Wisconsin Horticulture

Producing apples in home gardens can be challenging due to damage by insects and fungal diseases. One effective organic solution is placing developing fruit in bags. This factsheet describes the process.

Boost your garden’s production with mulches. This publication shows when to use organic mulches, like bark or leaves, and synthetic mulches, like plastic sheets, and teaches how to apply them.

The blueberry is a wonderful fruit rich in vitamin C, dietary fiber, and vitamin E. Due to its popularity, there is a growing interest among gardeners to plant blueberries in backyard gardens.

Fungus gnats (Family Sciaridae) are insects commonly associated with overwatered houseplants. They can become a nuisance when they are present in large numbers and fly around inside a home. In most situations, fungus gnats are a cosmetic problem. However, on occasion, fungus gnat larvae can cause plant damage.

This article provides practical tips on growing plants in containers. With a few tips, growing plants in containers can be easy!

Aquatic and wetland plants are great additions to your water gardens, ponds, and rain gardens to oxygenate the water, shelter and feed wildlife, provide beauty, and support pollinators. The plants we choose for rain gardens are also key to how it will function to reduce runoff. Over time, we have learned that many invasive plants introduced to our gardens impact native species by spreading into natural areas.

If deer visit your property, before planting (or replanting), check out this list of trees, shrubs, flowers, herbs, and grasses that deer tend to avoid.

Phenology is a branch of science that studies the life cycles of plants and animals with seasonal changes and weather. Learn more in this factsheet.

Cold frames and hot beds, hoop houses, cloches, and floating row covers allow gardeners to grow plants earlier in spring and later in fall. Get ideas that will work for you in this factsheet.

By: Susan Carpenter, Wisconsin Native Plant Garden Curator, UW-Madison Arboretum In this video, learn how to select and care for plants to attract and support diverse pollinators in your garden all season long. This presentation emphasizes native plants and pollinators and includes sustainable gardening practices. Pollinator Gardens: Plant Selection and Garden Care (Link to YouTube) […]

Flowers, grasses, and sedges are great additions to your gardens and home landscape to intercept and control dirty water, store and cycle carbon, promote healthy soil, shelter and feed wildlife, and provide pollinator support. Over time, we have learned that many plants introduced into our gardens can negatively impact native species by spreading into natural areas.

By: PJ Liesch, Extension Entomology Specialist, UW-Madison While bees such as honey bees and bumblebees are well-known, Wisconsin is home to nearly 500 species of bees. Most of these bees go unrecognized by the public but provide critical pollination services. In this video, you will learn about some of the commonest wild bees in the […]