Dead Man’s Fingers
Dead man’s fingers is the name of a mushroom-like fungal growth that can be found at the base of dead or dying trees and shrubs, as well as wood objects. Learn about this distinctive fungus in this factsheet.
Tree Fruits
Many different types of fruit trees can be grown in the home garden, depending on the space and growing conditions available. From apples to plums to peaches sure to be a tree fruit you can successfully grow at home. Read up to make sure you have the right soil, sun and winter conditions for each fruit, then select cultivars for your growing area.
Featured Fruit Articles
Home Fruit Cultivars for Southern Wisconsin
Find out which fruit cultivars are recommended for Southern Wisconsin. This publication describes flavor, ripening date, winter hardiness, and more, and includes tree fruits, stone fruits and small fruits.
Fruit and Frost
Wisconsin always has a risk of spring frosts, which can injure or kill flowers or immature fruit. This factsheet outlines critical temperatures and describes ways to protect against late season frosts.
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Articles
Four-Lined Plant Bug
Four-linied plant bug attacks a wide variety of herbaceous and woody plants. Learn to identify and manage this pest in this factsheet.
Pear Slug (Pear Sawfly)
Pear slugs are not true slugs, but are larva of the pear sawfly. They damge many kinds of ornamental and fruit trees. This factsheet describes appearance, damage and control.
Periodical Cicadas
Every 17 years, Wisconsin experiences a massive emergence of periodical cicadas. These insects are generally harmless, but can be quite loud. Adult females can cause some damage to young plants through their egg-laying activities. Learn about the life cycle of cicadas and their management in this factsheet.
Bitter Pit and Cork Spot
Bitter pit and cork spot are common disorders of Wisconsin apples, when weather conditions are just right. This factsheet describes what can be done to reduce the severity.
Bacterial Canker
Bacterial canker is a common and sometimes lethal disease of trees in the genus Prunus including cherry, plum and peach. This factsheet describes symptoms and management of bacterial canker.
Peach Leaf Curl
Peach leaf curl is a common disese of peach and nectarine trees, and can reduce tree vigor, fruit quality and yield. Learn symptoms and management options in this factsheet.
Fire Blight
Fire blight is the most destructive bacterial disease affecting plants in the rose family, including apple, pear, crabapple, hawthorn, cotoneaster, mountain ash, quince, rose, pyracantha, and spirea. Learn more here.
Downy Mildew
The downy mildews are a group of fungal diseases that cause destruction of the leaves, stems, flowers and fruits of many plants, including grapes, cucumbers and roses. Learn symptoms and controls in this factsheet.
Apple Scab
Apple scab is a potentially serious fungal disease of ornamental and fruit trees in the rose family. This factsheet describes symptoms, management and control of this sometimes serious disease.
Root and Crown Rots
This factsheet covers root/crown rot, which is a general term that describes disease of woody ornamentals where the causal organism attacks a plant’s root system and/or lower trunk or branches near the soil.
Bacterial Blight
Bacterial blight is a disease of Chinese, Japanese, Persian and common lilac, as well as apple, pear, plum and cherry. This factsheet describes symptoms and management of this common disease.
