Online Course Announcement:
Plant Diagnostics: The Step-by-Step Approach to Identifying Plant Problems
Next course offered February 2024!
Growing and Caring for Plants in Wisconsin: Foundations in Gardening
Registration is closed for Fall 2023. Next course offered Fall 2024!
In the meantime, stay informed about all our offerings, including announcements about this course. Join our mailing list to receive reminders about courses, webinars, and more!
Growing and Caring for Plants in Wisconsin: Foundations in Gardening is an online introductory course where you learn key concepts for selecting, growing, and maintaining plants – from trees to houseplants to vegetables and everything in between!
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
The University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension welcomes two new Outreach Specialists, Allen Pyle and Lauren Mortensen, positioned to amplify outreach and education for Wisconsin’s horticulture community.
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.
After stressful summer, lawn grasses in Wisconsin rejuvenate in autumn and it is considered one of the best times to seed, renovate and establish new lawns. Moderate temperatures in 70’s and ample soil moisture in September promotes speedy establishment of lawn grasses.
Check out Horticulture News Posts from earlier in the season!
Timely Articles for Fall Gardens
When should I treat my ash tree for EAB? This factsheet addresses some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the treatment of ash trees for EAB, and the removal and disposal of infested trees.
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.
Many plants grown from mbulbs can be forced to bloom indoors during the winter. Learn how to choose, plant, and provide the right conditions to enjjoy spring-flowering blooms indoors while its still winter outside.
In this episode of Garden Talk, we talk about fall lawn care, including lawn revival, overseeding and repair, as well as fall fertilization and weed control.
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.
The colors of autumn leaves are one of nature’s most beautiful spectacles. Learn about what goes on inside leaves that leads to a beautiful fall color show in this article.
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!
This publication is a great how-to resource for backyard apple growers. It covers everything from planting to pruning to disease and insect management strategies, to help you get a great harvest.
Podcast and transcript covering lawn care tips for fall with Doug Soldat, Extension Turfgrass and Urban Soil Specialist.
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.
In winter, young trees are prone to a variety of hazards. In this video, learn how you can mitigate that damage by protecting young trees from potential wildlife damage and how to effectively protect trunks from winter sunscald damage.
Shorter days and cooler nights mean it’s time to start bringing in plants that summer outside. We talk with a horticulturist about how to successfully transition them back into your home. Listen to the episode.