Got an insect, weed, soil or plant problem? We can help! At the Prince William County Extension Master Gardener Horticulture Help Desk, located at 8033 Ashton Avenue, Suite 105, Manassas, VA 20109.
Master Gardener volunteers are available to answer questions Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (except on holidays).
- In Person
Drop by the office during Help Desk hours (please call before you come, to be sure there is someone in the office to help you). NOTE: WE DO NOT TAKE SAMPLES ON THURSDAYS OR FRIDAYS. Samples must be fresh for the trip to Virginia Tech in Blacksburg and samples provided on Thursdays and Fridays will likely be dead upon arrival and therefore harder to diagnose. - By Phone
Call 703-792-7747 to speak to a Master Gardener or leave a message with your name and phone number and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Make sure to leave an email address if you have to leave a voice message. - Via Email
- Submit your question to us directly by email with background information found in this form. Or you can print and scan this form to return to us.
- Please send this information and any photos (please review Taking Clear Images for Identification/Diagnosis before submitting images).
- ) via email to mastergardener@pwcgov.org; volunteers are checking daily and responding in a timely manner.
What do we need to know in advance?
Before you contact us, check out this VCE publication with helpful plant problem diagnosis tips.
The more information we have, the better we are at diagnosing your problem (weeds, plant problems, insects). For example, samples or photos of plants or insects are extremely helpful. (Please see Taking Clear Images for Identification/Diagnosis before submitting images.) Please provide healthy and diseased or damaged parts from each plant, preferably on the same sample. It also would be helpful to know when they were planted, how often and how long you water them, whether any fertilizer, pesticides or fungicides have been used on or near them, and whether you have noticed any insect infestation (in which case, please try to bring in a specimen) or other insect related damage to plant tissues. And don’t be surprised if we recommend soil testing – soil tests kits are available at our office. NOTE: We do not accept samples on Thursdays, Fridays, or at any plant clinics. Please bring samples in Monday – Wednesday only. And please note, please do not bring in snakes, dead or alive; send or bring photos instead.
Plant Disease or Insect ID Diagnostic Services:
There is no charge for plant disease or insect ID diagnostic services provided in the Prince William VCE Office. Hours of the Extension Master Gardener Help Desk are 9am – 5pm Monday through Friday. Please make sure that your name is on both the form AND the sample container.
See our SPOTTED LANTERN FLY page for information on identification and management of this rapidly growing infestation.
Plant Disease Clinic at VCE:
If we can’t identify the disease in the Manassas office we can send your problem to the Plant Disease Clinic at Virginia Tech. There is be a $35.00 fee for samples submitted to the VCE Clinic at Virginia Tech. The $35 fee applies to both digital and physical samples. If we are not able to diagnose the problem from a digital submission, we will request a physical sample and there will be no additional fee incurred by the client. If a sample is diagnosed as “Insufficient”, a second sample (representing the same plant/problem) may be submitted and there will be no additional fee incurred by the client. (Simply include the “insufficient” diagnostic report when re-submitting the second sample—either as a hardcopy or a digital copy.) Refunds will not be given.
Payment will not be handled by the Plant Disease Clinic. Fees must be paid through Destiny One and the client must create an account in Destiny One where you will pay by credit card.
Need a Soil Sample? Soil Test Supplies and Locations:
- Bull Run Library – 8051 Ashton Avenue, Manassas
- Potomac Library – 2201 Opitz Boulevard, Woodbridge
- Chinn Library – 13065 Chinn Park Drive, Woodbridge
- Haymarket/Gainesville Library – 14870 Lightner Road, Haymarket
- PWC Extension Office – 8033 Ashton Avenue, Manassas – Suite 105
You will mail your samples to the Virginia Tech Soil Testing lab using the address on the Soil Sample for Home Lawns, Gardens, Fruits, and Ornamentals Information Sheet that accompanies the container. Use the Soil Sample for Commercial Crop Production Information Sheet for agricultural soil tests.
Allow 2 weeks for results to be returned via email. For help with interpretation or a missing report please contact our office at 703-792-7747.