Gardening
A bountiful garden is a desirable resource. With WVU Extension Service expert advice, learn how to maintain a variety of gardens.
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Gardening Guide
Creative Gardening
Find new, adaptive ways to make use of limited and difficult space for gardening. Get fun and creative in your growing solutions.
Container GardeningGardening with Limited Space
Grow Your Own Pizza Garden
Gardening 101
Gardening requires time and attention. But, with the right guidance and some patience, even a beginner gardener can have a successful garden.
Conserving Water with Rain BarrelsGarden Management
Make your garden work for you and get the most out of your precious resources all year long.
Getting Ready for FallWest Virginia Garden Guide
Get gardening recommendations suited for West Virginia's unique growing conditions, like hilly terrain, and microclimates created by mountains and valleys.
Growing BasilThe Science of Gardening
The WVU Extension Service Garden Calendar is produced and distributed each year as a service to West Virginia’s many home gardeners and agricultural producers. The annual calendar is just one of many meaningful projects, programs and outreach efforts provided by WVU Extension Service throughout West Virginia’s 55 counties.
If you have gardening questions or want more information, please contact your county’s WVU Extension Service office. Be sure to check out information for controlling garden pests year-round and related learning activities for even more opportunities.
The WVU Extension Service is committed to providing reasonable accommodations upon request.
Note: To print as many Garden Calendars as existing funds allow, the WVU Extension Service may not be able to honor web or email requests for mailed calendars. Please contact your nearest county office to get a calendar. Your understanding is sincerely appreciated.
Fresh from the Garden Calendar
What is Heliotropism?
Light from the sun provides the solar energy used by plants for photosynthesis. Heliotropism, or solar tracking, is when a plant follows the movement of the sun during the day. Rooted in ancient Greek, “helio” refers to the sun and “tropism” means a turning or movement of a living organism toward or away from an external stimulus, such as light, heat or gravity.
The sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is the best example of a plant that displays this phenomenon. Young sunflower plants follow the sun from east to west during the day and then, reorient themselves during the night to face east in anticipation of the sunrise.
Browse Garden Calendar ArticlesExtension Master Gardener Program
We’re growing
The WVU Extension Master Gardener Program provides people interested in gardening with the opportunity to expand their knowledge and sharpen their skills by taking part in Basic/Level 1 and Advanced/Level 2 training programs that provide in-depth training in various aspects of horticulture.
The program helps residents better understand horticultural and environmental issues through community engagement in gardening and beautification projects at schools, parks, public institutions, community organizations, and locations throughout the state.
Benefits of becoming a WVU Extension Master Gardener
Among the many benefits for getting involved with the WVU Extension Master Gardener program, here are the highest-ranking ones:
- Getting to know more about gardening and horticulture to expand personal horizons and be able to help others
- Significant improvements in quality of life, including physical activity, social activity, self-esteem and nutrition
- Offers opportunities for professional development through continuing training opportunities
- Meeting like-minded people and engaging in the garden activities you are passionate about
- Opportunities to assume responsibility
- Encourages individual independence
- Gaining respect in the community for your newly developed horticultural skills
- Flexibility to conduct volunteer work