Our society is in the midst of a revolution of environmental consciousness. People are concerned about chemical use, yet still want to maintain beautiful landscapes and gardens. Fayette County Cooperative extension's horticulture agents and Extension Master Gardener volunteers routinely advise homeowners of the least hazardous approach in dealing with garden pests and problems. In many cases our recommendation is to not use chemicals at all. Our soil testing services help avoid the indiscriminate application of nutrients that are not necessary, avoiding expense and water pollution. In the past year Fayette horticulture processed over 550 soil samples and assisted over 2500 clients with  diagnostic samples, phone calls, emails and individual consultations. We regularly hear from our clients that our services are "invaluable" and that we have made them much more successful in their gardening endeavors.