Horticulture

Upcoming Programs
-2009 Home Gardening Lecture Series

Program efforts are diverse and aim to match an ever-changing county situation. What we offer:

• The Diagnostic Laboratory diagnoses horticultural and insect samples, and provides soil pH testing (Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:15-3:15 p.m.).
• The Horticulture Hotline (914-285-4640) answers homeowners' inquiries on many topics (Monday thru Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon). This line is often busy during the growing season. Please be patient! The Commercial Hotline offers information to professionals from 9:00 a.m - 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. If you are a horticulture professional, please call our office for this phone number.
• Two newsletters, "Westchester County Horticultural News" and "Hudson Valley Horticulture for Professionals" provide timely information and are published 10 times per year. A variety of "fact sheets" and other publications are available either free or for a small charge.
• Extension seeks to provide pest control recommendations based on Integrated Pest Management (I.P.M.) principles. New I.P.M. information is constantly being offered to homeowners and professionals through a variety of methods.
• Westchester residents are encouraged to adopt "Grasscycling" (leaving grass clippings on the lawn) and composting methods through programs and literature developed in conjunction with the Westchester County Recycling Office.
• Every 2 years, a carefully-selected group of New Master Gardener volunteers receives 75 hours of horticultural training in return for 100 or more hours of volunteer service.
• Lectures and workshops on a wide variety of subjects are regularly sponsored by the Master Gardener Education Committee, including the annual home gardening series.
• Special Events, such as Earth Day programs, are attended by Master Gardener volunteers with educational displays and information.
• Master Gardener volunteers, trained in Horticulture Therapy, teach the disabled.
• A Speakers Bureau fields requests for programs from groups throughout the county. Pesticide Training and Exams for commercial horticulturists are conducted with NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.
• Extension co-sponsors the "Professional Turf and Landscape Conference" which brings 1000 participants to the County Center each January, a major source of training for the "green industry."
• Regional Seminars on topics such as pesticide safety, alternative lawn care, business management and perennials are provided for professionals through our participation in Cornell Cooperative Extension's Hudson Valley Horticulture group.

Unfortunately, our office does not have the staff present at this time to answer e-mail inquiries and questions. Please call our office to discuss your needs. Thank you!

Tornado Damage in Westchester County
Areas hit included Sleepy Hollow and Hawthorne. Rick Harper, Jerry Giordano, and Jim Lee surveyed some of the damage in Hawthorne, which is not far from our CCE office. The width of the tornado was relatively small but the path it created was relatively long. We saw some major damage including large trees that were uprooted and those that snapped. TORNADO DAMAGE PHOTOS

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