Gardening
Our Home Gardening programs are designed to increase the homeowner’s ability to solve horticulture problems and develop an appreciation of natural resources. The Home Gardening program at Cornell Cooperative Extension-Broome County (CCE-BC) is very active and centers around Cutler Botanic Garden, a 5 acre living horticulture classroom located on the property of CCE-BC at 840 Upper Front Street, Binghamton, New York.
Need Home Gardening Advice?
Click on the link below to submit a question online to our trained volunteers. You can also upload photos of your plants or insects to help solve problems or get something identified.
Ask A Master Gardener Volunteer!
Ask Extension offers one-to-one expert answers from Cooperative Extension/University staff and volunteers within participating Land-Grant institutions from across the United States.
Allowing your question to be viewed by the public can be helpful to others nationwide. You can also choose to keep your question private.
Cornell Cooperative Extension-Broome County can assist with soil testing:
Complete soil nutrient analysis – Soil samples can be brought to the Information Center at CCE-BC where they will be packaged and sent to a soil test lab, Agro-One Services, in Ithaca. The fee is roughly $30.00. Cash or check only at our office. Contact CCE-BC at (607) 772-8953 for instructions on how to properly collect a soil sample. Samples can be submitted to our office during business hours M-F 8:30 to 4:30.
Cornell Cooperative Extension-Broome County offers a diagnostic service to the consumer to identify insects and plant diseases and offer environmentally responsible options for control. The Horticulture Educator and other qualified Extension Staff can provide identification and control options for insects and plant diseases. If it is felt that an accurate diagnosis cannot be given at our office, you have the option to send your specimen to Cornell University Plant Pathology Lab for analysis for a fee. Contact CCE-BC at 607-772-8953 for instructions on how to collect a sample for diagnosis.
Cutler Botanic Garden
Cutler Botanic Garden (CBG) is a 5-acre living classroom on our Upper Front Street campus, featuring 14 themed garden areas - from perennials and roses to native habitats and a wildflower meadow. Free and open to the public year-round, dawn to dusk, Cutler serves as an outdoor classroom for students, a workshop space for adult gardening classes, and a peaceful spot for self-guided tours.
Learn More About the Master Gardener Program
The Master Gardener volunteer program is a nationwide Cooperative Extension project that provides interested gardeners with horticultural training. In return, these volunteers provide gardening education and information to the community.
Broome County Master Gardeners complete a full year of training in plant science, entomology, soil and fertilizers, ornamentals, and other horticultural topics, blending online instruction with hands-on activities. Once trained, volunteers answer questions through our "Ask a Master Gardener" email service, offer talks through a Speakers' Bureau, and take part in community outreach, beautification projects, and youth programs alongside 4-H.
Master Gardeners also play a unique role at Cutler Botanic Garden, our 5-acre demonstration garden, where they serve as caretakers under the supervision of our Horticulture Educator - planning during winter months and planting and maintaining the garden through spring and summer. Training is provided free of charge in exchange for service hours at Cutler.
The Master Gardener Volunteer Core Training is a 20 week course that runs annually from September to March, with a break from mid-November to January. It is a hybrid course with content on a distance learning platform known as Moodle. 4 to 6 hours of instructional material is assigned each week. Group meetings are virtual with one in-person meeting a month. Virtual sessions are one hour on Saturday mornings. In-person sessions are longer events also on Saturdays each in a different location within our region and filled with hands on activities that enhance the online learning.
In Broome County, the training extends into the spring/summer months with hands on experience gained during Tuesday morning work sessions at Cutler Botanic Garden.
Having Tuesday mornings available is critical to your success in the program.
We will begin taking applications for the next round of training in August of 2027.
If you are interested in becoming a Broome County Master Gardener Volunteer, please reach out to Linda Svoboda, Horticulture Program Educator.
Phone: 607-584-5016
Email: ljs322 [at] cornell.edu
Cornell Cooperative Extension-Broome County and Cutler Botanic Garden offers speakers on a variety of topics on a time-available basis at your club or group meeting location or can be delivered via Zoom. Please schedule at least six weeks in advance. These presentations vary from 30 minutes to one hour in length, but can be adapted to suit the audience. Presented by CCE Educators or seasoned Master Gardeners. Speakers Bureau presentations are $25 per topic for a groups of 50 or less. $50 for groups of 50 or more. Checks can be made payable to: CCE-BC. Proceeds support Cutler Botanic Garden.
If interested please contact the Horticulture Department at 607-584-5016 or email Linda Svoboda at ljs322 [at] cornell.edi.