Trees looking sickly?  Plants wilting? Not sure what to do?  Help can be as close as your Ohio State University Extension Office.

The Union County Extension Office has provided space and a great deal of resources to allow volunteer Master Gardeners to interact with the public answering horticulture questions.  There are volumes of fact sheets, resource books, diagnostic sheets and the vast knowledge of the staff and volunteers.With the references readily available, in addition to an endless resource list, it is quite unlikely any client will have an unanswerable question.  

The Union County Master Gardener HortLine began in 1996 as a response to the overwhelming number of horticulture calls from the general public to the Union County Extension Office.  Questions were being asked on a wide range of subjects, but the time to listen to each client’s description of a particular problem and getting the right information to them sometimes got backlogged.... so, Master Gardeners to the rescue!    

The Union County Master Gardeners will again be manning the HortLine this year,  helping with diagnosing  tree, shrub, lawn or houseplant problems, recommending common sense pest controls, and offering guidance with fertilization, pruning, irrigation and related topics. The HortLine opens May and operates through October.  Master Gardener volunteers will be available to assist with horticulture questions from 1 p.m. to  7 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.  

Call the Union County Extension office at 800.589.8584 or 937.644.8117 and ask for a Master Gardener, or bring your insect or plant question to 18000 State Route 4, Suite E, Marysville.