Horticulture

Horticulture Programs

The MSU Extension Consumer Horticulture team provides Michigan residents with research-based information to properly manage their home environment (lawns, gardens, landscapes and ornamentals). The Macomb County MSU Extension office assists county residents with utilizing Extension resources to better diagnose plant diseases, insect & weed identification, fertilizer recommendations, pest problems, landscape questions, seeding & lawn maintenance, and more! Read on to find out about all of the resources available.

Diagnostic lab

Macomb County's Plant and Insect diagnostic lab offers a fee-based service for identifying insects or diagnosing plant health concerns. 

The MSU-Macomb diagnostic lab accepts walk-in samples at our Clinton Twp office on most Tuesdays 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM mid-May through mid- September or by appointment. There are also walk-in diagnostic lab office hours at the Thompson Center in Warren twice a month in Summer. Call the office (586-469-6440) for further information or to make an appointment to drop off a plant or insect sample. The diagnostic fee is $7 / sample. Diagnoses that do not require a microscope or are immediately identifiable are free of charge. 

With prior notification, samples may be dropped off in the dropbox outside Entrance E on Monday afternoons or evenings. If using the dropbox, place the sample in a secure envelope or container and include your contact information and a description of the issue. Any plant diagnosis that requires a molecular analysis (such as boxwood blight or oak wilt) should be submitted to the Plant & Pest Diagnostics Lab in East Lansing. 

Questions may also be submitted electronically through Ask an Expert or by telephone on the statewide lawn and garden hotline (888-678-3464), which is currently accepting calls on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9 - Noon.

Gardening Resources

The Consumer Horticulture team's Gardening in Michigan website maintains excellent information on growing vegetables and fruits, lawn care, pollinator attraction, soils, and other content.

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