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.
Vegetables
It’s easy to grow fresh, nutritious and tasty vegetables in your own yard, community garden plot, or even in containers on a deck or patio. The University of Wisconsin – Madison Division of Extension offers home vegetable gardeners a tremendous number of resources to learn how to grow vegetables, as well as how to prevent and control diseases and insects. Browsing our publications and fact sheets will help you be successful in achieving a bountiful harvest.
Featured Vegetable Articles
Supporting Native Bees: Our Essential Pollinators
This free publication describes the importance of bees in pollinating major food crops, how to attract and support native pollinators, and how to construct, place, and maintain nests.
Making and Using Compost in the Garden
Making your own compost is an easy, practical, and satisfying way to make use of yard waste and table scraps. With this publication, designed for the home gardener, you’ll be composting like a pro in no time!
If you’re unable to find the information you need, please submit your gardening question here:
Articles
Early Blight
Early blight is a common fungal disease that can devastate tomatoes in commercial and home gardens. Learn about symptoms and management in this factsheet.
Trellising, Staking and Caging – Vertical gardening techniques for vine-type vegetables
Various trellising, staking and caging techniques can be used with vine-type fruits and vegetables to enhance yield, minimize disease, and ease harvesting. Find techniques for your garden here.
Onion Thrips
Onion thrips are an important annual pest of onion, and can attack other garden crops as well, including leeks and garlic. Learn about these pests in this factsheet.
Onion Maggot
Onion maggots are a common and often serious pest of plants in the onion family, including onions, leeks, shallots, garlic and chives. Learn about these pests, the damage they cause, and control here.
Soil Contaminants in Community Gardens
Before siting and starting a community garden, learn about types and sources of potential contaminants, the basics of soil testing, and how to limit exposure to contaminants in this publication.
Potato Leafhopper
Potato leafhopper can be a serious annual pest of a wide range of plants, including apple, beans, dahlia, eggplant, potato, rhubarb, strawberry and many bedding plants. Learn more about this pest in this factsheet.
Whiteflies
Whiteflies are not true flies, but belong in the same order as scales, aphids and mealybuts. Several species can infest greenhouses. Learn how to identify and manage this pest in this factsheet.
Wireworms
Authors: David Lowenstein and Russell Groves, UW-Madison EntomologyLast Revised: 05/22/2020X-number: XHT1045 Wireworms are the larvae of several species of click beetles (Family Elateridae). These beetles flip into the air with an audible click when turned on their backs. Wireworms feed primarily on grasses (including grass crops such as corn) but have a broad host range that includes vegetables […]
Asparagus Beetle
Karen Delahaut, formerly UW-Madison Fresh Market Vegetable Program Revised: 1/12/2005 Item number: XHT1137 The common asparagus beetle (Criocercis asparagi) and spotted asparagus beetle (Crioceris duodecimpunctata) are annual pests of asparagus in Wisconsin. The common asparagus beetle is the more prevalent of the two species and the only one that causes economic damage to asparagus in […]
Cabbage Maggot
Authors: David Lowenstein and Russell Groves, UW-Madison Entomology Last Revised: 05/22/2019 X-number: XHT1030 The cabbage maggot (Delia radicum) is an early season pest of cruciferous/cole crops (e.g., cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kohlrabi, rutabaga, turnip, and radish), as well as cruciferous weeds (e.g., wild mustard, water cress, wild radish). Cabbage maggot damages plants by feeding […]
Imported Cabbageworm
Karen Delahaut, formerly UW-Madison Fresh Market Vegetable Program Revised: 5/28/2004 Item number: XHT1032 The imported cabbageworm (Pieris rapae) is a lepidopteran insect and the most important cole crop pest in Wisconsin. All cole crops, including cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and rutabaga, are susceptible to attack by this insect. Appearance: Imported cabbageworm adults are the […]
