Braxton County Agriculture & Natural Resources
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Lawn, Gardening & Pests
Get a yard that feels and looks like home. Get a bountiful harvest. Grow your own and sow something beautiful. WVU Extension has lawn, gardening and pests information you can use.
Master Gardener Program
The Braxton County Master Gardeners participate in a variety of local volunteer activities. If you are interested in becoming a Master Gardener or would like to attend a meeting, please contact us at 304-765-2809 for more information.
This Month in the Garden Calendar
Controlling Drainage in Your Garden
Water is a very important component to a successful garden, but like all other aspects of growing plants, too much water can be detrimental.
Excessive water can cause seed and root rot, decline in germination and displacement of oxygen, especially when the plants are young. The major contributing factor to poorly drained soil in plant production is inadequate aeration.
Lawn, Gardening & Pests News for Braxton County
Join the Winter/Spring 2025 Master Gardener Training
WVU Extension Master Gardener training, which used to be offered through in-person courses organized by WVU Extension offices around the state, will once again be available online via Zoom sessions.
WVU Extension will continue offering online Master Gardener training classes for late winter/spring 2025 term, beginning on January 9 through May 15. Classes will be held every Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m.
AgAlert! Boxwood Blight
Boxwood blight is a fungal disease that affects one of West Virginia's most popular landscape shrubs.
Boxwood blights are a fungal disease that can be fatal if no measures are taken to manage the disease at the early stage of infection and symptom appearance. There are two different fungal pathogens involved with blights – Volutella buxi and Calonectria pseudonaviculata.
Join the Winter/Spring 2024 Master Gardener Training
WVU Extension Master Gardener training, which used to be offered through in-person courses organized by WVU Extension offices around the state, will once again be available online via Zoom sessions.
WVU Extension will continue offering online Master Gardener training classes for late winter/spring 2024 term, beginning on January 11 through May 2. Classes will be held every Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m.
Agriculture
Practical economic strategies. Investments in local growers. Farming like our future depends on it. WVU Extension offers timely, research-based agriculture information you can put into practice.
The WVU Braxton County Extension Service participates in many programs including: Mid-Atlantic Quality Beef Assurance, Central West Virginia Wool Pool, Youth Safe Farm and West Virginia Grown.
Contact the WVU Braxton County Extension Service with any questions at 304-765-2809.
Agriculture News for Braxton County
2025 Agriculture Dinner Meeting Series
Each winter, WVU Extension brings education, know-how and research right to your community through a series of educational dinner meetings.
Through these dinner meetings, participants have the opportunity to learn from WVU Extension specialists and industry experts about relevant topics to help you improve your own agricultural operations.
Upcoming EPA changes and how they will affect pesticide use in agriculture
The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) governs the registration, distribution, sale and use of pesticides in the U.S. FIFRA gives to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the authority to regulate pesticide enforcement. However, the EPA must meet obligations under other acts, including the Endangered Species Act (ESA) (Figure 1).
The ESA is overseen by the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The ESA establishes protections for fish, wildlife and plants that are listed as threatened or endangered and provides for adding and removing species from the list of threatened and endangered species, and preparing and implementing plans for their recovery. The ESA also provides for interagency cooperation and for issuing permits for otherwise prohibited activities, provides for cooperation with states and implements the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna.
Lease Recommendations for Land Owner & Tenants
Ben Goff, WVU Extension Agent in Mason and Putnam counties, offers recommendations for landowners and tenants who want to prepare for the upcoming farming season and work to minimize their respective risks.
Goff covers a variety of tips for farmers and landowners regarding farm leases, including:
Natural Resources
Land you can take pride in. Nature you can appreciate. Keep wild and wonderful just that. WVU Extension has natural resources information from trusted experts.
Soil Testing in Braxton County
Forms are available as PDFs. Download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free, if needed.
Soil testing is the easiest and most reliable method of assessing a soil’s nutrient status. It provides a basis for recommending the correct amount of lime and fertilizer to apply for crops and pastures. Soil testing also allows an expert to predict the probability of obtaining a yield or growth response to lime and fertilizer application.
How Often to Sample
- Row crops and hayfields: Every one or two years or when crops are rotated.
- Permanent pastures: Every 3 - 4 years.
- Vegetable gardens: Every 1 - 2 years.
- Lawns and turf: Every 3 - 5 years.
West Virginia University offers free soil analysis to residents. Your county Extension agent can assist you in your effort to collect good soil samples and also to understand the results of analysis.
Natural Resources News for Braxton County
Register for White Oak in West Virginia Webinar
Join us as we dive into the opportunities and challenges related to sustaining and harvesting white oak trees in West Virginia.
Tuesday, February 2
Register for West Virginia Woodland Stewards Seminar
Join us as we dive into a variety of educational topics and learn more about how we can be better stewards of West Virginia's woodlands.
Tuesday, February 9