Extension offers web resources for gardeners, landscapers




Westfall

Westfall

Last week I pointed out some helpful online tools that Purdue Extension has available for farmers, so this week I thought I would point out that those resources extend far beyond traditional agriculture and offer a wide range of information that can benefit homeowners, gardeners, and more diversified farmers as well. A few examples of these excellent resources can be found on the internet.

A great place to start your website bookmarking if you are interested in information for your yard, home, or garden is the Purdue Extension Consumer Horticulture homepage located at www.purdue.edu/hla/ sites/yardandgarden/. From here you can gain access to Purdue University publications on general horticulture, flowers, houseplants, landscape management, fruits, and vegetables to name a few. The website is also a great place for the latest timely and informative news articles generated by Purdue.

For a quick year-round reference on the basics, consider printing off Purdue’s monthly garden calendars at www.purdue.edu/hla/sites/yardandgarden/publications/ gardening-calendars. These provide a general timeline of what homeowners should be doing and looking out for each season in their homes, yards, and gardens. Checking the calendar each month can serve as an excellent reminder of when to keep an eye out for specific pests and diseases, as well as optimal planting, fertilizer application, and harvesting times. Homeowners seeking the perfect lawn this year, who might be looking for more detail, should consider subscribing to Purdue’s Turf Tips at purdueturftips. blogspot.com, which has helpful information for both homeowners and lawn professionals.

Another newsletter that will be starting up soon is Purdue’s “Facts for Fancy Fruits,” which can be subscribed to at fff. hort.purdue.edu/. This newsletter is sent out monthly during the growing season and provides updates on current crop conditions, pest updates and recommendations on control, and upcoming fruit-related educational programming around the state.

Similarly, but in the vegetable realm, check out the “Vegetable Crops Hotline” at vegcropshotline.org. Lastly, once again I would like to point out the Purdue Pest and Plant Diagnostic Laboratory, which is a great place to see what problems are being experienced around the state, oftentimes before they make their way up to our neck of the woods. It is located at ag.purdue.edu/btny/ppdl/.

Andrew Westfall is the White County Ag and Natural Resources Extension Coordinator. He can be reached at awestfal@purdue.edu.

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