UGA Extension Office

Agriculture & Natural Resources

Agricultural and Environmental Services Laboratories

Extension provides testing for:  Soil,Water, Animal Waste, Poultry Litter, Feeds & Forages, Plant Tissue, Nematode, Compost, Biosolids, Bacteria, and more.  Call for details. We also offer insect & plant identification as well as disease and problem diagnosis and trouble shooting.  Homeowner or commercial samples accepted.

Here's a sample of our basic test protocols:

Basic Soil Analysis $8.00

This will help you develop and maintain a more productive garden by providing information about the fertility status of your soil.  Information from a soil test will help you select the proper liming and fertilization program to obtain the optimum growth of your lawn, garden, ornamental and agronomic plants. Results come back in a week to 10 days.

Collection Protocol: A good soil sample should be representative of the entire area. Take soil from a minimum of 10 random locations in the sampled area and mix together in a clean bucket. For trees and shrubs, take soil from six to eight spots around the drop line of the plants and mix. Areas that have been treated differently should be sampled separately. For lawns sample to a depth of 4 inches. For gardens, ornamental and fruit trees sample to a depth of 6 inches. We will need 2 cups of mixed DRY soil for analysis.  Soil Sampling Instructions Link

Basic Water Test $22.00

Mineral tests can determine if the mineral content of your water is high enough to affect either health or the aesthetic and cleaning capacities of your water. A mineral test may include calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron, copper, zinc and some others. An abundance of these minerals can cause hard water, plumbing and laundry stains, or bad odors.

Collection Protocol: A first draw water sample can be collected either early morning or evening upon returning home to ensure that the necessary 6-12 hour stagnant water conditions exist. Place a clean sample container below the faucet and gently open the cold water tap. One cup of water is needed. A clean plastic or glass container can be used.

For additional testing information contact the Habersham County Extension Office at 706-839-0250.  We are located in Clarkesville in the Agricultural Service Center. Hours are Monday through Friday 8 -12 and 1-5.   


How Do I Obtain a Pesticide Applicators License?

Private Pesticide License Page

Commercial Pesticide License Page

Georgia Professional Certifications Store Front

RECERTIFICATION INFO

Certified Pesticide Applicators must earn a required number of recertification credits every five years or be reexamined. Recertification credits may be earned by attending education meetings approved by the Georgia Department of Agriculture's Pesticide Program. You can search for Pesticide Applicator Re-Certification Courses by type of license (Commercial or Private), license category, or course date. Private applicators must obtain three (3) re-certification credit hours in order to renew the Private Applicator license. Commercial applicators must obtain either six (6) or ten (10) recertification credit hours per licensed category (see CEU requirements for commercial and private categories) to renew their Commercial Applicator license.  We also have a series of PowerPoint presentations and webinars you can view at our office for credit.  Email stevep@uga.edu to set up an appointment.

 


Below are some of UGA Extension's most broadly useful resources for those involved in agriculture on the farm, in schools, and around the home.

Production Agriculture

Statewide Variety Testing Which varieties should you plant? The variety testing team does the work and research for farmers.
UGA Weather Network Reliable weather information for agricultural and environmental applications, including soil temperature, rainfall, wind speed, and more.
Pesticide Safety Education Everything you need to achieve certification and maintain the knowledge to safely and effectively make use of restricted-use and all other types of pesticides.
Sustainable Agriculture A collection of resources for those interested in production and marketing practices that are profitable, environmentally sound, and that improve the quality of life for farmers, farm workers, and the community.
Ag Budgets and Economics Resources for production economics, farm management, marketing, situation and outlook, risk management, financial management, farm policy, labor, and taxation.
Farmgate Value Report Annual county-level reports documenting the value of all food and fiber commodities grown in the state.

Home & Garden

Soil Testing Ensure that your soil is productive! Get your soil tested to determine the amount and kind of nutrients that should be added for the best growth.
Pest Management Recommendations for pest control around homes, on pets, in the home garden, and more.
Household Water Quality Water quality has an immediate and a prolonged effect on the health of your household. This publication series contains basic information about home water quality and treatment.
Home Garden Publication Series Topics include garden planning, soil preparation, weed control, pollination, disease and insect control, harvesting, and preserving.
Georgia Green Industry Professional Development The UGA Center for Urban Agriculture offers professional training and certifications for the Georgia Certified Landscape Professional, Georgia Certified Plant Professional exam and Super Crew employee training series.
Georgia Green Landscape Stewards The Georgia Green Landscape Stewards program provides fact-based information to help businesses and residences in Georgia implement sustainable green practices in their landscape.

Schools

Community and School Gardens This Community and School Gardens blog is designed to help community and school gardeners succeed by connecting them to UGA Extension and other research-based resources.
Lesson Plans and Teacher Resources Whether you'd like to help protect the environment, teach your students how to avoid chronic diseases with healthy food and physical activity, or train food handlers in your cafeteria, University of Georgia Extension can help.

Staff Listing

Steven R. Patrick
Steven R. Patrick
Agriculture & Natural Resources
County Extension Coordinator
habersham-2-connection
habersham-connection

Extension Publications

  • Vegetable Garden Calendar (C 943) The recommendations in this circular are based on long-term average dates of the last killing frost in the spring and first killing frost in the fall. Every year does not conform to the "average," so you should use your own judgment about advancing or delaying the time for each job, depending on weather conditions.
  • Native Plants for Georgia Part I: Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines (B 987) This publication focuses on native trees, shrubs and woody vines for Georgia. It is not our intent to describe all native species — just those available in the nursery trade and those that the authors feel have potential for nursery production and landscape use. Rare or endangered species are not described. Information on each plant is provided according to the following categories: Common Name(s)/Botanical Name/Family, Characteristics, Landscape Uses, Size, Zones and Habitat.
  • Time Management: 10 Strategies for Better Time Management (C 1042) Learn 10 strategies for better time management, including knowing how to spend your time, setting priorities, using planning tools, getting organized, scheduling, delegating, and avoiding procrastinating, wasting time, and multitasking.