Articles
Gardening Articles
Research-based horticulture information to help keep your plants and gardens thriving.
Landscaping Alternatives for Terrestrial Invasive Flowers and Grasses
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.
What’s the deal with “No Mow May?”
Have you heard about “No Mow May?” Many people have committed to not mowing their yards in May, allowing flowering plants to grow to help provide food for pollinators. Before you stow away your mower for May, let’s look at what options you can take to help pollinators this Spring.
Join in Community Science with the Wisconsin Wild Bee App
By: Claudio Gratton, Professor, UW-Madison Department of Entomology WiBee is a new community science smartphone app developed by the Gratton Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Using WiBee, you can help increase the research data on diverse pollinator species and can also provide growers with better pollination management recommendations and share more information about the […]
10 Things to Consider for Weed Management When Establishing Pollinator Plantings
By: Mark Renz, Professor, Extension Weed Specialist, UW-Madison Planting pollinator friendly habitats is an important practice to help support pollinator conservation, but managing the weeds can make it challenging. In this video, you will learn about Mark Renz’s research about weed management options and what factors you should consider when planning and establishing pollinator plantings. […]
▶ Watch: How do Pesticides Affect Pollinators and Songbirds in Your Yard
In this video, you will learn what research studies have found about how pesticides affect pollinators and songbirds. You will also learn about what people have done to help in their yards and communities to aid pollinator health and habitats.
▶ Watch: Pollinator Gardens: Plant Selection and Garden Care
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.
Wisconsin’s Busy Bees: Getting to Know the Bees in Your Area
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 […]
Protecting Young Trees from Animal and Other Damage Over Winter
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.
▶ WATCH: Maintaining Your Festive Houseplants
Festive houseplants are common gifts in winter. In this video, learn how to keep a poinsettia, Christmas cactus, Norfolk Island Pine and other favorite gift plants thriving.
Strategies for Identifying and Managing Plant Diseases
By: Amanda Gevens, Professor and Integrated Extension Specialist Plants can be affected by fungus, bacteria, viruses and other factors. In this video, you will learn how to look for symptoms of plant disease, cultural methods to reduce disease pressure, and other management practices. Plant disease is an abnormal response in plant health to a pathogen, […]
Strategies for Identifying and Managing Insect Pests
By: PJ Liesch, Extension Entomology Specialist Even though insects can cause damage to our plants, not all of them are harmful. In this video, you will learn how to look for signs of insects, why identification is required, and different control options and methods. The first step in the management process of insects in yards […]
Identification, Management and Control of Major Apple Pests
By: Diana Alfuth, Horticulture Outreach Specialist Major insect and fungal pests can cause damage to your apples. In this video, you will learn about the major insect and fungal pests, how their life cycle influences management techniques, and several practices that you can use to help you be successful growing apples. There are four major […]
