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Have a Lawn or Garden Question?
Contact the Rutgers Master Gardener Helpline:
P: 973-305-5743 E: mastergardenerhelpline@njaes.rutgers.edu
Hours: 9:30 am-12:00pm; 3:00-4:00pm, Monday–Friday, January through November.
Please note that if you want to bring in a plant sample, we do not accept them on Fridays. Thank you!
Please also visit the Lawn & Garden FAQ to find more information for caring for your garden and landscape.
The Helpline provides the following services:
- Plant diagnosis
- Plant, insect, weed, and disease identification
- Provide NJAES fact sheets (on a variety of topics)
- Soil test kits (please call for more information)
- Consultation on vegetable, pollinator, and native plant gardening
- And more…
How to Have Your Soil Tested
Soil test kits are available for purchase at the RCE Passaic office for $20 cash only.
We do not accept soil samples at the office. You must mail soil samples to the Rutgers Soil Testing Laboratory in New Brunswick.
Rutgers Soil Testing Laboratory
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Administrative Services Building II (ASB II)
57 US Highway 1
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8554
How to Have Plant Disease/Pest Identified
Please follow these guidelines on how to package a sample to bring to the RCE Passaic office:
Insects: Catch the insect and put it in a clean, dry container (with lid). Put container in the freezer so the insect dies. If the insect is squished, we cannot identify it.
Plants: Cut some parts of the plant that exhibit symptoms and some that do not. Place the symptomatic parts in one container and the asymptomatic ones in another (or a sealable bag). A fresh sample is best, so please take your sample on the same day you plan to bring it in. Make sure you sanitize your clippers with 70% isopropyl alcohol in between each cut.