Horticulture & Rural Living

Published: 2019
By Nikki Bailey

With its varied landscape and elevation changes, Carbon County presents many challenges to local gardeners and landscapers. Throughout the year, multiple walk-in visits and house calls dealt with a variety of horticulture issues. White pine weevil, Rhizosphaera needle cast, tip blight, aphids, pine needle scale and many other insects and diseases were identified at the Extension office. Recommendations were given for an integrated pest control approach to remedy these issues during consultations. Education efforts were driven by this high frequency of horticulture calls and questions, resulting in several classes taught by MSU Extension around the county. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) was discussed with a garden group to proactively solve some of the common issues. Approximately 30 people learned the importance of monitoring, correct pest identification, and then the options for control of insects, weeds, and disease in their landscapes. A Master Gardener Level 1 class was taught during the winter months to prepare gardeners for the growing season. This eight-workshop series focused an in-depth look into gardening in Montana, with topics ranging from vegetable gardening to lawn maintenance. Gardening and small acreage development education play a very important role for MSU Extension in Carbon County, and local needs were met through a combination of one-on-one consultations and group educational workshops.