Well, it was a cold winter, but spring is here!

Spring brings the start of The Ohio State University Mahoning County Extension Office’s Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic. The clinic is a center of gardening advice for all, serving the communities in which we live.

The clinic is here to help you. If you have questions about your yard, your plants or have pest problems, then help is a phone call or visit to the Extension Office away.

The clinic is staffed by OSU Master Gardener volunteers who have been trained by and work under the guidance of the Extension Office. The clinic answers a range of questions, including flowers, vegetables, lawn care, trees and shrubs. We also identify and recommend controls for garden and household pests. We identify plants and plant diseases and make recommendations on fertilizers and soil amendments.

There is no cost for these services because of the partnership of the extension — a cooperation between federal, state and local communities.

All the answers you’ll get from the clinic are based on science. Our answers come from tests and evaluations conducted by universities and other government organizations. You will have the full expertise of OSU available to you. Along with our answers, you will get one or more university factsheets with additional, in-depth information on your question.

Another service offered by the clinic is laboratory soil testing for your gardens, flower beds and lawns. Laboratory soil fertility tests are much more accurate and provide more information than off the shelf soil test kits found in stores.

Soil is constantly changing. Lawns, flower beds and garden soils should be tested every two to three years before applying fertilizer or other costly amendments.

A laboratory soil test will tell you what amendments, if any, your soil needs. This can save you money by only buying what your soil truly needs. Soil tests are only $20 per sample. This cost includes an experienced master gardener to go over your test results with you if you have questions.

If you can provide us with a sample with your question, this will help us find the answer faster. For plants, a good sample includes stems, leaves, flowers and fruit/berries (if available). If you think your plant has a disease, provide a fresh sample showing disease and healthy tissue. For pest ID, collect one or more whole samples in a plastic bag or jar, with your name on the bag or jar.

For soil test samples, bring in a quart-size plastic bag of your soil. Information on how to take a soil sample can be found at http://go.osu.edu/soiltesting or call for instructions.

The first day for the Mahoning County’s clinic will be April 2. Then the clinic is open to the public each week on Mondays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon through the end of October. Also, you can call or come into the extension office any time during the week with your questions and the clinic will get started on your question the next time we are in. The extension office is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.

The clinic is a service of The Ohio State University, the Mahoning OSU Extension Office and the Mahoning County Commissioners. The clinic is located at the OSU Extension Office at 490 S. Broad St., Canfield. The phone number is 330-533-5538.

Let’s have a great year in our yards and gardens.