional information.
Phone Hotline
County residents can call the Garden Hotline at 610-690-2671 to speak with a Master Gardener during our hotline hours, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 am to 1 pm March through October. From November through February, our volunteers are here Tuesdays only from 10 am to 1 pm.
Soil Test Kits and Water Test Kits
Delaware County residents can purchase soil test kits and water test kits at the Penn State Extension Office located in the Lewis House in Smedley Park, 20 Paper Mill Road, Springfield, PA 19064
Plant Pathology Services
If the Garden Hotline is unable to diagnose your plant disease, the Penn State Plant Disease Clinic is accepting samples. The Clinic encourages submission of digital samples via photographs before mailing samples. Digital samples can be sent to their email address PlantClinic@psu.edu. If necessary, physical samples can be mailed to the clinic via US Mail, FedEx and UPS. See the Clinic website for more specific information on submitting digital and physical samples.
Contact: Holly Thorpe Master Gardener Coordinator hat5041@psu.edu
