Mineral County Master Gardeners

04/14/2026

Fun Farm Fact - It's National Gardening Day! 🌸 Gardening grows more than plants — it grows patience, beauty, and a love for the land. Today is the perfect day to start something new.

02/13/2026

If you receive unsolicited packets of seeds in the mail, DO NOT open them! Instead, report it to the WVDA (304-558-3200). The packets are part of a "brushing scam" originating from China and a persistent threat to biosecurity here in the U.S. When in doubt, give us a call!

02/13/2026

Attention all garden enthusiasts, join us on April 17-19 for the annual WVU Extension Master Gardener Conference! 🌱🍉🌼
This year, the conference will be held at the West Virginia State Fairgrounds. It will be a weekend full of educational sessions, exciting tours, silent and live auctions, delicious meals, and more. All are welcome! Register here ➡ https://tr.ee/QljWSS

02/13/2026

Join the Garrett and Allegany county extension master gardener programs for a wonderful free educational program.

Participants will learn all about:

🍅 Successful tomato growing techniques

🌱 Seed saving basics and best practices

🌟 The famous West Virginian heirloom variety, the Radiator Charlie Mortgage Lifter

🍅This special heirloom tomato has a rich history in West Virginia and is beloved for its large, flavorful fruit.

Your participation not only benefits you this growing season, but also helps others in the future through the seeds you save and share as part of the program. Together, we’re preserving gardening knowledge and a piece of West Virginia heritage for generations to come.🍅🍅

Less than 2 weeks left!!
Join the Seed Saving Movement with our first annual Seed Circle Project!
This year we are highlighting the Appalachian variety, the Radiator Charlie Mortgage Lifter tomato!
Through this program, you receive free seeds or plants to start with and the only thing that we ask is that you pass along seeds to friends, neighbors, and donate what you can back to seed libraries across Allegany and Garrett County.
If you would like to learn the ins and outs of growing tomatoes including how to grow successfully in containers, diseases/pests to be on the lookout for, and collecting the best seeds to share, join us on February 23rd at 12:30pm!
RSVP here: https://umd.zoom.us/meeting/register/2jUYhYfrTnC7hA1pGGxP5g
🍅 Seed availability while supplies last in Allegany and Garrett Counties, but anyone can come to learn about tomatoes!

02/07/2026

our neighboring county in Maryland is holding their annual seed exchange through the university of maryland extension. this is a great opportunity to get seeds for your upcoming gardening dreams for free! 🌱🍅🥬🫑

Our annual seed exchange is only one month away, so mark your calendar! We will have our friends Frostburg Green Team there with a garden supply swap, the Farmers Markets there with the indoor market as well as the County Library System (Frostburg Branch) will be there with the indoor plant swap! Also, kid's activities and sooooo many seeds! We hope to see you there!

02/07/2026

Master Gardener Conference Coming to Lewisburg in April
Conference Open to the Public

The WVU Extension Master Gardeners will be holding their annual conference at the State Fairgrounds in Lewisburg, April 17-19, 2026. The conference is open to the public for anyone interested in learning new gardening techniques and honing their gardening skills. Workshops on Friday afternoon will include presentations on biochar production, straw bale gardening, herbal remedies, hypertufa making, and plant tissue culture. Workshops on Saturday will include mushroom growing and the Japanese art of flower arranging. Lectures on Saturday will include creating backyard ponds, native trees, soil texture, meadow gardens, landscape design, and more. Lectures on Sunday will include food preservation, gardening as we age, and how climate change will affect WV gardeners. Early bird registration is $150 and ends March 16. Some of the workshops are free, some have small additional fees, and some have class size limits. Register early to get your seat. Register online at wvemga.org. For any questions, please message.

10/28/2025

03/02/2025

🌿🌱 Ready to grow fresh herbs? Start these 9 herbs in March—they’ll thrive in any container, indoors or out! Read more... 💬

11/13/2024

It’s no secret that I love herbs. My 30 year fascination with these plants probably stemmed from the fact that they were my first gardening success. At one time, when I had a very sunny yard, I had a pretty large area dedicated to an herb garden. I even found these great pewter plant markers for m...

11/11/2024

Did you know that preserving tomatoes in ash is an age-old technique that dates back centuries?

Long before refrigeration, our ancestors used this method to keep tomatoes fresh. The ash, with its alkaline and antibacterial properties, created conditions that inhibited bacterial and fungal growth, allowing tomatoes to remain firm and flavorful. This sustainable practice highlights the ingenuity of ancient wisdom—utilizing natural resources to extend the shelf life of food.