An analysis of commonly asked horticultural questions is being conducted by the Office of Environmental Horticulture at Virginia Tech in order to improve the question and answer process between Master Gardeners and the public. Records of questions received by Master Gardeners from a sampling of Extension offices representing all growing areas of the state are being sorted and categorized to identify the most frequently asked questions and develop a electronic resource to assist in answering those questions quickly and with consistent IPM based information. More than 4000 questions have been analyzed and organized in to the following categories: Plant Questions (specific type or species of plant), General Gardening Questions (composting and fertilizing, herbicides and pesticides, soil testing etc.), Program Questions (Extension programs, Master Gardener program), and Animal and Insect Questions. The plants questions have been further divided into the sub-categories. The animal and insect questions have been sorted by species type with the percentage asked of each calculated. This information is posted on a web site and is linked to additional resources for answers. The address is www.hort.vt.edu/mastergardener/Q&A.html. The site contains useful information, links, and opportunities for feedback via e-mail.
