Wicomico County

Our Vision:  University of Maryland is the preeminent Extension organization in the nation by providing the residents of Maryland with the highest quality of public service, distinguished educational programming, and cutting-edge research that addresses their needs.

Our Mission:  To enhance the quality of life for people and communities by disseminating unbiased, research-based, educational information.

Who we are... Extension is a national partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture, state land-grant universities, and county government. In Maryland, Extension comprises the off-campus educational arm of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources of the University of Maryland, College Park. As faculty members of the university, county Extension agents and educators teach residents research-based information concerning agriculture and natural resources, family and consumer sciences and 4-H youth development in their communities.

University of Maryland Extension has continued to provide science-based solutions for over 100 years and our goals have never wavered. We are passionate about building healthier families, homes, and communities, improving our agricultural production systems, instilling valuable life skills in our youth, and creating a sustainable environment and Chesapeake Bay.

The Wicomico County UME faculty and staff provide a broad range of outreach through workshops, seminars, classes, clinics, newsletters, consultations, and media efforts related to the following topics:   

  • 4H Youth

    4-H & Youth

    Melissa Esley-Collins, 4-H Program Assistant
    mesleyco@umd.edu
    301.226.7719

  • Agriculture, Farming

    Agriculture

    Haley Sater, AG Educator
    hsater@umd.edu
    301.226.7718

  • Master Gardening

    Home Gardening

    Ginny Rosenkranz, Horticulture Educator & Master Gardener Coordinator
    rosnkrnz@umd.edu 
    301.226.7715

  • Food, Nutrition

    SNAP-ED

    Lauren Holfeld, SNAP-ED Educator
    lholfeld@umd.edu
    301.226.7716

  • Sliced squash, zucchini, tomatoes, and onion in an iron skillet.

    Health & Wellness

    Lynn Matava, FCS Educator
    lmatava@umd.edu 
    301.226.7713

Sporobolus heterolepis

Plant of the week... 

...or Prairie dropseed is often considered one of the most handsome of the native prairie grasses.  It thrives in average to dry well drained soils, needs full sun, and is cold tolerant in USDA zones 3-9.  Although it prefers to grow in dry rocky soils, it will tolerative a wide range soils from heavy clay to sandy loams.  These fine textured warm season grasses can be slow to establish and are slow growing, but the plants can thrive as a ground cover in hot and dry areas, as a foundation planting, in a Rain Garden, a meadow, native plant garden, as a border or with their deep fibrous root system, reducing erosion on a sunny slope.   The clump forming perennial grass will grow 2-3 feet tall and wide with hair like fine textured medium green leaves that grow 1/16” wide and 20 inches long.  The foliage creates a mound with the arching stems, and the summers green turns golden in the autumn then fades to a light bronze in the winter.  August to October the pink and brown tinted flower panicles bloom, filling the air with the fragrance of a combination of coriander, honey, popcorn, sunflower seeds and/or melted wax. The open branched airy flowering panicles are set on slender stems that rise above the foliage, and when mature become tiny rounded seeds that drop to the soil from their hulls. Plants can provide 4 seasons of interest, after mowing down the foliage in the spring the new grow has decorative arching stems, in summer the green mounds need no maintenance, in the autumn the foliage turns to gold with airy seed heads dancing in the breezes, and winter brings a sturdy bronze colored mound of grass that even snow can not beat down.  Birds enjoy the seeds and the plants are tolerant of drought, erosion, deer, air pollution and Black Walnut trees.

Ginny Rosenkranz
  • Master Gardening
  • Master Gardening

Free Internet Training

Marylanders Online offers FREE internet training and support to help you learn to use the internet. Call the Marylanders Online Call Center to build your internet skills and online confidence at your own pace.

Sign up today. 1-866-206-8467. Monday-Friday, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, marylandersonline@umd.edu.

If you wish to speak with the Lower Shore Tech Educator, contact Keri Grant, 240-758-4533; kgrant16@umd.edu.

Agriculture in Wicomico County