Master gardeners will be back in the VCE office helpdesk in July!
Have your lawn and garden questions answered by our Extension Master Gardener Helpline
- Available April-October
- Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
- 10 am-2pm
- Bring samples to the office (see details below), 105 Utah Street, Portsmouth, VA
- Walk-ins are welcome.
- Phone: (757) 393-5319
- Email: pmghelpline@gmail.com
- Send picture of your plant problems to VCEPortsmouth@vt.edu
Insect Identification Laboratory
Homeowners can submit insect samples for identification by bringing a dead insect sample to the Portsmouth Extension Office. Place the sample in a pill bottle or jar, well preserved in Isopropyl Alcohol. Master Gardener volunteers or the Extension Agent will try to identify and make a recommendation if the insect is a pest. If we are not able to identify it, we will mail your insect sample to the Insect ID Lab at Virginia Tech. You should have an answer in about 15-20 days.
Plant Disease Laboratory
Homeowners can submit plant samples for disease identification by bringing a plant sample with root intact in a zipper-lock bag with one pint of moist soil to the Portsmouth Extension Office. If the Extension Agent or Master Gardeners are not available or able to identify the disease, we will mail it to the Plant Disease Laboratory at Virginia Tech. You should have an answer in about 15-20 days.
Weed Identification Laboratory
Homeowners can submit weed samples for identification by bringing the freshly dug weed with roots wrapped in a moist paper towel inside a zipper-lock bag to the Portsmouth Extension Office. If the Extension Agent or Master Gardeners are not available or able to identify the weed, we will mail it to the Weed ID Laboratory at Virginia Tech. You should have an answer in about 15-20 days.
Soil Testing
Homeowners can submit soil samples to the Soil Testing Laboratory at Virginia Tech by picking up soil sample boxes at the Portsmouth Extension Office. We will provide you with the application form and instructions for taking the soil sample and mailing it to the lab. A report will be mailed to you from the Soil Testing Lab with recommendations for the plant/crop you plan to grow. It generally takes two weeks to receive a report back in the mail.