Master Gardener Plant Diagnostic Clinic

Master Gardener Plant Diagnostic Clinic

Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., May through September. Do you have questions about gardening, plants, insects, or landscaping? Bring unidentified insects, diseased plants, and other yard and garden related questions to the WSU Master Gardener Plant Diagnostic Clinic. At this clinic, Master Gardeners provide plant problem diagnosis and management recommendations, insect identification, and general gardening or landscaping recommendations. Clients will be asked to fill out a form with background information on the plant or insect sample. These forms fill several functions. First, it gives the Master Gardener the information needed to make an accurate diagnosis and recommendation. Often, factors which seem to be unrelated have a direct bearing on the situation, and need to be considered in recommending solutions. Second, it provides a means of tracking diagnoses, as all diagnoses are checked for accuracy. Master Gardeners will not diagnose or make recommendations without completed paperwork. Insects that are brought in should be placed in a plastic or glass container with a lid. Insect samples are placed in the freezer for a few days, as frozen insects are easier to work with than live samples. Plant samples should display a range of disease symptoms. The ideal sample has healthy material and somewhat to very diseased material. Having a complete range of symptoms helps the Master Gardeners in making a diagnosis. The Master Gardener Plant Diagnostic Clinic is held at the WSU Extension Office every Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., May through September. Samples may also be dropped off at other times and will be held until the next clinic.