Highlights from the Plant Clinic

Published: 2020
By Sandy Perrin

The COVID-19 stay-at-home order certainly increased homeowner activity in caring for yards and gardens. The Missoula County MSU Extension Plant Clinic provided leadership and educational opportunities to the public on the identification and integrated pest management practices (IPM) of plant diseases, pests and related plant health problems through the coordination and management of the Plant Clinic. • Performed weekly scouting trips, checking on pest levels that challenge gardeners, landscapers and homeowners in maintaining healthy plant communities and environment. • Trapped for insects such as the codling moth, cherry fruit fly and spotted wing drosophila to give Missoula County residents timely information on when to spray for those pests to control damage to fruit. This information helps reduce unwarranted pesticide use. • Provided information to 2,000 calls, walk-in clients and emails this year, including information on soil testing, pruning, plant identification, and pest control. We also provided site visits during office closure to clients to identify problems in their yards. • Collaborated with the Western Agricultural Research Center to provide Master Gardeners and a small orchard in the Rattlesnake area with a new method to control codling moth by bagging the apples with a nylon mesh to avoid spraying during the season. • Partnered with the Ravalli County MSU Extension agent to offer a virtual Master Gardener Level 1 training that included three field trips and two additional virtual presentations. Nineteen people from each county took the class. • Talked virtually with a group of gardeners with Garden City Harvest community garden program about insect pests in the garden. • Worked with a local flower grower to obtain a specialty crop block grant to enable the development and growth of existing and future Montana (specialty crop) flower farmers. The workshops were moved to 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions. • Partnered with FCS Agent Kelly Moore in teaching two Lunch and Learn classes: Oodles of Noodles & Herb Swags.