Diagnostic Services

Help with your plant problems is only a click or a call away. There are many resources available through our office or online to assist you with plant or pest problems.

Plant Disease Identification - form

Insect Identification - form

Plant Identification - form

Turfgrass:Lawn Diagnosis - form

Soil Testing

The Hotline is staffed by Master Gardener volunteers to answer call in questions. The hotline is available by calling 216-429-8235 during the following hours:

Mondays, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Thursday, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Horticultural Diagnostics Email

Master Gardeners are available, through this eMail link, to address gardening questions.  Keep questions specific and provide as much information as possible.
Email to Master Gardener Diagnosticians
In addition, you may answer your own questions 24/7 by accessing a broad range of reports and other documents from universities across the country.  Search by plant, disease, insect or other relevant terms.  Fact Sheets and other documents are available from The Ohio State University's Ohioline or from the PlantFacts nationwide database.  Use the "Search" window to look up your search terms.

Diagnostic Clinic

The in-house plant pest diagnostic clinic utilizes visual diagnostics only. There is a $5 fee per insect, plant disease or plant identification sample, and a $7 fee per turfgrass/lawn sample. Forms can be requested from our office. PDF forms for samples are available below.

Most samples will be looked at within two business days. More difficult assessments require longer. Samples requiring growth in a moist chamber can take ten to fourteen days.

Fill out as much of the information as you can and send the sample to Ohio State University Extension, 9127 Miles Rd., Cleveland, OH 44105.

The quality of any diagnosis depends upon the quality of the sample. Please provide a generous sample which includes both infected and non infected tissues. A report will be sent via eMail or ground mail.

The ability to make a diagnosis often hinges on the quality of the sample and information provided. One leaf or a single squashed insect is not sufficient to provide a diagnosis. The best sample contains both infested and non-infested tissue.

Do not ....

....send an insect taped to an index card, it will be flat upon arrival.
....wrap a leaf in moist paper, it will be mush before it gets here.

Do ....

...protect and pad the sample before mailing.
...fill out forms as completely as possible.
...include an eMail address as more information may be required.

We Cannot ....

...determine what type of herbicide was sprayed on a plant.
...identify specimens beyond the genus.

Some of the more interesting items to come through the Cuyahoga diagnostic clinic can soon be found on the clinic's web log of interesting samples.

Access to a complete diagnostic lab is available from C. Wayne Ellet Plant Pest Diagnostic Clinic. Fees vary by type of sample and tests requested.

Insect Identification

Insect Identification Form in PDF Format

•  Soft-bodied insects and pests (aphids, thrips, maggots, ants, ticks, lice, grubs etc.) should be in 70% ethyl alcohol, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol or clear 100 proof liquor in a sealed jar. Caterpillars should be dropped into very hot water (boiled) before placing in alcohol to preserve their color.

•  Hard-bodied insects (beetles, flies, wasps, moths or cockroaches) should be killed in rubbing alcohol and submitted in a dry container.

•  Do not tape insects to paper. No live insects will be accepted!

•  The cost for insect identification is $5 per sample.

Plant Disease Identification

Plant Disease Identification Form in PDF Format

•  Select material showing the symptoms in question. Bring several samples in different stages of disease development. Do not bring totally rotten, decayed or dead material.

•  Bring entire plant when possible. Dig, do not pull plants, to keep roots intact. Remove excess soil with gentle shaking or washing with water. Wrap roots so that soil does not come loose.

•  Large trees and shrubs can't be brought in whole. Bring a sample that shows both healthy tissue and diseased tissue. Include some roots when possible, putting them in a jar or sturdy bag.

•  Do not wrap your specimen in plastic wrap or a baggie – it will rot.

•  The cost for plant disease identification is $5 per sample.

If oak wilt, Dutch elm disease or verticillium wilt are suspected, select samples from branches with wilted, yellow or dying leaves, but not dead leaves. Cut several sections 8 inches long and one-half to one inch in diameter.

Plant Identification

Plant Identification Form in PDF Format

•  Text under construction

•  The cost for plant identification is $5 per sample.

Turfgrass/Lawn Diagnosis

Turfgrass/Lawn Diagnosis Form in PDF Format

•  Text under construction

•  The cost for turfgrass/lawn diagonsis is $7 per sample.

Soil Testing Form

This form contains instructions for collecting soil, fees for tests, and how and where to mail the sample. Soil tests are not done in our office. To obtain a Soil Testing Form and information on submitting soil tests:

Download the form directly from the UMass Soil Testing Lab.