Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers of Buncombe County

General Gardening

Gardening Video: Understanding Natural and Organic Pesticide Options

Gardening in the Mountains presents:
Understanding Natural and Organic Pesticide Options

Check out the latest gardening video on the Buncombe County Master Gardener website. This presentation will outline the use of natural and organic pesticides including soaps and oils, botanicals, minerals, and biopesticides (microbials). Pests are any unwanted living organism found in your home, garden or landscape. While a good pest management plan will start with preventative, cultural and other non-chemical methods, a pesticide may also be considered. Selection guidelines, proper use and reasons for pesticide failures will be discussed. To access this video, click on the link below:

Understanding Natural and Organic Pesticide Options

Or go to www.buncombemastergardener.org , click on the ‘Gardening Videos’ tab at the top of the page, and select the video from the list provided.

A Gardening Guide for Our Mountains: The Perfect Holiday Stocking Stuffer

Living in Western North Carolina means that there is always something to do in the garden, from preparing soil and pruning to fertilizing and transplanting. But when and how? You’ll find the answers in A Gardening Guide for Our Mountains.

A Gardening Guide for Our MountainsCreated by Buncombe County Extension Master GardenerSM (BCEMG) volunteers, the guide provides a complete month-by-month description of what to do (and not to do), along with tips on invasive species, mulching, composting, and creating bird- and pollinator-friendly habitats.

This quick reference makes the perfect holiday gift for the gardeners in your life, whether they are old hands, new to gardening, or new to gardening in the mountains. A Gardening Guide for Our Mountains will get them off to the right start and keep their gardens growing all year long. Plus, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that funds raised through this publication go to support the many educational and outreach programs provided by BCEMG volunteers.

How to order: Send $13 (checks payable to Buncombe County Extension Master Gardener) to Cooperative Extension Office, 49 Mount Carmel Road, Asheville, N.C. 28806, ATTN:  Buncombe County Master Gardener. Include mailing address for shipping and a phone number, in case we have a question about your order.

Copies are available at the office for pick up for $10.  Please note that due to COVID-19 the office may not be fully staffed at all times. So please call in advance. 828-255-5522.

To learn more about the Buncombe County Master Gardener program, go to: https://www.buncombemastergardener.org/

Reminder: Submit Soil Samples before December 1 for Free Testing

There’s still time to get your soil samples to the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services before Thanksgiving and take advantage of free testing. Samples received after November 30, 2021 through March 31, 2022—the peak soil testing season—are charged an analysis fee of $4 per sample. 

Soil test kit

Get soil test kits at the Extension office
Soil test boxes, sample information forms, and instructions are available outside the front door at the Buncombe County Cooperative Extension office, 49 Mount Carmel Road, Asheville. 

Taking the sample
The instruction sheet, A Guide to Soil Sampling—A Soil Test Is Only as Good as the Soil Sample Taken!, explains how to take your sample. Using a clean, stainless steel or chrome-plated trowel, dig about 6 inches deep in 4 or 5 spots in the testing area. Place the soil samples in a clean plastic bucket or bowl and mix well. If the soil is wet, wait for it to dry out before mixing. Fill the soil test box to the fill line and label the box. 

Where to sample
Take several soil samples from different areas of your yard and use a separate box for each sample. Suggested sample areas include: lawn, vegetable garden, flowerbeds, landscape trees and shrubs, roses, azaleas, rhododendrons, blueberries, and other fruits and berries. 

Complete the sample information form and mail
Complete an information form for each soil sample, note any lime applications you’ve made in the last 12 months, and indicate the Lawn and Garden Planting Code for the area sampled. You’ll also need to provide an email address to receive your results.

Place the information form on top of your soil test boxes in a cardboard box and mail to the address listed on the form. It is helpful to keep a record to remind yourself of where you took each sample.

After the lab has tested the soil samples, you will receive a test report with recommendations for fertilizer and pH amendment. During the winter it takes about one to two months to receive your test results.

More information
– N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services website:  https://www.ncagr.gov/agronomi/sthome.htm
– Soil Testing for Lawns and Gardens by Charlotte Glenn, State Coordinator, NC Extension Master Gardener Program
Horticultural Science – NC State University

 

Contact Us

Buncombe County Extension Office
49 Mount Carmel Road
Asheville, NC 28806
Helpline 828-255-5522

Events

Keep up with our events by subscribing to the blog or checking our Events Calendar.

Explore the Archives

Back to Top