• Soil Testing
• USDA Plant Zone Hardiness Map
• USDA Zones 3 & 4 Planting Schedule (PDF)
• USDA Zones 5 & 6 Planting Schedule (PDF)
• National Extension Projects Site
• Cornell University - Home Gardening Resources
• Ohio State: Home, Yard & Garden Factsheets
• University of Maryland Home & Garden Info. Center
• UMaine Home & Garden IPM website
• UNH Education Center - Great Factsheets!
• University of CT Home & Garden Fact Sheets
• New England Wildflower Society - Simple Key for Plant Identification
• University of Minnesota Yard and Garden Info. Center
• Clemson Cooperative Extension - Home & Garden Info. Center

Climate Change and Agriculture in Vermont (pdf)

Composting General

• The Dirt on Compost (pdf) - A Guide to Backyard Composting, VT Dept. of Environmental Conservation
• 5/06/19 Home Composting: How You Can Manage Food Waste on 'Across The Fence'
• Compost With Confidence booklet - aimed at residents (PDF) - New 3/19
• How To Compost video, by Sujata Gautam-VT Master Composter/LRSWMD volunteer
• Compost Fact Sheet (UVM)
• Compost Happens, Or Does it? (UVM)
• Compost - Turning Trash To Treasure - Presentation by Cat Buxton, Master Composter & Community Educator (PDF) - New 3/19
• Health & Safety Guidance for Composting in the School Setting - Cornell
• Health & Safety Guidance for Small Scale Composting - Cornell
• A Solid Waste Guide for Invasive Plant Matter (PDF)
• The Composting Council Research & Education Foundation
• Persistent Herbicide Information for Horse and Livestock Owners (PDF)
• Growing Local Fertility: A Guide to Community Composting (PDF)

Composting Factsheets

• Composting Food Waste: How To Get Started
• Backyard Composting of Food Waste: It's As Easy As 1:3
• Composting With Worms (PDF)
• Backyard Composting (PDF)
• Improving Garden Soils with Organic Matter (PDF)
• Composting for Farmers (PDF)

Vermont State Government

• Waste Management Division, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources - Department of Environmental Conservation
• Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Compost Center
• Vermont Solid Waste Districts

Vermont Non-Profit

• Composting Association of Vermont
• Food Works: Two Rivers Center for Sustainability
• Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA)
• Vermont Community Garden Network

Vermont Commercial

• Champlain Valley Compost (CVA), Charlotte
• Vermont Compost Company, Montpelier
• Green Mountain Compost
• Grow Compost
• Vermont Natural Agricultural Products (MOO DOO, etc.)

Compost Bins

• Designs for Composting Systems (PDF)
  • Includes plans for a Wooden Box Bin, Wood and Wire Three-Bin Turning Unit, Cinder Block Bin, Cinder Block Turning Unit, Wire Mesh Bin, Snow Fence Bin, Garbage Can Composter, Worm Composting Bin, Compost Mound, Compost Pockets and Mulch
• Designs using wooden pallets
  • How to build a $15 shipping pallet compost bin
• Stacking sides system
  • Building an easy to assemble and disassemble compost bin

• National Extension Projects Site - Educational Outreach videos and materials
• Emerald Ash Borer Presentation, by Elise Schadler, VT Forests, Parks & Rec, Program Manager (see presentation notes on next line)
• Emerald Ash Borer Presentation Notes, by Elise Schadler
• Gardening for Hummingbirds, Butterflies & Moths, (pdf) by Maryland Master Gardener Program
• Indoor Herb Gardening (pdf) by EMGs Carol Holmquist & Liz Parker
• Climate Change - Action Plan - Full Presentation (pdf) by EMG Carol Holmquist & Priscilla McKinney
• Prestigious Pollinators Presentation,  (pdf) by EMGs Cindy Heath & Donna Thomas (see video recording below)
• Okemo Valley TV recording of Prestigious Pollinators Presentation (video)
• Okemo Valley TV Fletcher Library Compost Workshop (video) presented by Certified Master Composter Hamilton Gillette

• Flower Fact Sheets - UMass Amherst
• Impatiens Downy Mildew (PDF)
• Perry's Perennial Pages

