Dear Steward,
In the past several years, I’ve frequently walked out into my yard or garden and noticed my plants looking a little sickly and wondered why. Is there any way I can figure out what is going on before it’s too late to save them?
– Sickly Sal
Dear Sal,
You are in luck! Montana State University and Montana State University Extension have resources available to diagnose the troubles with your yard and garden plants. Montana State University Extension has offices around the state that serve every county in Montana. If you see a problem, you can call the local county or reservation Extension agent and ask for their assistance. In some cases, they may come to your property to look at the plant(s) and try to help you diagnose the problem.
In other situations, the agent may ask you to bring in a sample of the plant(s) affected so they can diagnose the problem in the office. If the problem is tricky and hard to diagnose, the agent may offer to send the sample to the Schutter Diagnostic Laboratory, located on campus at Montana State University. This lab is staffed with diagnosticians that can then evaluate the sample and provide a report back to the agent and client regarding the diagnosis.
If you are asked to bring a sample to the Extension office, try to provide a sample that shows both the good and the bad, which means one that appears healthy on one end and sickly on the other. If you do this, the agent and diagnosticians will have as much information as possible to diagnose the problem. Also, you will be asked to fill out a form describing the plant, its surroundings, current and past management, etc. so those trying to help you can get a feel for the entire situation surrounding your sick plant.
To locate your county or reservation agent, go to the MSU Extension website (www.msuextension.org) and click on “Local Offices.” For more information on the Schutter Diagnostic Lab, visit their website at http://diagnostics.montana.edu/.
Have a question for Ask Steward? Please send it to bssa@montana.edu or bigskysmallacres@montana.edu.