Home and Garden Information Center

10/13/2026

Happy belated Master Gardener Monday! Today we're highlighting the importance of our Grow it Eat It program. Through our demonstration gardens, Master Gardeners grew, harvested, and donated over 11,000 pounds of fresh produce in 2025. They also taught over 140 classes around the state so Maryland residents could learn how to grow their own food at home.

10/08/2026

Save the date! 🦋

How might art shape the way we see insects?

Explore Another Look, Another World, an interdisciplinary University of Maryland exhibition bringing art and science together to reveal the beauty, diversity, and ecological importance of Maryland’s insects. The exhibition will highlight six Maryland insect species that are included on Maryland’s List of Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Animals. Original works created through the exhibition’s two different open calls will be displayed alongside science-based information about insect ecological roles, insect habitats, and key conservation actions.

On View
October 14, 2026 – November 6, 2026 (Mondays-Fridays, 9AM-5PM)
📍 Herman Maril Gallery, Art-Sociology Building, Room 1309
University of Maryland, College Park, MD

Exhibition Reception
Wednesday, October 21, 2026, 5PM-7 PM
Light refreshments will be served.

The exhibition is open to anyone!
To learn more about the exhibition visit: go.umd.edu/insectartshow

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in and/or attend the exhibition, please contact Madeline Potter at [email protected] or (301) 226-7615 by Friday, September 18, 2026.

University programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, s*x, gender identity or expression, s*xual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status, genetic information, personal appearance, or any other legally protected class.

10/05/2026

This is your sign to rescue your houseplants! Remember, if you're cold, they're cold! Protect your green babies!

Keep an eye on those temps as fall sneaks in. Anything dipping below 50 degrees is likely too cold for the tropicals and succulents that we enjoy all year long.

10/03/2026

We are thrilled to welcome Kent County Maryland Master Gardeners of UME back to KCPL to share how to get the most out of your garden this time of year!

From planting tips to recipe ideas, decorative gourds to starting perennials for next year, there's so much to learn!

Chestertown Branch
Saturday, October 3 | 2pm
More details: https://kent-md.libcal.com/event/17217978

10/03/2026

We’ve hit the heart of fall, folks—Happy Harvests, fellow gardens!

Here are your October tips and tasks to keep your garden groove going as the growing season winds down. (But let's be real, does the growing ever truly stop? Even in the chilly months, we're all about growing those brilliant minds!)

If you have an extra bountiful harvest without use for all your produce, seek out local food pantries to see if they will except fresh goods! Share the love!

For more monthly tips and tasks visit our LinkTree or head to our home page.

10/01/2026

Seeing spotted lanternflies?

At this time of year (early October), you may still see adult spotted lanternflies (Lycorma delicatula) as they begin laying egg masses before the adults die off for the winter.

Here we provide some key facts and frequently asked questions about the spotted lanternfly:

** It is very important to pause before you spray or apply any chemicals, including home remedies, to your outdoor space, as they can cause more harm than good. Spotted lanternflies are highly mobile, and pesticides only provide a temporary control that could end up harming pollinators and other beneficial animals. Reconsider chemical applications to protect our pollinators. **

What is the spotted lanternfly? An invasive insect native to eastern Asia that has been spreading in Maryland since 2018. Has straw-like mouthparts, feeding on plant sap from a wide range of plants. Mainly a nuisance pest in home and community landscapes; does not bite or sting.

Does spotted lanternfly feeding kill plants? Only certain plants; so far, plant death has only been seen with grape vines, young black walnut trees, and young tree-of-heaven (an invasive plant species). Spotted lanternfly feeding can be a plant stressor; with heavy infestations, this type of feeding could impact plant health.

Management Options (not comprehensive; geared toward residential landscapes):

-Avoid pesticides and home remedies (vinegar, dish soap, etc.) because they can harm pollinators and other animals.
-Let predators eat them (spiders, birds, praying mantids, and more).
-Squish them: confirm ID before squishing any insect.
-Spray adults with water to knock them off vulnerable plants and other surfaces.
-Scrape egg masses when they start appearing in September.
-Net vulnerable plants (netting with less than 1/8 inch openings).

For more information on the spotted lanternfly, visit go.umd.edu/SLF.

Info & Graphics by Madeline E. Potter, Faculty Specialist for Entomology & Integrated Pest Management, UME

09/30/2026

How can art help us to better understand insects? In the third episode of "The Fourth Wall," Madeline Potter, a faculty specialist with and an Arts for All ArtsAMP grant recipient, joins Arts for All Executive Director Craig Kier for a conversation about using art to teach others about insects and the important roles they play in our environment. 🐞🪲🦋🐝🐛🐜

Watch/listen to the full episode here:

Madeline Potter, University of Maryland Extension (UME) Faculty Spe...

09/27/2026

It’s true - the October Natives at Noon talk is next week! Register for this FREE webinar that will be next Wednesday Oct 7 at 12pm. This month’s talk will feature Naomi Edelson who leads the Sacred Grounds program for NWF- DC.

To register visit: go.umd.edu/NANWebinarSeries

09/26/2026

Got a Tomato Jungle?

09/26/2026

Please report sightings to the MDA: [email protected]