Welcome to the Let’s Grow Akron’s Resources for Growing!
General Resources
Master Gardeners of Summit County: www.summitmastergardeners.org
Summit County Ask a Master Gardener Call-back Service: (234)-226-6639 Email: FAES-SummitMG@osu.edu Leave a question any time and we will call you back
Ask a Master Gardener: https://extension.osu.edu/ask-an-expert/ask-master-gardener
Growing Teachers Throughout the Seasons online module: https://cfaesosu.catalog.instructure.com/courses/growing-teachers-throughout-the-seasons
Ohioline Yard and Garden: https://ohioline.osu.edu/topic/home-yard-and-garden
Michigan State University Smart Gardening Tip Sheets: https://www.canr.msu.edu/home_gardening/tip_sheets/
Cornell Vegetable Growing Guides: http://gardening.cornell.edu/homegardening/scene0391.html
NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: https://www.wildflower.org/plants/
Native Plants Finder – National Wildlife Federation: https://nativeplantfinder.nwf.org/
Let’s Grow Akron: http://letsgrowakron.org/
Growing Teachers Throughout the Season
Planning Your Garden
Where to Put Your Vegetable Garden: https://store.extension.iastate.edu/Product/Where-to-Put-Your-Vegetable-Garden
Sample Planting Guide for Raised-Bed Garden: https://www.slideshare.net/Fayina19z/sample-planting-guide-for-raisedbed-garden-colorado-master-gardeners
Planting and Harvesting Times for Garden Vegetables: https://store.extension.iastate.edu/Product/Planting-and-Harvesting-Times-for-Garden-Vegetables
Johnny’s Selected Seeds Interactive Tools Interactive Tools: Calculators and Resources to Help You Plan Your Growing Season: http://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/online-tools-calculators.html Includes Seed Calculator; Target Harvest Date Calculator; Fall-planting Calculator; Seed-starting Date Calculator; and Succession Planting Calculator.
Frost/freeze Maps: https://mrcc.purdue.edu/VIP/frz_maps/area_160.html
Vegetable Seed and Transplant Schedules for Garden or Container: https://apps.msuextension.org/montguide/guide.html?sku=MT199308AG
Self-Watering Wicking Container: http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/AEN/AEN157/AEN157.pdf
Sound Agricultural Practices
Food Safety in Gardens: https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-1153
Safe Use of Rain Barrel Water: https://www.uaex.uada.edu/yard-garden/vegetables/rain-barrel-watering-edible-plants.aspx
Rain barrels in the home landscape: https://extension.umn.edu/water-wisely-start-your-own-backyard/rain-barrels
Pallet safety: Many pallets are treated with chemicals which make them unfit for use in the garden, as kindling or for craft projects. When in doubt, don’t use the pallet. Here is a site with some guidance: http://www.1001pallets.com/pallet-safety/
Pests & Diseases
Organic Herbicides: https://extension.sdstate.edu/organic-herbicides
Tomato Problem Solver: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/vegetable/problem-solvers/tomato-problem-solver/
Cornell Disease Factsheets: https://www.vegetables.cornell.edu/pest-management/disease-factsheets/
IPM: Smart pest management for the vegetable garden: http://msue.anr.msu.edu/resources/ipm_smart_pest_management_for_the_vegetable_garden
Insect Management in the Home Vegetable Garden: https://ag.umass.edu/sites/ag.umass.edu/files/fact-sheets/pdf/insect_mgt_home_veg_garden.pdf
Home Vegetable Garden Insect Pest Control: http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-1317/F-7313web.pdf
Seed Starting
How to Succeed at Seed Starting: https://www.library.nd.gov/statedocs/NDSUExtensionService/h1139.pdf
Starting Seeds at Home: https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/2751e/
Storing Vegetable and Flower Seeds: http://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/storing-vegetable-and-flower-seeds-7-221/
Hot Water and Chlorine Treatment of Vegetable Seeds to Eradicate
Bacterial Plant Pathogens: https://cpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/u.osu.edu/dist/8/3691/files/2017/09/OSU-Seed-trtmnt-fact-sheet-1o77s15.pdf
Plans for light stands for seed starting: https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/2751e/
Soil
OSU Extension Office has Soil Test Kits available for sale for $15. 440 Vernon Odom Blvd, Akron 44306
Preparing the smart vegetable garden: http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/preparing_the_smart_vegetable_garden
Smart Soil Management Plan: http://msue.anr.msu.edu/resources/smart_fertilizer_use_a_vegetable_garden_begins_with_a_soil_management_plan
Fertilizer basics for the smart gardener: http://msue.anr.msu.edu/resources/fertilizer_basics_for_the_smart_gardener
Cover Crops in the Garden: https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-5814
Compost
Edible Landscaping
Sustainable Edible Landscapes: https://ipm.cahnr.uconn.edu/sustainable-edible-landscapes/
Kiwifruit and Hardy Kiwi: https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-1426
Growing Hardy Figs in Ohio. https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-1439
Pruning Blueberry Bushes in the Home Garden: https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-1430
Cornell Nursery Berry and Small Fruit Guide: https://blogs.cornell.edu/berrynurseries/
Herbs
Herb Gardening for Beginners: https://extension.wvu.edu/lawn-gardening-pests/gardening/gardening-101/herb-gardening-for-beginners
Growing and using herbs: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/growing_and_using_herbs
Selecting, Storing, and Using Fresh Herbs: https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-5520
Preserving Herbs: Freezing and Drying. https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-5360
Uses for Herbs from Anika Wild: https://drive.google.com/file/d/19-wPy28kIrup4PpH-siy4jY9dQbhozh7/view?usp=sharing
COMMUNITY GARDEN LEADER TRAINING 2025
Good Garden Talks
Water Sources
Click the link below to read about water sources for community gardens in Akron: http://letsgrowakron.org/watering-the-gardens/