Missoula is the Garden City, in the springtime, Missoulians spend time after work and on weekends, prepping their plots and planning their bounty. Our office comes alive with the spring thaw, phone calls coming in about what to plant and when! The Plant Clinic starts getting its first pest samples and the questions seem to never end. The Missoula County MSU Extension horticulture program offers classes to help support gardeners, backyard plant enthusiasts, and small farm owners throughout the county. In 2022, gardeners engaged in Master Gardener classes to learn about successfully growing plants through in-person offerings in Missoula, Florence, Arlee, and Condon. More than 100 new Master Gardeners completed the course and have been engaging in volunteer service throughout the Missoula area.

From small backyard vegetable gardens to larger market garden and business enterprises, as well as for those who are interested in ornamental plants and landscape choices, backyard gardens and their caretakers are an important part of what makes Missoula known as "The Garden City."

Montana State University Extension serves Missoula County providing research and programming to meet the needs of Missoulians. MSU Extension's horticulture programs, publications, and online resources provide expert yard, garden and urban integrated pest management information for individuals and businesses in Montana.

We also offer additional educational opportunities throughout the year including workshops on tree pruning, weed control, forest health, rodent control, and soil fertility; creating opportunities for Missoula County residents to learn about various topics to support their horticultural pursuits.

Resources and connections for gardeners of all sizes and scales can be found here.

Our popular Montguides offer information to help you regarding current information in a concise format on topics relevant to you! MontGuides are mostly free, downloadable or we can mail to you!

If you have a question that is bugging you, and perhaps a pest sample you wish to ID, please check out our wonderful resource, the Plant Clinic, to find out what it is and what you can do! The Missoula County MSU Extension Plant Clinic provides educational opportunities to the public on the identification and integrated pest management practices (IPM) of plant diseases, pests and related plant health problems through emails, phone calls, walk-ins and site visits. Weekly scouting and trapping for insects in fruit orchards help define effective control and time management options to reduce unwarranted pesticide use.