Ask A Master Gardener

Send your gardening questions year-round to the King County Master Gardeners at ask-a-mastergardener@live.com.

To help us better diagnose a plant problem, please try to share as much of the following information as possible:

• What type of plant is this?
• What type of damage are you seeing and when did it start? Describe in your own words what you are seeing.
• Which parts of the plant are affected, for example, flower, trunk or bark, roots or soil line, leaf, stem, fruit, etc.?
• How is the plant watered? How much, for example, hand watered. or drip irrigation. How often, for example, 3 times a week for 10 minutes?
• Where is the plant located, for example, in a garden bed or in the lawn, next to a driveway or house? Is it in full or part sun, facing which direction?
• Sharing photographs of your plant problem, plant identification or insect identification is helpful. See the section below for tips on sharing your photos.*

Photographs of your plant problem, plant identification or insect identification are helpful. 

Here are some hints about the types of photos that will show evidence of a problem and will help us to make the correct diagnosis or identification. Please provide photos that show the plant or insect or identification, or the plant problem as seen:

• Include photos of the buds, stems, leaves and flowers to help with plant identification if necessary.
• Show the damaged or problem plant in the landscape along with other plants to provide additional clues to the probable cause of the problem.
• Clearly show the base or root flare of the plant at the soil line to display any potential root issues.
• Clearly show both live branches/limbs and leaves, and dead or dying branches/limbs and leaves to help us determine the spread.
• Clearly show the margin between affected and healthy tissues. Include healthy tissue as well as diseased tissue in the photo so a comparison with the “normal” plant is possible.
• Show the insect that is the suspected culprit in the damage. Include photos of the kinds of damage you are seeing.

THE IN-PERSON KING COUNTY MASTER GARDENER PLANT CLINICS OPERATING IN 2022.

Visit with our King County Master Gardeners volunteers at one of our in-person plant clinics to discuss your gardening questions. Master Gardener plant clinics offer FREE advice on gardening, plant problems, plant identification, pest management and soil improvement. In-person clinics are usually open from April to October each year.

See the map of the locations of all the King County Master Gardener in-person clinics and demonstration gardens to find a clinic or garden convenient to you.

Graphic art courtesy of Vecteezy.

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