Growing in Canyon County
Growing in Southwest Idaho? Turn to Extension for Classes, Workshops & Answers
Canyon County Extension is committed to helping individuals and communities grow. Our horticulture areas of specialization include sustainable landscapes, home and market garden vegetable production, direct marketing of horticultural products, community food systems and volunteer development.
Horticulture Extension Educator Ariel Agenbroad directs the program, coordinating and training the Canyon County Master Gardener and Advanced Master Gardener classes, the Cultivating Success Small Farming and Ranching program, and created the Idaho Victory Garden Series, a popular Extension course to help families become more self-sufficient by producing and preserving food at home.
With the help of our Master Gardener Volunteers, we provide no-cost horticulture education to hundreds of low income and minority children each year through Junior Master Gardener programs at the Nampa and Caldwell public libraries and provide hundreds of consumer clientele with unbiased gardening expertise and problem solving, free of charge at our Plant Clinics and information booths.
In Extension, our programs reflect the needs of our dynamic community, so we are always adapting to provide high quality, research-based horticulture education with for our audience...you!
Dig In! Newsletter
Canyon County’s biannual horticulture newsletter for Master Gardeners and friends is full of gardening advice, resources, and upcoming programs and events.
Read the Spring/Summer 2013 Issue online now!
Past editions: Fall 2012 Spring 2012 Fall 2011 Spring 2011
Community Education
U-Idaho Extension has partnered with the Caldwell and Nampa City Parks and Recreation to offer a number of convenient, low-cost beginning gardening and backyard homestead workshops. Look for details in our Dig In! newsletter and in the mailings you'll receive from your city's Parks and Recreation departments.
Idaho Master Gardener
The Master Gardener Program is for adults with an interest in horticulture and helping others. Beginning gardeners are welcome! Classes begin each January. Applications are mailed in November. Download the program requirements, email us for an application, or find out more.
Advanced Master Gardener
Already a Master Gardener? Keep your certification current, or consider joining the Canyon County Advanced Master Gardeners, certified Master Gardeners who meet once a month for continuing education, and contribute hours per year to the community in various leadership roles. Download the requirements, or click to find out more.
Junior Master Gardener
The Junior Master Gardener curricula aims to grow good kids by igniting a passion for science and service through a hands-on, exploratory approach. We hold new teacher/leader trainings several times each year for parents, teachers, 4-H leaders, Master Gardeners and anyone interested in sharing their love of gardening with youth. Find out more.
Idaho Victory Garden Series
This six week evening program, exclusive to U-Idaho Extension in Canyon County, will get you started saving money by growing nutritious, tasty fruits, vegetables, and herbs at home this year. Local experts will fill 18 hours of instruction on planning the garden, soil, botany and fertilization basics, hands-on composting, sustainable growing practices, gardening with children, safely managing pests, disease and weeds, and even harvest and food preservation tips with safety in mind. Course participants will receive a collection of our favorite Extension books and publications to start their home gardening and food preservation library. Classes are held in the spring. Contact us for information about the next offering.
Fast Landscape, Lawn and Garden Answers
Quickly access an extensive list of our Educator's favorite helpful horticulture links, handouts and other gardening help from the University of Idaho and other reliable sources.
Volunteer Plant Health Care Clinics at the Extension Office
Our Volunteer-run Free Plant Health Care Clinics are held at our office (501 Main St., Caldwell) May through October on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. Call 459-6003 or email canyon@uidaho.edu for exact times.
Master Gardeners are not available for house call service to private homeowners. We do however accept digital photos and plant samples at our office Plant Clinics, and most problems can be diagnosed or solved in this manner. Photos and questions may be emailed at any time during the Plant Clinic season to ccmg@uidaho.edu. We also occasionally send fresh plant samples and photos to one of our U-Idaho Extension Pathologists for diagnosis.
Visit a Plant Clinic to:
- Learn how best to care for your garden and landscape.
- Get practical “how-to” advice on many home gardening topics.
- Identify many insects, weeds and disease organisms and choose
the best treatment options.
- Find sources of information.
What You’ll Need:
- A full description of your situation, including the variety of the plant if possible.
- Details about your planting, watering, fertilizing, pesticide use, etc.
- Good samples or photographs that show the whole plant or insect.
What to Expect:
- Friendly volunteer assistance and their education “best guess” diagnosis.
- A response within 48 hours.
- Approved growing and pesticide recommendations from the University of Idaho.
- Suggestions for learning more through our quality web and print resources.
Canyon County Extension is committed to helping individuals and communities grow. Our horticulture areas of specialization include sustainable landscapes, home and market garden vegetable production, direct marketing of horticultural products, community food systems and volunteer development.
