Lemon Balm, Melissa officinalis
Lemon balm is an attractive plant with a fragrant, lemon-like odor. Used for tea and medicinal purposes, it is very easy to grow. To learn more about this herb, read this article…
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
Parsley, Petroselinum crispum
Parsley is a bienniel grown as an annual for its pungent foliage. Not only is it tasty, but it can also be grown as an ornamental for the attractive mounds of foliage. To learn more about parsley and its pests, read this article…
Kohlrabi, Brassica olearcea var. gongylodes
Looking somewhat like a space alien, kohlrabi is a member of the cabbage family that has a turnip-like enlargement of the stem above the soil surface. To learn more about this vegetable, read this article…
Corn Earworm, Helicoverpa zea
No one likes opening a fresh ear of sweet corn only to find it chewed up and often with a worm inside. The culprit is usually a corn earworm. The caterpillar of this species of moth varies a lot in color but is always seen feeding on the silk end of ears of corn. To learn more about this pest and how to control it, read this article…
Chioggia Beets
Beets are an easy crop to grow in the home garden, but they don’t have to be plain red. ‘Chioggia’ is a colorful red and white heirloom variety, often sweeter than other varieties. Learn more about this beet in this article…
Bean Leaf Beetle, Cerotoma trifurcata
Are your green bean plants being chewed up, with lots of round holes in the leaves and nibble marks on the pods? The most likely culprit is bean leaf beetle, a chrysomelid pest that tends to be more common in the southeast, but has outbreaks in southern Wisconsin after mild winters. To learn more about this insect pest and what to do about it, read this article…
