I believe you are placing too much emphasis on the negative -- plant problems. There is a another whole side to horticuture that ventures into fun topics. Instead of concentrating on clinics, start giving demonstrations, presentations and new information. Of course, anyone with the typical clinic question is also encouraged to ask about that too. However, your focus has become stale.

IronBelly

I think you may have misunderstood to some degree. Plant clinics are just one of many services that our MG unit provides. We have over a dozen committees doing all kinds of outreach projects including demonstrations, garden tours, youth activites, and much more--definitely all positive. We are privileged to have such a large, active group that makes this all possible (I believe we have near 100 members).

Bringing diagnostic services into the community is a valuable service, but perhaps you are right that we are having a PR issue by emphasizing the activity as focused on "problems." Some units do refer to these as "diagnostic" clinics, but maybe further tweaking is necessary so that the community sees our booths as information and education stations in addition to being a resource for diagnosis.

Thank you for your feedback.

We have plant clnics in the spring and fall of the year. During the months of April and Sept they are every Saturday at Lowe's and in May and October they are on each Saturday at Home Depot.

We don't concentrate on problems - we answer questions of all types as well as hand out items necessary for soil samples, etc.

We also have information on our Smart Lawns program which helps the consumer diagnose and repair their lawn problems. This program is not under the plant clinic area, but part of the overall outreach we do.

Our MG group doesn't do plant clinics. We hold a Hot Line for plant problems and info that people need. It is usually 2 days a week for about 4 hours May through September. If I didn't have to work I would deffinately be there! Everyone who does says they have a lot of fun plus they have all their resource books righ there in the office.

The county library system has been very supportive of what we call Library Garden Workshops. We have them on Saturday mornings from 10 to noon on subjects keyed to the season. Rose pruning and Fruit tree pruning in season always fulls the room. We have a desk at the farmers markets during the summer where many people bring there sample pests or rusty foliage. Al

We hold our plant clinics at the county extension office. There is a substantial library, weed ID software, internet access, and that's where the extension agent is to ask questions. The extension office is where people are accustomed to coming for help with garden and landscape questions. I think you would have better success if you stayed in one place so people would have an easier time finding you. Additional outreach could be done as you are doing now, but I think you need a home base.