Articles
Gardening Articles
Research-based horticulture information to help keep your plants and gardens thriving.
Gladiolus Disorder: Virus Complex and Aster Yellows
Viruses can destroy the value of a gladiolus crop. Serious infections have been observed throughout Wisconsin in some years. While Aster Yellows is common, it usually infects just a few gladioli scattered in plantings. This fact sheet covers the symptoms, causes, and means of control of viral and Aster Yellows infection.
Oak Wilt Management—What Are the Options?
Oak Wilt fungal disease kills oaks throughout Wisconsin every year.
This publication focuses on the red oak group and tells how to prevent, identify, and control this disease.
Maple and Other Trees Disorder: Cottony Maple Scale
Cottony maple scale is an insect that can infest the twigs of maples and other shade trees with popcorn-sized cottony masses. This publication describes the symptoms, life cycle and management.
Cucurbit Downy Mildew: Identification and Management
Cucurbit downy mildew can affect all plants in the gourd family, including cucumber, watermelon, cantaloupe, pumpkin and squash. Learn about identification and management here.
Watercore of Apple
Watercore of apple is a physiologic disorder caused by adverse environmental conditions. Find out more about this apple disorder in this factsheet.
Apple Disorder: Sooty Blotch and Flyspeck
Sooty blotch and flyspeck are separate diseases that often occur together on apple and pear fruit during late summer. This factsheet will hlep you better understand, identify, and control these diseases.
Rootstocks for Fruit Trees in Wisconsin
Fruit trees are propagated by budding or grafting onto special rootstocks. Some nurseries offer trees with a choice of rootstocks. Learn more about how rootstocks affect your backyard trees here.
Plant Growth Regulator Use in Apples
Plant growth regulators can be used for thinning fruit, regulating growth and adjusting harvest periods for apples. Learn more in this publication.
Deciduous Tree and Shrub Disorder: Skeletonizing by Rose Chafer
Skeletonizing of leaves of roses, raspberries, grapes and other plants may be caused by adult rose chafers. Learn to identify and manage rose chafer in this publication.
Blanket flower, Gaillardia spp.
Every year, the National Garden Bureau selects one ornamental flower to feature in their “Year of the” program. 2015 is the Year of the Gaillardia. This native North American plant is both a common wildflower in places and a colorful garden ornamental, with new cultivars being developed all the time. Learn more about blanket flower in this article…
Hosta Virus X
Hosta virus X (HVX) is a viral disease that causes serious problems on many hosta cultivars, causing nursery owners and gardeners in the United States to voluntarily destroy large numbers of hosta to help prevent the spread. This fact sheet describes the symptoms and management of this virus.
Root-Knot Nematode
Root-knot nematodes are small, soilborne, worm-like organisms that infect many agricultural and horticultural plants. This publication describes the symptoms, and management of root-knot nematodes in Wisconsin.