Ask the Master Gardener Volunteers for FREE advice:
| Plant and Insect Clinic Hours:
April – October, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Mon., Wed., and Thu. |
Drop off your sample:
WSU Extension Office |
Email:
cowlitzmastergardener@gmail.com Website: https://cowlitz.mastergardenerfoundation.org/home/what-we-do/plant-clinic/ |
PROBLEM |
How to Collect a Sample |
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| Insect ID | Capture insects and immediately kill by freezing. Leave in freezer overnight. Pack gently with tissues or cotton in a stoppered vial. If desired, include sample of damage. Do not place butterflies, moths, or bees in alcohol, as key diagnostic features will be ruined. Do not send live insects, crushed insects or insects caught on tape or on sticky traps. |  |
| Plant Diagnosis |
Select plant material showing symptoms of concern and submit various stages of the problem, especially the early stages. Many problems originate belowground in and around roots‐‐ include roots and soil for more accurate diagnosis! Please do not submit dead, dry, decayed or rotted samples as they provide insufficient material for diagnosis. |  |
| Turfgrass Diagnosis |
Collect samples of turf showing the symptoms of concern that is at least 4 inches by 4 inches square and 3 inches deep. Include roots, thatch, and soil! |  |
| Plant ID | Plants are classified on floral morphology and identified using various plant parts including flowers, fruits, leaves, buds, and stems. Send as much plant tissue as possible to give a good representation of the whole plant. |  |