• Spotted Wing Drosophila (PDF) (by Vern Grubinger, UVM Specialist
• Spotted Wing Drosophila in the Home Garden - by Ann Hazelrigg
• Swede Midge - Cornell
• Growing Tomatoes in Vermont
  • Tomato Problems in the Home Garden (PDF)
  • Blight Resistant Varieties (PDF)
  • Late Blight Management in Tomato with Resistant Varieties
  • Late Blight of Tomato & Potato: Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)
  • A Few Key Points About Late Blight (PDF)
  • Symptoms of late blight (with images)
  • Tomato Plant Sources in Vermont (PDF)
  • Tomato Disease ID Key by Leaf Symptoms
  • Tomatoes and potatoes infected with late blight: Are they safe for canning?
  • USABlight.org
• Vegetable Gardening in Small Spaces  - UMaine Coop. Extension - Excellent resources for raised bed gardening
• Vegetable Disease Fact Sheets - Cornell
• Fruit & Vegetable Problems - Diagnostic Sites
• Cornell Fruit Gardening Resources
• VT Vegetable & Berry Grower Page
• The Vegetable Garden: All About The Garden
• Fruit Fact Sheets - UMass Amherst
• Vegetable Fact Sheets - UMass Amherst

Growing Herbs Indoors

Indoor Herb Pests

• Home Invasions of the Insect Kind, by Ann Hazelrigg
• Identification & Management of White Grubs in Vermont's Greenscapes
• Grow Smart Grow Safe Guide to Choosing Safer Garden Products
• Beneficial Insects of NH Farms & Gardens (PDF)
• The Bug Book - a garden field guide (PDF)
• Swede Midge Info Center-Cornell
• BugGuide.net
• Green Stink Bugs (PDF)
• Grubs in Vermont (PDF)
• Invasive plants and pests in Vermont
• Leek Moth
• National Pesticide Information Center
• Spotted Wing Drosophila - by Vern Grubinger
• Spiders in Vermont

• Introduction to Snake Worms & Their Management, by Josef Gorres - UVM Associate Professor
• Vermont Invasives website

• Home Lawn & Garden Lawn Fact Sheets - UMass Amherst

How to Identify, Prevent & Manage Plant Problems - University of Maryland

Glyphosate: Farming, Health & The Environment - Vt. Dept. of Agriculture

National Pesticide Information Center

Regarding free seeds, starter plants, assistance with home gardening grants, etc.  – the Vermont Community Garden Network collaborates with another agency called Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity on organizing a free plant give away in late May. The VCGN calendar also provides information on seed swaps. Here is a phone number you can call to talk with them directly - To reach the VCGN staff, call (802) 861-4769 about the above opportunities.

Plant Sales – The 7 local Master Gardener Chapters each host annual plant sales every year early in the season. For more information please email Cindy Heath @  cindy.heath@uvm.edu

• Tree and Shrub Fact Sheets, UMass Amherst
• How To Kill A Tree (PDF) (Arbor Day Foundation)
• Maple Problems (PDF)
• Boxwood Health (pdf)
• Branch Out Burlington Tree Resources
• Winooski Conservation District Tree Sale
• Vermont Tree Selection Guide (PDF)
• Vermont County Foresters
• Find An Arborist
• Our VT Woods - an online resource center for healthy forests
• Vermont Urban & Community Forestry

In June 2012, Vermont passed Act 148, a universal recycling law focusing on recyclables and organics. The legislation aims to reduce the amount of material ending up in landfill by improving recycling and disposal options and by diverting valuable materials from the waste stream.

The law began roll-out in stages in 2014. The timeline for items to be banned from residential trash disposal is:

• July 1, 2015: Mandated recyclables
• July 1, 2016: Leaf, yard and clean wood debris
• July 1, 2020: Food scraps

Get up-to-date information, status reports, and your questions answered about Vermont Universal Recycling Law at the Vermont Waste Management & Prevention Division.

• Preen weed i.d.
• Weed ID Guide
• Common Pasture Weeds & Grasses in Vermont (PDF)
• Plant and Flower Identification - VT Wildflower Farm
• Is this plant a weed? - University of Minnesota

• Wildlife Management Factsheets - UMass Amherst
• Deer Resistant Trees and Shurbs
• Nuisance Wildlife Control - Trusted source for sound, legal & responsible wildlife control & damage prevention advice.