Who you gonna call when cabbage moths are making lace out of your leaves and cutworms took out your pepper plants? Who you gonna call when you need to know whether your soil is acidic or alkaline, or you want to know whether blueberries are self-pollinating? Your County Extension agent, that's who!

The County Extension Office is an underused resource for gardeners. These people are highly informed about gardening in general, and gardening in your specific area. They love to help gardeners--that's what they're there for--and will go out of their way to get you the information you need. You'll find their numbers listed in the front of your directory, under "Government Offices."

Gardening Information from the Internet

The other massive resource at your disposal is the Internet. Gardening sites abound, on both general and specific subjects. Do you want to learn more about the technique of square foot gardening? Is it all right to use treated lumber to build a raised bed? How can you get rid of aphids without using sprays? These and other questions can be answered in a flash.

The Web can provide you with general information about garden design, organic fertilizers, container gardening or other over-arching topics. There are also many sites devoted to specific types of gardens or plants. Did you know, for instance, that there are more than 60 varieties of garlic? What rose will grow best under alkaline conditions? How can you make a pink hydrangea turn blue? The answers to these and all your gardening questions are available on the Internet.