NC State Extension Master Gardener Volunteers, Henderson County

05/27/2026

Learn how to stay safe from stinging and biting insects this summer...

During the many talks I give to homeowners and professionals, I try to drive home the point that most insects are beneficial in some way. Some beneficial insects are even better at pest control than…

05/26/2026

Fuzzy caterpillars are cute but some of them have stinging hairs that can be quite painful. Learn how to identify them and appreciate them from afar...

Stinging caterpillars don’t sting with a stinger the way wasps or bees do, they have stinging hairs called urticating hairs. Urticating hairs are barbed and easily break off the caterpillar’s body when the caterpillar is brushed against and can embed in a person or animal’s skin. Once in your ...

05/21/2026

Bedbugs were a fact of life until pesticides were invented. Now they are coming back. We identify them for people several times per year at the N.C. Cooperative Extension - Henderson County Center.
From kids returning from college dorms to you returning from a hotel stay, learn how to inspect a space and avoid a costly bedbug infestation at your home!!! Dr. Dan Suiter with UGA has produced a great video.

A University of Georgia entomologist offers tips and tricks for spotting bedbugs in your hotel room — and how not to bring bedbugs home as an unwanted souvenir.

05/19/2026

This nasty invasive w**d is taking off!!!

Japanese knotw**d Reynoutria japonica is a highly invasive plant. The plant is spreading rapidly in Henderson County, popping up in new places all the time. The plant is prevalent on roadsides where…

05/18/2026

We still have a couple of weeks to use our May garden calendar!!!

Plants in Flower Southern Magnolia, Golden Chain Tree, Kousa Dogwood, Hybrid Rhododendron, Mountain Laurel, Satsuki Azalea, Scotch Broom, Deutzia, Beauty Bush, Weigela, Roses, Clematis, Honeysuckle,…

05/15/2026

Is it just us or have invasive vines seemed to go crazy lately?! Check out our latest article on controlling vines in the landscape and garden.

Vines can be a beautiful addition to a mountain garden. Some vines however are a gardeners worst nightmare. Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), English ivy (Hedera helix), wisteria…

05/08/2026

N.C. Cooperative Extension - Henderson County Center Agent STeve Pettis will be speaking at the library in Saluda, NC about 'Environmentally Friendly Landscaping' Tuesday, May 12 @ 2pm.

Learn about environmentally friendly landscaping at this month's Saluda Library Speaker Series program! Presenter Steve Pettis will share techniques to make your garden a friendly place for wildlife. Please register for this event at conservingcarolina.org/calendar.

05/07/2026

Flat Rock Play House volunteer appreciation event and tour of the Flat Rock Playhouse Gardens.

05/07/2026

Some people worry that moles harm their gardens or yards. Actually moles serve a vital role in the environment aerating soil and eating invasive Japanese beetle grubs. This post is by one of our local gardening companies shows a mole in action! Learn more by searching 'mole' on the Henderson County Extension website.
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