The UVM Extension Master Gardener Helpline offers Vermonters with this free service that provides science-based information on gardening, home landscapes and backyard composting. Trained volunteers research each question and deliver timely, reliable answers.
Please note: Our program does not make personal site visits to home gardens.
We are committed to sharing Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies with Vermonters. Pesticide recommendations are limited as our volunteers are not licensed pesticide applicators.
Contact Us!
By Phone
Helpline Phone - 802-656-5421
Our live Helpline service is open on Thursdays, 9 am to 12 noon from April-October.
Online Service
Submit Your Question Online
To submit a question online, please take a moment to complete this diagnostic worksheet (PDF) to assist us with your question(s). You can either attach this worksheet to the form below, or type in the information you filled out on the worksheet into the question box.
Include Photos
We highly recommend including photos of the problem area to help our volunteers better understand the situation. If you are submitting photos, please review the Tips for Submitting Photos (PDF) prior to attaching them to the Ask Extension form. You can submit up to three images at a maximum file size of 8 MB per image with your question to help us gain a better sense of your situation. Select "Choose File" to upload a photo or document.
For Soil Test Report Help
If you have a question about your soil test report, please upload it to your question. Select "Choose File" to upload it. *Be sure to check the box to set your question as private (to protect your contact information from going public).*
Our Response
To submit your question, you need to select the "I am not a robot" button and click on Submit. Once you submit your question, you will automatically receive a confirmation email from ask@extension.org. Check your inbox for this confirmation -- if you do not see it, please check your SPAM/JUNK folder. Please allow 3-5 business days before receiving a response.
Commercial Growers
The Helpline is dedicated to home and community gardeners.
Commercial growers are best served by contacting an Extension Commercial Horticulture specialists or visiting the Plant Diagnostic Clinic for tailored support.
Specimens
Home Garden Specimens
Most often we are able to i.d. Insect & Plant disease specimens with good/clear images. Please submit images by filling out the online form
located above. Here are some Tips for Submitting Photos (PDF). In addition, please provide as much information as possible about the Insect or Plant disease by filling out this Insect and Disease Diagnosis Worksheet (PDF) and attach it to your online form, as well as the photos.
Instructions for mailing in a specimen:
If you do not have access to a computer or the internet, please submit your specimen by filling out this Plant Specimen Submission Form (PDF).
Not in Vermont?
Due to the large volume of requests, differences in climatic conditions, and variation in state pesticide regulations, we can only assist with issues that occur in Vermont. Find a National Master Gardener Program near you.
The UVM Extension Master Gardener Helpline is funded, in part, by a Crop Protection and Pest Management Program grant, a project of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.