Solving lawn and garden challenges with consumer horticulture hotline

Responders to the Garden Hotline assist Michigan residents throughout the state, regardless of the location of the caller or expert.

Woman staring at plants

Responders on the Michigan State University Extension Lawn and Garden Hotline assist Michigan residents throughout the state, regardless of the location of the caller or expert. They provide reliable, research-based information to help Michigan residents solve lawn and gardening challenges. In 2016, the hotline received calls from all 83 counties in Michigan.

When callers ask about fertilizer use, insect control and plant disease prevention, responders provide environmentally friendly advice that helps them maintain healthy soils, solve landscaping issues, and grow fruits and vegetables in their home landscape.

Consumers who contact the hotlines are directed to a variety of lawn and garden tools and services available through MSU Extension. These services encompass soil testing, MSU Diagnostic Services, the Gardening in Michigan website, Ask an Expert and Smart Gardening tip sheets and articles.

  • From 2012 to 2016, calls have increased 14%. There were 7,806 total contacts in 2016.
  • Calls from the lower half of Michigan, where consumer horticulture educators were traditionally located, have increased by an average of 25%.
  • Calls from Michigan’s Thumb area, where consumer horticulture educators were not traditionally located, have increased 236% in the first five years of the state hotline.

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