Gardening in Onslow County, Onslow County Cooperative Extension

08/17/2026

Sign up today for this free webinar held by the Coastal Landscapes Initiative

Landscapes That Last: Let's Talk About Lawns and Lawn Alternatives
Register Here: https://go.ncsu.edu/landscapes-that-last

Traditional turfgrass lawns are a prevalent feature of our modern landscaping practices, but keeping them "perfect" requires a lot of routine maintenance and requires the use of water, fertilizers and pesticides that can pollute our air and water. Lawns often cover much more space than we actually use and offer little habitat for pollinators and wildlife.

In this talk, Emilee Morrison, Extension Agent in Consumer Horticulture with N.C. Cooperative Extension - Onslow County Center, will explore alternative lawns and landscaping choices that are beautiful, practical, and support local ecosystems while also meeting our everyday needs.
https://onslow.ces.ncsu.edu/

Professional Development Credits:
- NC Environmental Education Certification Program Criteria III or Continuing Education (Approved)
- NC Master Gardener (check with local Cooperative Extension County Offices)
- NC Landscape Contractor License Landscape/Technical Credit (pending, check webinar registration page for updates)

08/14/2026

08/10/2026

https://marylandgrows.umd.edu/2026/08/07/giving-up-on-plants-or-when-to-commit-plant-murder/

I think we’ve all been there. Everything else in the vegetable garden is going well, growing as it should, producing bountifully, getting the better of challenges. And then there’s the one plant th…

08/05/2026

Turfgrass research taking place in Onslow County!

This project highlights one component of a broader portfolio of center-funded research initiatives focused on developing novel approaches to complex scientific challenges. Ground pearls are scale…

08/04/2026

Join us for this free program

Want to multiply your plants? Join Emilee Morrison from the NC Cooperative Extension for a hands-on propagation class. Learn how to create new plants from cuttings, seeds, and other methods to expand your garden at home.

📍Richlands Branch
🗓 Thursday, August 6 at 5:30 PM
📞Call 910-324-5321 to register

08/03/2026

Are you interested in learning about native plants? We are hosting a free presentation about native plants on August 19th at 6 pm. The first 50 people to register will receive a free coastal NC native plant to take home! Registration is required.

Guest speaker Carol Peoples from the NC Native Plant Society will talk about native plants and pollinators!

07/29/2026

The first finding of the yellow-legged hornet has been confirmed in North Carolina, and the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is asking beekeepers to watch for the invasive predator hornet.

This first established presence was discovered in Matthews, North Carolina. Survey, trapping and response efforts by NCDA&CS and USDA-APHIS-PPQ are ongoing.

The yellow-legged hornet is a predator of honey bees, native bees and other insects. They exhibit "hawking" behavior by hovering near the entrances of honey bee hives and capturing honey bees as they exit or enter the hive.

"Yellow-legged hornets are not an increased risk to humans (the risk of stings/attacks is similar to other native relatives), but they are dangerous to honey bees," said Matt Bertone, director of the NC State Plant Disease and Insect Clinic. "This is a species that will actively hunt honey bees and destroy hives, making it a destructive pest for beekeepers."

The invasive insect is about an inch long, with its most distinctive feature being that the bottom half of all its legs are yellow. Their hives can grow larger than other hornets' nests and have a reddish, muddy color.

Read more about the yellow-legged hornet and learn how to report any suspected sightings at the link in our comments.

07/27/2026

This Wednesday at 4 pm there will be a free program at the Swansboro Library. We hope to see you there!

Join staff from NC Cooperative Extension to learn about the importance of pollinators to our ecosystem and the many food crops that rely on insect pollinators to produce the foods we eat. We'll focus on types of insect pollinators and strategies to attract them to your garden.

📍 Swansboro Branch
🗓️ Wednesday, July 29 at 4 PM
📞 Call 910-326-4888 to register

07/24/2026

We are hiring! Check out the post below!

07/22/2026

Join our Extension Master Gardener volunteers to learn all about pollinators and how you can participate in the Great Southeast Pollinator Census!

Join staff from NC Cooperative Extension to learn about the importance of pollinators to our ecosystem and the many food crops that rely on insect pollinators to produce the foods we eat. We'll focus on types of insect pollinators and strategies to attract them to your garden.

📍 Swansboro Branch
🗓️ Wednesday, July 29 at 4 PM
📞 Call 910-326-4888 to register