Gardeners in Multnomah County, Ore. now have a new resource to help them solve gardening problems. Oregon State University Extension Service has partnered with the West Multnomah Soil and Water Conversation District to establish a new, volunteer-staffed gardening hotline at 503-445-4608. It’s available from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday. The public can also drop in and ask questions at the soil district headquarters, 2701 N.W. Vaughn St., Suite 453, Portland, during the same hours.

As part of the partnership, the soil district is providing equipment, phone line and office space. OSU extension is training the volunteer Master Gardeners who will be manning the phones. Extension previously had a hotline and office in Portland, until 2003, when budget cuts forced the office to close.

For more on gardening hotlines in the Portland area, see http://extension.oregonstate.edu/mg/metro/questions.