Penn State Extension open house will showcase everything from day lilies to deer-resistant plants

From day lilies to deer-resistant plants, the Penn State Extension’s open house will have something for just about everyone who enjoys digging in the dirt at an open house on Saturday.

“The master gardeners will be in the gardens and they’ll be happy to answer any questions about the plants we’re growing, or about gardening in general,” said master gardener coordinator Linda Hyatt.

Local gardeners can bring in cuttings from plants they do not recognize, or that they are having difficulty growing, and extension officials will do their best to identify the plants or the problems.

“We do have a fair amount of people who bring in plants, and we get a lot of questions about the plants we’re growing here,” Hyatt said.

This year’s gardens include a bed featuring more than 100 varieties of day lily, a dwarf conifer garden, a monarch butterfly garden, and the beginning stages of what will be a rock garden.

The extension is also road-testing several types of plant in their “deer-resistant” garden.

“It’s experimental for us,” Hyatt said. “We’re putting in stuff they’re not supposed to eat, and it will be a good test.”

With a nature park located right behind the extension offices, finding hoofed test subjects will not be difficult. Deer damage can be seen here and there throughout the garden beds off Donohue Road. Hyatt said every bed except the resistant test bed is typically sprayed with deer repellent.

“We’ll also be hosting compost demonstrations at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., and an herbal demonstration at 12:30 p.m.,” she said.

The Extension office is at 214 Donohoe Road in Hempfield.

For more, see the Extension website .