Horticulture in Kootenai County

Horticulture and master gardeners at work

Gardening and horticulture

UI Extension, Kootenai County provides research-based horticulture education and low cost horticulture, homesteading, permaculture and basic gardening workshops and classes. We also offer a Plant Clinic and Demonstration Garden. Contact the UI Extension, Kootenai County office at kootenaimg@uidaho.edu or 208-292-2525 for current class dates.

Horticulture classes

View full class descriptions are available on our event page. Preregistration and prepayment are required.

You can also ask an Idaho Master Gardener your gardening questions through the forms located under the Plant Clinic heading below, by email to kootenaimg@uidaho.edu or by phone 208-292-2525. We can accept photos of your inquiry, plant identification or insect identification as well.

Master gardener program

Each year, hundreds of master gardeners share their gardening knowledge as they serve their communities and the environment. Follow us on Facebook for current information about the program.

Individuals interested in becoming an Idaho Master Gardener should:

Have an interest in, some knowledge of, and experience with basic gardening and related horticultural topics
Be able to communicate effectively with the public
Be willing to research and consult with an unbiased approach toward horticulture topics
Be willing to complete 40 to 50 hours of instruction (February-April) and provide a minimum of 35 to 50 hours of volunteer service each year (April-October)

Master gardeners develop and share expertise in topics, including:

Food production
Integrated pest management techniques
Improving soil fertility
Choosing the right trees
Growing turf grass
Sustainable yards and gardens

Need a speaker or information booth? Request an Idaho Master Gardener.

Becoming an Idaho Master Gardener

If you are interested in being certified as an Idaho Master Gardener, fill out our interest form or contact the UI Extension, Kootenai County office at kootenai@uidaho.edu or 208-292-2525 to request an application. Certification of master gardeners occurs every few years and we thank the Kootenai County Board of County Commissioners for the ongoing support of the Idaho Master Gardener Program.

Plant clinic

Idaho Master Gardeners and the Plant Clinic are available to answer your gardening questions.
Join us in person each Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the UI Extension, Kootenai County office for the Plant Clinic. We have numerous resources and a lab to address your questions.
Visit our booth most Saturdays at the Kootenai County Farmer’s Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Fill out the insect, plant or weed and plant ID form and upload photos for assistance.
Email us your horticulture questions and attach photos to kootenaimg@uidaho.edu.
The winter Plant Clinic schedule is Oct. 1 to March 31 — Call 208-292-1377 or email kootenaimg@uidaho.edu.

Sample submission guidelines

To ensure accuracy and expediency, please follow these guidelines closely. If you have Plant Clinic questions beyond what our forms have to offer, please email kootenaimg@uidaho.edu. During peak Plant Clinic months, expect a response within approximately two weeks.

Place the insect specimen or plant sample onto a background that will make all the features apparent in contrast. For example, use a light background for dark insects or dark background for white flowers.
Place a standard U.S. penny or dime next to the specimen/sample to indicate size.
If the specimen/sample is very small (the size of a pin head or smaller), you may need to use a hand magnifying lens to get a clear picture.
Take multiple photos to ensure good shots from a variety of angles. Be sure to include all parts, as specified in the submission guidelines on this page.

Plant, tree, shrub and turf problems

Fill out the online plant problem form to the best of your ability.

Plants: Show problem, stem, leaves, flower and fruit. If needed, show roots.
Trees/shrubs: Show the progression of the problem, branches and leaves/needles. Make sure photos are particularly clear if the problem is on the trunk.
Turf: Show at least 12 inches-square section of the problem area that includes healthy and unhealthy conditions.

Weed and plant identification

Please fill out our online weed and plant identification form to the best of your ability.

Insect identification

Please fill out our online insect problem form to the best of your ability. You can also visit the U of I Insect Identification website for help with insect identification.

Soil sample testing

The U of I Analytical Sciences Laboratory (ASL) provides comprehensive analytical services in the area of soil analyses, including fertility testing and environmental analyses. Follow these steps to gather your sample, then visit the ASL website for information on how to submit your sample.

