Gardening in Onslow County, Onslow County Cooperative Extension

Bring your kids to plant a victory garden at the Swansboro branch on June 23rd, with special guests the NC N.C. Cooperative Extension - Onslow County Center.

Join staff from NC Cooperative Extension to learn how you can incorporate plants into your landscape that are not only attractive but also edible! We'll explore some common and maybe less well known plants you can grow here in Onslow County as part of an edible landscape.

📍 Swansboro Branch
🗓️ Thursday, June 25 at 4 PM
📞 Call 910-326-4888 to register

Unearth Your Story with worms! Families are invited to dig into the world beneath our feet and learn all about worms and worm farms with the help of local Master Gardeners.

📍 Richlands Branch
🗓️ Wednesday, June 24 at 2 PM

We occasionally get questions about palm trees not looking good. Often, the problem is lack of proper fertilzation but there are other things that can go wrong. Clemson has a great article about this:

Palm Diseases and Nutritional Problems in South Carolina Identify common palm diseases and nutrient deficiencies and learn effective prevention and management practices for South Carolina landscapes.

https://marylandgrows.umd.edu/2026/06/04/dealing-with-pest-issues-in-container-vegetable-gardening/

Dealing with Pest Issues in Container Vegetable Gardening Wildlife can be cute, but also destructive! Photo via Adobe Stock You’re happily growing lettuce in a salad table, watching the little seedlings get bigger, and then one day half of them have been …

Mosquito spraying can be devastating for beneficial insects like pollinators. Here is an effective alternative you can use in your yard.

Sustainable Ways to Combat Mosquitoes in Your Landscape, by Melinda Heigel, NC State Extension Master Gardener℠ volunteer of Durham County

Excellent tips for controlling mosquitos in your garden 🌸, including emptying containers which collect water 💦 and using mosquito dunks. Melinda Heigel offers a detailed description of creating a "mosquito dunk bucket". 🪣

Read more here! ➡ https://wp.me/p2nIr1-4BF

📸 Photos: (Top right) A mosquito dunk bucket will end the lifecycle at the larval stage. (Top left) This dry donut-shaped object is a biological control for mosquitoes (with a bacterium named Bti) sometimes called a “dunk.” These larvicides also come in other forms, including liquid, pellets, and granules.

(Bottom left) A dunk bucket should have a well-fitting bucket lid that has a plastic mesh top, available online at hydroponic growing sites, but something as simple as chicken wire or a bucket lid with holes drilled in it will work as long as the females can enter it to lay eggs. (Bottom right) Packaged straw can be used, but yard waste like dried leaves or grass clippings will also work. (Image credit: Melinda Heigel)

https://www.turffiles.ncsu.edu/news/warm-season-grass-green-up-and-managing-turfgrass-under-drought-conditions/

Warm-Season Grass Green Up and Managing Turfgrass under Drought Conditions - TurfFiles | NC State Extension Green-up of some warm-season grasses ramped up with unusually high March temperatures (third warmest March since 1887). As normal, warm-season grasses growing in the shade lagged behind those growing…

2026 Extension Master Gardener Class - Now Open! - Onslow County Center | N.C. Cooperative Extension 2026 NC State Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program in Onslow - Now Accepting Applications!The Extension Master Gardener℠ (EMG) volunteers of Onslow County are community members who have a…

Did you know is home to 175+ species of butterflies? 🦋

If you aren't seeing them in your garden, you might be missing a few key ingredients. This 2026 butterfly guide from NC State Extension breaks down the science of attracting these vibrant pollinators to your home ➡️ go.ncsu.edu/butterflies

(OR content.ces.ncsu.edu/butterflies-in-your-backyard)

📸 credits: A Monarch caterpillar (top) feeds on the foliage of its host plant, milkweed, before changing into an adult (bottom). Top photo by Thomas G. Barnes, University of Kentucky. Bottom photo by Chris Moorman.