Horticulture Extension Educator Ariel Agenbroad directs the program, coordinating and training the Canyon County Master Gardener and Advanced Master Gardener classes, the Cultivating Success Small Farming and Ranching program, and created the Idaho Victory Garden Series, a popular Extension course to help families become more self-sufficient by producing and preserving food at home.
With the help of our Master Gardener Volunteers, we provide no-cost horticulture education to hundreds of low income and minority children each year through Junior Master Gardener programs at the Nampa and Caldwell public libraries and provide hundreds of consumer clientele with unbiased gardening expertise and problem solving, free of charge at our Plant Clinics and information booths.
In Extension, our programs reflect the needs of our dynamic community, so we are always adapting to provide high quality, research-based horticulture education with for our audience...you!
- Like us on facebook for pest alerts, timely information and to connect with other gardeners! https://www.facebook.com/UIExtGrowVandals
- Read Extension Educator Ariel Agenbroad's blog and get the latest tips, updates and information for gardens and small farms: http://growvandals.wordpress.com/
- Read Ariel's bi-weekly gardening articles in the Idaho Press Tribune online.
- Short on time? Get your updates via Twitter! Follow @GROW_Vandals
Dig In! NewsletterCanyon County’s biannual horticulture newsletter for Master Gardeners and friends is full of gardening advice, resources, and upcoming programs and events.
Read the Spring/Summer 2013 Issue online now!
Past editions: Fall 2012 Spring 2012 Fall 2011 Spring 2011
Community EducationU-Idaho Extension has partnered with the Caldwell and Nampa City Parks and Recreation to offer a number of convenient, low-cost beginning gardening and backyard homestead workshops. Look for details in our Dig In! newsletter and in the mailings you'll receive from your city's Parks and Recreation departments.
Idaho Master GardenerThe Master Gardener Program is for adults with an interest in horticulture and helping others. Beginning gardeners are welcome! Classes begin each January. Applications are mailed in November. Download the program requirements, email us for an application, or find out more.
Advanced Master Gardener Already a Master Gardener? Keep your certification current, or consider joining the Canyon County Advanced Master Gardeners, certified Master Gardeners who meet once a month for continuing education, and contribute hours per year to the community in various leadership roles. Download the requirements, or click to find out more.
Junior Master GardenerThe Junior Master Gardener curricula aims to grow good kids by igniting a passion for science and service through a hands-on, exploratory approach. We hold new teacher/leader trainings several times each year for parents, teachers, 4-H leaders, Master Gardeners and anyone interested in sharing their love of gardening with youth. Find out more.
Idaho Victory Garden SeriesThis six week evening program, exclusive to U-Idaho Extension in Canyon County, will get you started saving money by growing nutritious, tasty fruits, vegetables, and herbs at home this year. Local experts will fill 18 hours of instruction on planning the garden, soil, botany and fertilization basics, hands-on composting, sustainable growing practices, gardening with children, safely managing pests, disease and weeds, and even harvest and food preservation tips with safety in mind. Course participants will receive a collection of our favorite Extension books and publications to start their home gardening and food preservation library. Classes are held in the spring. Contact us for information about the next offering.
Fast Landscape, Lawn and Garden Answers Quickly access an extensive list of our Educator's favorite helpful horticulture links, handouts and other gardening help from the University of Idaho and other reliable sources.
Volunteer Plant Health Care Clinics at the Extension Office
Our Volunteer-run Free Plant Health Care Clinics are held at our office (501 Main St., Caldwell) May through October on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. Call 459-6003 or email canyon@uidaho.edu for exact times.
Master Gardeners are not available for house call service to private homeowners. We do however accept digital photos and plant samples at our office Plant Clinics, and most problems can be diagnosed or solved in this manner. Photos and questions may be emailed at any time during the Plant Clinic season to ccmg@uidaho.edu. We also occasionally send fresh plant samples and photos to one of our U-Idaho Extension Pathologists for diagnosis.
Visit a Plant Clinic to:
- Learn how best to care for your garden and landscape.
- Get practical “how-to” advice on many home gardening topics.
- Identify many insects, weeds and disease organisms and choose
the best treatment options.
- Find sources of information.
What You’ll Need:
- A full description of your situation, including the variety of the plant if possible.
- Details about your planting, watering, fertilizing, pesticide use, etc.
- Good samples or photographs that show the whole plant or insect.
What to Expect:
- Friendly volunteer assistance and their education “best guess” diagnosis.
- A response within 48 hours.
- Approved growing and pesticide recommendations from the University of Idaho.
- Suggestions for learning more through our quality web and print resources.