Articles
Gardening Articles
Research-based horticulture information to help keep your plants and gardens thriving.
When Is the Right Time to Plant Vegetable Seeds? Check Soil Temperature
In our rapidly changing climate, a calendar date is not a reliable method to choose when to plant your vegetable garden. A better method to determine when to put seeds in the ground is to test soil temperatures.
▶︎ Watch: Strategies for Identifying and Managing Plant Diseases
This webinar introduces the basics of plant disease, exploring a variety of signs and symptoms like spots, rot, discoloration, and deformities across many plant types. It also provides information on how to collect quality plant disease samples and submit them to a professional lab for diagnosis.
▶︎ Watch: Soil Testing: Why, When, and How
This webinar offers clear, step‑by‑step guidance on how to collect, mix, and prepare samples before sending them to a lab. Learn the essentials of soil testing for home gardens, lawns, and landscapes.
Perennial Grass Weeds in Lawns
Perennial grasses can be troublesome weed problems in Wisconsin lawns. Common species include tall fescue, creeping bentgrass, zoysiagrass, quackgrass, and nimblewill. Learn more about the biology and management of each, both with and without herbicides, in this article.
▶︎ Watch: Low-maintenance, Natural Landscapes for a Neighborly Garden
In this webinar, learn why your gardening and landscaping practices can bring biodiversity to your yard while cutting back on lawn mower noise, pollution and yard waste.
Gardening for Weather Extremes in Wisconsin: Extreme heat and drought
As Wisconsin experiences more extreme heat and drought, knowing how your plants are affected and what you can do in these situations will help you make decisions about your gardening.
Gardening for Weather Extremes in Wisconsin: Extreme Precipitation
When Wisconsin experiences extreme precipitation, it is important to know how your plants are affected and what you can do in these situations so you can make informed decisions in your garden.
▶︎ Watch: Powdery Mildew Home Remedies
This webinar debunks common home remedies for powdery mildew, including milk, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, compost tea, and garlic, and shares effective strategies for managing this common plant disease!
▶︎ Watch: Planning for a Seed-Saving Garden
Saving seeds is a great way to keep your favorite garden vegetables for next year, but there are some things you need to know before you plant.
▶︎ Watch: Apple Pest Management for Home Gardeners
Learn how to identify and manage the most common apple pests found in Wisconsin backyards—including plum curculio, codling moth, apple maggot, and apple scab.
10 Ways Trees Fight Climate Change
Forests and urban tree canopies play a vital role in buffering the impacts of a changing climate. Learn how trees mitigate the effects of climate change and why investing in their planting, care, and preservation is more important than ever.
Flea Beetle
Flea beetles are early-season pests commonly found on cole crops/crucifers, as well as on other vegetables. This article covers common flea beetles found in Wisconsin, along with management and mitigation strategies.