Planning and Designing Your Home Landscape
This publication explores landscape planning: putting the plan on paper; selecting, placing, and planting trees and shrubs; and maintaining the home grounds.
Evergreen Trees & Shrubs
Trees and shrubs are the backbone of our landscapes. Properly placed and well-maintained landscape plants help conserve energy, provide shade, increase the property values, attract wildlife, offer privacy and help us create peaceful outdoor living environments.
Articles
Mulches for Home Gardens and Plantings
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.
Woodpecker Ecology & Damage Management
Woodpeckers are attractive visitors to bird feeders and an integral part of the ecosystem, but can sometimes cause damage. Learn about the habits and management of these interesting birds.
Boxwood Blight
Boxwood blight (also known as box blight and boxwood leaf drop) is a devastating disease of boxwood (Buxus spp.) that can cause leaf loss and eventual death of affected shrubs. This factsheet covers symptoms and management.
European Larch, Larix decidua
Not all conifers are evergreen, and larch is one example of a conifer that loses its needles every year. Learn more about Larix decidua in this article…
Sawflies
Sawflies are a group insects related to wasps. The plant-feeding larvae often look like caterpillars or slugs, and large numbers cause noticeable defoliation on their hosts. Learn more about sawflies in this article…
Stinkhorns
Stinkhorns are mushrooms that can appear in mulch, lawns, and areas with bare soil. Stinkhorns do not cause plant disease, and can be beneficial, as described in this factsheet.
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.
Drought and Watering of Ornamental Plants
Learn how to water woody plants to help them survive prolonged periods of drought in this article.
Controlling Deer Damage in Wisconsin
This publication describes plant damage caused by deer, and illustrates numerous methods for protecting plants from deer.
Bird’s Nest Fungi
Bird’s nest fungi are not harmful to plants, but grow on decomposing organic matter, such as on mulch in planting beds with damp, shady conditions. Learn more in this factsheet.
Mealybugs
Mealybugs are slow-moving, small, oval insects covered in white cottony wax. This factsheet describes the identification, biology and management of this insect pest.
