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The Agriculture & Natural Resources Department provides information for homeowner lawn, garden, and landscaping challenges, including conducting community outreach. A division of this department is the Rutgers Master Gardeners, trained volunteers who assist the Department in its mission to deliver horticulture programs and information to county residents.
Check out the Lawn and Garden News for timely gardening tips, program updates, upcoming events, and more. To subscribe to our newsletter – a quarterly email digest of popular articles from the News – email Ashley Higgins, Administrative Assistant, at higgins@co.somerset.nj.us.
Upcoming Events
Ask a Master Gardener
Somerset County residents are invited to submit lawn and garden inquiries to the Rutgers Master Gardener Helpline. Submissions will be evaluated by a trained volunteer and a science-based response will be provided.
- Send us your question via the Helpline submission form or email us at rmghelpline@co.somerset.nj.us.
- NOTE: It is helpful to submit photos with your inquiry. Photos should be in focus and taken from different angles, including close ups of the problem area and farther back to show the entire plant and its environment. Objects in the photos (e.g., ruler, coin, person) can give a sense of scale.
- Samples may be dropped off Monday – Friday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Plant or insect samples should be placed in a sealed container such as a jar or plastic zip-top bag.
Responses to frequently asked lawn and garden questions related to fruit trees, garden and household pests, lawn care and landscaping, vegetable gardening and small fruits, and more are available on the NJAES website .
Note: We do not offer soil testing services in our office. Soil test kits are available for purchase (check or exact change only), or you can submit your sample directly to the Rutgers Soil Testing Lab.
Book a Master Gardener
The Rutgers Master Gardeners of Somerset County Speakers Bureau team offers informative and engaging horticultural presentations to community groups such as garden clubs and senior centers. Click here for our current list of available presentations. Presentations are delivered via PowerPoint and range in length from 30 minutes to 1 hour. To schedule a presentation, email Jessica Shick, Program Coordinator, at jshick@co.somerset.nj.us.
At this time, we can only offer presentations on this current list. However, we welcome input from the community on topics of interest so we can continue to develop relevant and needed presentations.
Become a Master Gardener
Rutgers Master Gardeners are trained volunteers who help support the educational mission of Rutgers Cooperative Extension through a variety of outreach activities related to home lawn and garden topics.
To become a certified Rutgers Master Gardener, a volunteer must first complete classroom-style and hands-on training courses which occur weekly from January through mid-June. Following successful completion of the training, there is a volunteerism requirement of 60 hours within your first 18 months as a Master Gardener. Thereafter, the annual volunteer requirement is 35 hours.
Becoming a Master Gardener is a great opportunity for anyone to learn more about plants and gardening, then share that knowledge with the community. Volunteer opportunities range from in the office, at home, at community programs and events, and at our project sites. We strive to coordinate a variety of volunteer opportunities to meet the needs of the community while creating opportunities for all who are interested in serving as a Master Gardener.
If you are a Somerset County resident interested in becoming a Rutgers Master Gardener, please complete the Rutgers Master Gardener Application (PDF). The application can be emailed to Jessica Shick, Program Coordinator, jshick@co.somerset.nj.us or mailed to our office at 310 Milltown Road, Bridgewater, NJ 08807-3587.
Contact Information
Rutgers Cooperative Extension
310 Milltown Rd.
Bridgewater, NJ 08807-3587
Phone: 908-526-6293
Email: Ashley Higgins Administrative Assistant