Online Courses: Foundations in Horticulture and more
Although registration is closed for Foundations in Horticulture: Growing and Caring for Plants in Wisconsin for 2021, we will be offering this class again in 2022, along with other classes.
Find out more and get on the email list, so you can be one of the first to know about upcoming offerings!
New to Gardening?
Gardening and learning to grow your own food provides many benefits, but we know it can be a bit intimidating when first starting out.
Check out our New Gardener Resources to get your Wisconsin garden started quickly and easily.
Latest Horticulture News
Fall is here, so it’s a good time to think about preparing the vegetable garden for winter. There are things you can do now to protect or extend harvest of existing crops and prepare your soil for next year. Here are some tips
Watch out for the pesky “Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB)” that sneaks into the homes at this time of the year. In the last few years, the population of BMSB increased in southeast Wisconsin and in several other regions in the state.
Fall is a beautiful time of year in Wisconsin, but it comes with a list of chores to be done before the snow flies. Is raking leaves one of those chores? Maybe, maybe not. If you have trees dropping leaves on your lawn grass, in many cases there is no need to incur blisters by raking them up. Leaves have nutrients, which can be recycled into your lawn. The concern is if your leaf layer is very thick and will smother the grass.
Check out Horticulture News Posts from earlier in the season!
Timely Articles for Fall Gardens
A great how-to book for backyard apple growers. Covers everything from planting tips to pruning to disease and insect management strategies.
When should I consider treating my ash tree for EAB? This factsheet addresses some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the treatment of ash trees for emerald ash borer (EAB), and the removal and disposal of infested trees.
The bright yellow, orange and red colors of autumn leaves are one of nature’s most beautiful spectacles. Although a familiar annual event, much of our understanding of autumn leaf coloration has, until recently, been based primarily on random observation and speculation.
When selecting plants for landscaping, consider choosing ones that offer showy fall foliage. This beautifully illustrated 38-page publication provides an extensive (though by no means comprehensive) list of commercially available woody plants that offer spectacular fall color.
Making your own compost is an easy, practical, and satisfying way to make use of yard waste and table scraps. With this publication, designed for the home gardener, you’ll be composting like a pro in no time!
Cold frames and hot beds, hoop houses, cloches, and floating row covers allow gardeners to grow plants earlier in spring and later in fall. Although these structures are used primarily for growing vegetables, they may be used for growing ornamentals, including flowering plants, as well.
The following lawn care calendar provides an overview of home lawn maintenance. Not all lawns require every maintenance activity. Be sure to customize the care of your lawn to its specific problems and needs.
When it comes to digging in the garden or pruning trees and shrubs, having high quality tools that are cleaned, lubricated, sharpened and otherwise properly maintained, makes any outdoor job simpler and more efficient. Learn how to maintain your garden tools in this useful factsheet.
Growing vegetables from seed is a common practice for many home gardeners. Unfortunately, vegetable seed can sometimes be contaminated with disease-causing organisms, particularly disease-causing bacteria. Learn how to use hot water treatment to reduce pathogens that may be carried on seeds in this guide.
Properly placed and maintained landscape plants can increase the value of real estate. Plant selection is one of the most important decisions a gardener, landscaper or designer makes when landscaping.
If deer visit your property, you’ve likely already experienced the frustration of having landscape plants destroyed overnight. Before planting (or replanting), check out this list of trees, shrubs, flowers, herbs, and grasses that deer tend to avoid.
When selecting plants for landscaping, consider choosing ones that offer showy fall foliage. This beautifully illustrated 38-page publication provides an extensive (though by no means comprehensive) list of commercially available woody plants that offer spectacular fall color.
