UGA Cooperative Extension
DeKalb County Extension Office:
Agriculture & Natural Resources
Our staff and volunteers serve the residents of DeKalb County by providing them with the most current information in horticulture, agriculture and the environment. This information is available through one-on-one visits, phone calls, emails, our website, public-training programs, mailings, newsletters, and media outlets. Our goal is to take research-based information from UGA field laboratories and the USDA, and deliver it in a useful, practical way to homeowners, schools, green industry representatives and master gardener volunteers.
Homeowner's Gardening Series
Increase your property value, preserve your community, keep extra money in your pocket, and protect the environment by taking cla
sses in one of the following gardening course series: 
Important issues we address include:
- Planting and protecting trees so they can enhance our quality of living and reduce soil erosion and water run-off.
- Conserving water quality and quantity through the use of water-wise landscape practices such as xeriscaping – low water use landscaping.
- Recycling yard trimmings through composting, mulching and grass-cycling; thereby building better soils and conserving valuable landfill space.
- Reducing the use and misuse of pesticides through proper problem diagnosis and careful training.
- Building healthy citizens and communities through community gardening.
Homeowner's Information
Gardeners and local homeowners call upon the Extension to answer their personal gardening and landscaping questions. Information is available on landscaping, lawns, insect control – in the home and outdoors, fruit and vegetable production, tree care, annual and perennial flowers, pastures, traditional agriculture and more. Soil and water samples can be tested for safety and to help you make effective, money-saving decisions about plants, fertilizers and pesticides. Visitors often bring in samples of weeds, diseases, insects and wildlife for identification and/or a control recommendation.
Green Industry
Green industry representatives (landscapers, turf, tree care, golf course specialists, nursery workers, arborists, etc.) often utilize our staff and laboratory diagnostics to help them identify and resolve problems safely and quickly. Samples should be brought into the office or an on-site exam can be set up if required. Unresolved site problems can result in a lab sample being sent out to the University of Georgia diagnostic laboratories or a call to a state specialist who has more specific training (pathology, entomology, etc.).
Master Gardeners
New Master Gardener volunteers are trained every year and veterans receive additional training to keep them up-to-date. These volunteers assist us in all areas of our program and help us handle a large volume of citizen information requests. Demonstrations on composting techniques, conservation and wildlife gardening are available countywide for citizens to visit and many have on-site educational literature.
