Penn State Master Gardeners of Luzerne County

Penn State Master Gardeners of Luzerne County Master Gardeners are volunteers trained through the Penn State Cooperative Extension who help educate the public through research based horticulture knowledge.

Master Gardeners are volunteers trained by the Penn State Cooperative Extension. Once they complete their training, Master Gardeners help the Extension better serve the home gardening public by answering questions, speaking to groups, working with 4-H horticultural projects, participating in civic beautification, maintaining demonstration gardens, teaching plant sciences and horticulture, maintain

ing this web site, and in many other ways. Master Gardeners are willing and able to educate individuals and groups in gardening topics such as plant selection, composting, soil improvement, pest control, vegetable and flower gardening, pruning, and more. The program provides interested individuals with extensive training in many phases of gardening. In return, participants dedicate volunteer time to teaching horticultural information based on university research and recommendations. Training and volunteer service are coordinated at the county level by extension educators or trained volunteers. State wide functions are carried out by Nancy Knauss, State Master Gardener Coordinator and from the State Master Gardener Steering Committee. The Penn State Master Gardening Program is a volunteer program that takes people with an interest and enthusiasm for horticulture and gives them basic training in a broad range of horticulture topics. In exchange for the training, volunteers are expected to give at least 50 hours of volunteer time within one year of completing the training to help Penn State Extension better serve the home gardening audience. Volunteer hours can be served in any number of ways, such as answering home gardening questions over the phone at the Penn State Extension Office, speaking to garden clubs, civic organizations, schools, or other groups about horticultural topics, community beautification projects, or in other ways which help to educate the public to techniques and benefits of gardening. All in all it is a good opportunity for excellent training, fellowship with others who share enthusiasm for gardening, and a chance to help people with gardening problems.

Master Gardeners Joan Banyas, Suzanne Beck and Peg Jones were at the Marian Sutherland Kirby Library in Mountain Top pro...
09/10/2026

Master Gardeners Joan Banyas, Suzanne Beck and Peg Jones were at the Marian Sutherland Kirby Library in Mountain Top providing a presentation on Seed Saving.
Photo credit: Suzanne Beck

As days grow shorter and temperatures drop, Monarch butterflies begin their southward fall migration from northeast Penn...
08/30/2026

As days grow shorter and temperatures drop, Monarch butterflies begin their southward fall migration from northeast Pennsylvania in late August, with peak numbers moving through the region during early to mid-September. Here’s a link from PSU Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center, “Monitoring the Lifecycle of the Monarch Butterfly “. Learn about the Monarch’s life cycle and the Monarch Watch tagging program.
https://www.shaverscreek.org/2026/03/06/monitoring-the-monarch-butterfly-lifecycle/
Photo credits: Jean Kolojejchick

These beautiful pictures of the Butler Township Community Garden in Luzerne County were shared by Master Gardener, Jo Ro...
08/29/2026

These beautiful pictures of the Butler Township Community Garden in Luzerne County were shared by Master Gardener, Jo Robbin’s. Enjoy!

Our Luzerne County Master Gardeners were busy staffing an information station at the opening of the Dallas Farmers Marke...
07/18/2026

Our Luzerne County Master Gardeners were busy staffing an information station at the opening of the Dallas Farmers Market.
Photo Credit: Suzanne Beck

Thank you Master Gardener, Gina Thakara , for sharing this.
07/17/2026

Thank you Master Gardener, Gina Thakara , for sharing this.

Have you ever wondered how this extreme heat and humidity affect our wild bees?Here’s the link to a research article fro...
07/17/2026

Have you ever wondered how this extreme heat and humidity affect our wild bees?
Here’s the link to a research article from PSU: “Bee Populations at Risk of One-Two Punch From Heat Waves, Pathogen Infections “

https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/bee-populations-risk-one-two-punch-heat-waves-pathogen-infection

A blue orchard bee (Osmia lignaria) is one of two species of solitary bees studied by a team of researchers led by Penn State. It was the first study to examine how extreme heat waves affect the host-pathogen relationship between solitary bees and a protozoan pathogen (Crithidia mellificae). Credit: Photo by Robert Webster. All Rights Reserved.

Have you been wondering what this oppressive heat does to your garden?
07/04/2026

Have you been wondering what this oppressive heat does to your garden?

Bushy cucumber plants with no fruit, tomatoes not ripening, and beans with no flowers? We answer questions about your poorly yielding vegetable garden.

It’s that time of year when we are thrilled to see these tiny flashes of light in our back yards. Here’s an interesting...
07/03/2026

It’s that time of year when we are thrilled to see these tiny flashes of light in our back yards. Here’s an interesting article on what we called, as kids, lightening bugs, seeing how many we could catch in a mason jar.

Fourth of July fireworks are loud and spectacular, but nature produces a quiet summer spectacle of its own in the light show of fireflies.

Today’s featured native plant from the Dallas Township PSU certified pollinator garden: Butterfly Milkweed, (Asclepias t...
06/30/2026

Today’s featured native plant from the Dallas Township PSU certified pollinator garden:
Butterfly Milkweed, (Asclepias tuberosa) is a drought-tolerant, perennial wildflower known for its bright orange flowers and role as a host plant for Monarch, Queen , and Grey Hairstreak butterflies, attracting many pollinators like bees, moths, and hummingbirds.
Growing Facts-
Zone: 3 to 9
Height: 1.00 to 2.50 feet
Spread: 1.00 to 1.50 feet
Bloom Time: June to August
Bloom Description: Orange to yellow-orange
Soil: Does well in poor, dry soils
Sun: Full sun
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low
Deer resistant
Photo credit: Marianne Matysczak

06/23/2026

Address

16 Luzerne Avenue, Ste 200
West Pittston, PA
18643

Telephone

+15708251701

Website

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