Cornell Cooperative Extension

Dutchess County
Flowers in Minns Garden, Cornell Campus. Echinacea. Cornell University Photography.
Image by Lindsay France

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

Master Gardener volunteer conducts a pH soil test on a soil sample
Image by Sandy Repp

A soil pH test is a great first step to successful gardening.

Striped cucumber beetle Acalymma vittatum (Fabricius, 1775) from Bugwood.org
Image by David Cappaert, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org

What's eating your plants? We can help you find out, and suggest ways to control it!

Master Gardener logo, 800x400 in yellow & green

Learn skills and share what you know, as a volunteer in the CCE Master Gardener program.

Gardening

CCEDC works to address the needs of the gardening community through education, classes, demonstration landscapes which focus on water conservation, best management practices and edible landscaping to supplement food expenses. The diagnostic lab offers integrated pest management options and solutions to commercial and consumer questions pertaining to agriculture and horticulture. Many wonderful, trained volunteers help to carry out our programs.

Photo of a kitchen garden / vegetable in Gers, France with marigolds, tomatoes and a bean trellis

Food Gardening

There are few things better than a bright red tomato or a cool green cucumber fresh from vine! Learn here about growing your own food in your garden at home!

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fresh compost

Making Compost!

Find resources here on how to start and maintain a home compost bin! Learn how to turn food and yard waste into "black gold" for your garden!

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Multiflora Rose flower

Invasive Plants

From garlic mustard to multiflora rose and everything in between, learn here about invasive plants in our area.

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Flower garden in Prospect Garden, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey

Lawns & Ornamentals

Come spring and summer, our extension educators are busy helping residents get the most out of their lawns and gardens. Click here for more information on maintaining yours!

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Contact

Joyce Tomaselli
Community Horticulture Resource Educator
jdt225@cornell.edu
(845) 677-8223 x134

Last updated July 26, 2019

Gardening

2018 Advisory Committee

    Daniel Briggs; Board Representative
    Sarah Lyons Chase; Vice Chair
    Mike Fargione; Board Representative
    Jean O'Riordan
    Dr. Mark Condon
    Cathy Lane; Chair

    ​ Find Your Zone!

    2012 USDA Hardiness Zone Map

    The 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map helps gardeners and growers determine which plants are most likely to thrive at a location. For the first time, the map is available as an interactive GIS-based map, for which a broadband Internet connection is recommended. Users may also simply type in a ZIP Code and find the hardiness zone for that area.

    Visit Cornell Garden Based Learning website

    Events

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    ​ Insect Diagnostic Lab

    For more information about an insect, or how to deal with an insect problem in or around your home or garden, contact the Insect Diagnostic Lab, a program of Cornell Cooperative Extension in the Department of Entomology. For a $25 fee, an insect or related arthropod can be shipped to the lab, or a detailed photo can be emailed, for expert identification. Diagnostician Jason Dombroskie, Ph.D. has many years ofexperience identifying insects and other arthropods. More information about this service, including fact sheets on common outdoor and indoor insects, can be found at http://entomology.cornell.edu/IDL

    Vegetable Gardening A-Z

    2016 Dutchess County Christmas Tree Directory