The seeds were planted months ago, they’ve been lovingly tended to, and now? Now, there are wilted plants barely hanging on, and you have no idea why.
The only thing left to do is call the Gardening Helpline.
First introduced in 1986 by the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orange County, the Gardening Helpline was originally a walk-in clinic operated by a part-time staffer. It has since grown to include a hotline and email, staffed by volunteer Master Gardeners who help amateur gardeners with everything from weed identification to pruning techniques.
Perplexed planters can pick up the phone and call the Gardening Helpline at 845.343.0664, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from April through November. Can’t call during their staffing hours? You can always leave a message or e-mail the Helpline at mghelpline@cornell.edu.
While the Helpline will also serve residents of neighboring counties, it’s worth checking your local extension’s website, as many counties have implemented their own Gardening Helpline.