Collecting your sample (A guide to collecting soil samples for farms and gardens, EC 628)

Use a 5-gallon bucket and collect from about 12 sites in your garden area (1 bag of just over a pint should ideally be used for around a 20x20 feet area or one raised bed). These 12 sites will give you an average reading of the total soil in that space.
Dig down at varied depths for each of the 12 collection sites (2 to 13 inches depth) and place a scoop of soil into the bucket from each site.
Mix the soil until combined. If needed, dry it on cookie sheets in a dry space out of the sun.
Place a little more than one pint of soil in a plastic bag and seal it.
Label the bag with the collection date, your name and the name of the area from which you gathered (Sample Identification). Label additional bag differently if you send in multiple collections. For example: west side of garden and east side of garden.
Results will be returned to you and our Idaho Master Gardener coordinator, who will contact you to interpret the results and make recommendations.

Pollination project and demonstration garden

The Pollination Project and University of Idaho Demonstration Garden inspires and educates our region about pollinators and ecosystems present in healthy, innovative gardens and landscapes. We accomplish this mission through education and demonstration about who our pollinators are, what habitats they need and how to provide them with necessary resources of food, shelter and protection while creating healthy landscapes and gardens that are beautiful and practical.

Our garden shows you how to combine regionally native, nearly-native and non-native plants and shrubs to support these pollinators. Our plants are from local nurseries, many are native to the western U.S., and some are locally native to Northern Idaho, the nearby region or from a line of nearly-native plants named Native Roots.

A guide to native and nearly-native plants

Our garden elements and plants are labeled and guide you through environmentally supportive, biodiverse and resilient plant selections. Through color palette displays and plant labels, the Pollination Project shows you how to integrate plants you find in local nurseries with native and nearly-native plants in beautiful and useful designs.

Reducing pesticides demonstration

A rotating display area shows you vegetable gardening techniques that reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides. We use many easy and affordable tools to fool pests. You can see them in action in our garden and use them to adapt your own practices to better support the larger ecosystem we call home. We also display our favorite vegetables bred here in Idaho. Our entire garden promotes best practices to continue environmental stewardship of our soils, waterways and the beautiful community we live in.

A haven for native bees

In our garden, you will see different types of nesting materials and houses for native bees. In the spring, we raise Osmia lignaria, native blue orchard mason bees, and in the summer, you will see native leafcutter bees nesting. We also participate in the Native Bee Network where volunteers place special houses and nesting materials throughout the community in order to attract cavity nesting pollinators. This allows us to observe and collect information about which native bees and beneficial wasps are in our area.

How you can help

The Pollination Project and Demo Garden are supported by volunteers and donations. Any donation made to this project is tax-deductible. Download our donation form and return it to our office with a check or cash. You can also support pollinators in your landscape and garden with these tips:

Choose plants native to our region. Integrating plants that have evolved with local, native insects will make your garden a favorite for pollinators. Choose natives that support the entire food web.
Choose flowers rich in nectar and pollen in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Each pollinator has its own technique for sourcing food. Some have varied lengths of tongues; some access different flower shapes and sizes.
Avoid a monoculture of modern hybrids. Plant to your liking, just know hybrid plants are created for showy flowers and during the breeding process, pollen and nectar (or access to it) may be compromised.
Have several different plants in bloom from early spring through late fall. Overlapping bloom times ensures there is always something in bloom.
Cluster flowers when planting. Group three or more of the same flower in a cluster to increase visibility.
Avoid landscape fabric and mulch in some areas. Dry soil creates habitat for ground nesting pollinators.
Save garden cleanup for spring. Support all stages of life for insects. Keep leaves in piles for butterflies, beetles and moths. Prune only seed heads allowing cavity nesting bees to overwinter in hollow plant stems.

Noxious weed control department

The Kootenai County Noxious Weed Control Department assists the public and government agencies with identification and control methods for noxious weeds.

For more information, please contact kcnoxiousweeds@kcgov.us or 208-446-1290.