Even the most experienced gardener sometimes encounters a problem in their landscape that they can’t resolve. Have you ever wondered who can provide local, professional assistance for your gardening questions?

The answer is that we are very fortunate to have incredible resources through the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Services (UF/IFAS), a federal-state-county partnership dedicated to developing knowledge in agriculture, human and natural resources and the life sciences. Employing more than 2,000 faculty and staff statewide, including 375 Extension Agents, UF/IFAS offices are located in each of Florida’s 67 counties and at the University of Florida main campus in Gainesville. So, no matter where you live in the Sunshine State, you have resources in your county that can provide expert assistance for all your gardening questions!

You may ask, what kind of help can UF/IFAS provide and how easy is it to access this assistance? The answer is that the variety of services provided is extensive, and ranges from research and self-identification on the Web to a walk-in clinic in Fort Myers that is open 5 days a week. If you enjoy researching and have time to explore the diagnostics site on the Internet, you can find hundreds of links to blogs and publications that offer pictures and detailed information. If you’re not feeling adventurous, you can contact an expert by email and attach photographs and descriptions of your garden issue. And if you enjoy talking through a problem with an expert, visiting the Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic in Fort Myers will provide you with the opportunity to get real-time answers to your questions.

For those who enjoy online research, IFAS Diagnostic Services (https://diagnostics.ifas.ufl.edu/) provides detailed information for just about every gardening question you can imagine:

Plant Disease: This section provides links for the EDIS (Electronic Data Information Source) database with links for hundreds of publications on topics ranging from black spot on roses to palm problems. If you can’t find an answer in the database, contact information is provided for experts who you can contact for more information.

Insects: You can find helpful slide shows on every kind of insect found in the garden, as well as contact information for the InsectID Lab in case you still can’t identify your pest!

Nematodes: If you suspect nematodes are damaging your landscape, this section provides directions for submitting samples for analysis.

Soil/Water: This section provides online resources and details the process for submitting soil samples.

Plant/Weed ID: The recommended first step for Plant/Weed ID is to contact your local coop extension service; if they can’t assist you with plant/weed ID, this section will provide detailed guidance for submitting your questions via email.

Management: Provides information on the Florida Plant Diagnostic Network, a diagnostic and reporting system that helps first detectors submit plant samples, images and detailed crop information for pest diagnosis.

If your smartphone serves as your preferred research device, The FFL (Florida Friendly Landscape) Plant Guide is available as an app for your smartphone, and will help you identify plants, growing conditions, and pests.

Accessing local experts is a great option if you enjoy more personalized assistance. Lee County residents can contact the Lee County Extension Office for expert assistance with garden-related questions. The Lee County Extension Office is located in Fort Myers at 3410 Palm Beach Blvd., and provides a Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., and 1-4 p.m. The clinic is staffed by Lee County Extension Agents and Florida Master Gardener Volunteers, and answers homeowners’ gardening questions. The clinic provides help for walk-in, phone-in (239-533-4312), and e-mail (lee@ifas.ufl.edu) clientele, and also provides a basic soil and water testing service free to the citizens of Lee County.

Anyone who enjoys learning more about gardening is surely familiar with Stephen Brown, Horticulture Extension Agent, who is the resident horticultural expert in our area. Stephen writes a blog on the UF/IFAS site (http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/ leeco/author/brownsh/page/2/) that has a wealth of helpful information. He also authors bi-weekly Sunday columns for the Fort Myers News-Press, and is active on Instagram ( lee_ufifas) Stephen also answers email questions on gardening and landscape issues; you can contact him at brownsh@leegov.com.

No matter how you prefer to acquire information on gardening and landscaping solutions, you have a wide array of options here in Lee County! I hope you will take advantage of the breadth of knowledge and expertise that UF/IFAS offers – it is truly an invaluable asset for gardeners.

Cathy Dunn is a Lee County Master Gardener Volunteer and Garden Club of Cape Coral member.