An Ulster County Master Gardener Volunteer working in the Master Gardener Xeriscape Garden at SUNY Ulster.

Gardening

Our Community Horticulture Program serves the community's gardening, invasive species, and tree care needs.

Programs & Services:

Tick Identification Services

CCE Ulster does not provide deer tick testing services at the office for Lyme disease. Ticks can be submitted to the Insect Diagnostic Lab at Cornell University for identification. A $25 identification fee applies per sample. 

Visit the Ulster County Department of Health Be Tick Free in Ulster County webpage for resources and information on ticks and on protecting yourself and your family from them. View this article on tick ID, removal and avoidance by Susan Dollard with the CCE Sullivan Master Gardener Program.

Check with your physician for the names of laboratories performing tick-testing services.

Sign up for the Ag & Hort Newsletter

Subscribe to our agriculture and horticulture newsletter to have updates on farming, gardening, pest management, and more sent right to your inbox! We send a weekly newsletter and smaller emails with important updates as needed.

Master Gardener Project Request

Cornell Cooperative Extension’s mission is to enable people to improve their lives and local communities through partnerships that put experience and research knowledge to work. The Master Gardener Volunteer Program is an important part of this organization, serving the community through horticultural education. 

The Master Gardener Program receives requests for assistance from many local organizations. All requests are screened by our Project Review Committee to see if it meets our mission goals and is viable. Once a project is approved, it is presented to the group for volunteers.

Project Guidelines

Project Request Form

If you have any questions about our Master Gardener Volunteer Program or your request for assistance, please contact:

Courtney Churchill

Master Gardener Coordinator & Horticulture Educator — Phone: (845) 340-3990 ext. 335 | cmc534 [at] cornell.edu (cmc534[at]cornell[dot]edu)

Gardening Contacts

A photo of Courtney Churchill.
Courtney Churchill
Community Horticulture Educator & Master Gardener Coordinator
845-340-3990 ext. 335
cmc534@cornell.edu
View staff profile
Two Master Gardeners Volunteers standing side by side at the Master Gardener Plant Sale at SUNY Ulster in 2025.
Master Gardener Volunteers
Call the Horticulture Hotline at 845-340-DIRT (3478) or come in during office hours!
Email: ask@cceulster.com
Learn more!

Tabling, Presentations, and Tours

To Request the Master Gardeners for a Tabling, Presentation or a tour of our Xeriscape Garden.

Please complete this form and send it to Courtney Churchill at cmc534 [at] cornell.edu (cmc534[at]cornell[dot]edu).

Pricing:

  • $75 for one hour presentations
  • $60 each for a 3 talk series or more one hour talks
  • $60 for Libraries
  • Schools: Free
  • Tabling: Free
Cornell Garden Based Learning Website

Explore more gardening topics from Cornell CALS!

Growing Degree Day Tool

Growing Degree Days (GDD) are a measure of heat accumulation used to estimate the growth and development of plants, insects, and schedule applications such as crabgrass preemergence herbicide and plant growth regulators. GDD Tracker calculates GDD using the simple average method where a base temperature is subtracted from the mean daily temperature. GDD Tracker starts counting GDD on February 15.

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map helps gardeners and growers determine which plants are most likely to thrive at a location. For the first time, the map is available as an interactive GIS-based map, for which a broadband Internet connection is recommended. Users may also simply type in a ZIP Code and find the hardiness zone for that area.