Learn Gardening with this New Online Course
Coming soon: Foundations in Horticulture. This online non-credit course will teach you to become better at growing plants and managing pests. You will learn how to make decisions focusing on how plants grow best, why pests and problems happen, and how to do our best to keep plant problems from happening.
Find out more!
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
As July arrives in Wisconsin, Japanese beetles become active and can cause problems for gardeners, landscapers, and farmers. Activity often peaks in late July and August. Japanese beetles can feed on hundreds of different types of garden and landscape plants, but some of their favorites include roses, lindens, birches, grapes, and raspberries.
Here are the top five reasons that tomatoes can wilt based on samples that Brian in the Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic has received in the clinic over the years.
At this time of the year, plant diseases are in full swing. When you see diseases in your garden, a natural tendency is to want to do something to make things better. In some instances however, ignoring the problem and doing nothing can be your best course of action.
Check out Horticulture News Posts from earlier in the season!
Timely Articles for Summer Gardens
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.
Mike Maddox, State Master Gardener Program Manager & Darren Lochner, Formerly of the UW-Extension Lower Chippewa River Basin Revised: 2/5/2008 Item number: XHT1157 What is a rain barrel? A rain barrel can be any large container designed to collect rain water. Typically, rain barrels are placed at the bottom of downspouts in order to collect […]
Laura Jull, Woody Ornamental Specialist, UW-Extension, UW-Madison Revised: 7/13/2012 Many of our established woody ornamentals can survive periods of prolonged drought. In response to drought conditions, some of our woody ornamentals, both native and exotic, can start the annual fall leaf defoliation a bit early during prolonged drought conditions. Leaves can also turn brown and […]
Scott R. Craven, Phillip J. Pellitteri, Mark J. Renz Revised: 1/15/2010 Item number: G3564 Wisconsin’s bountiful natural resources make it an ideal place for outdoor recreation. Most plants and creatures you encounter won’t hurt you, but timber rattlesnakes, yellow jackets, wild parsnip, and others can be troublesome. This guide will help you recognize, avoid, and […]
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.
Robert Tomesh, horticulture specialist, University of Wisconsin Extension, Cooperative Extension Revised: 3/31/2011 Item number: A3933-01 Vine-type fruits and vegetables—such as tomatoes, melons, and cucumbers—are some of the most popular produce grown. Various trellising, staking, and caging techniques can be used to enhance yield, minimize disease, and improve harvesting. Find out which techniques will work in […]
The Wisconsin Bee Identification Guide provides information about 13 of the most common bees found in Wisconsin. From the very small Sweat Bee, measuring in at 1/4″ long, to the big Bumble Bee, this guide helps identify many incredibly important pollinators!
This factsheet summarized ten common plant diseases that are also relatively easy to identify on your own.
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!
Teryl R. Roper, Daniel L. Mahr, Patricia S. McManus Revised: 7/5/2010 Item number: A3565 A great how-to book for backyard apple growers. Covers everything from planting tips to pruning to disease and insect management strategies. Download Article
Learn how to make the most of your garden. Features tips for setting up and planting raised beds, including wheelchair access.
