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.
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 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!
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Portulaca oleracea is a low-growing plant with succulent leaves. This annual grows quickly to produce a mat of tart-flavored edible leaves. Because of its fast growth, prolific seed production, and ability to survive in all types of soils, most people think of it as a pest, but some consider it a vegetable. To learn more about this edible weed, read this article…
Tomatoes are a popular vegetable that many people grow in their home gardens. Pruning tomatoes can create stronger and healthier plants that will grow larger numbers of higher quality tomato fruits later into the growing season.
Black walnut trees can have a dramatic, negative affect on certain plants. To learn more about juglone toxicity and which plants are suceptible, read this article…
Tobacco mosaic causing a blotchy light and dark coloring (mosaic) of tobacco leaves. Tobacco mosaic causing a blotchy light and dark coloring (mosaic) of tobacco leaves.
This article provides practical tips on growing plants in containers. With a few tips, growing plants in containers can be easy!
This factsheet covers Verticillium wilt, a typically fatal disease that affects a wide range of vegetable crops and other plants. Symptoms include sudden yellowing of foliage.
Bacterial wilt is a common and destructive disease that affects cucurbits, including crops such as melon, cucumber and, to a lesser extent, squash and pumpkin. Learn more in this factsheet.
Tomato spotted wilt is a viral disease of worldwide distribution that can affect a wide range of vegetables, fruits, field crops, and ornamentals, and even weeds! Learn more here.
Tomatoes are one of the most nutritionally rich of all vegetables, and grown easily in the home garden. Here’s how to get started and care for tomatoes from planting to harvest.
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.
Squash bugs cause damage to vine crops, especially pumpkins and squash, in both home gardens and commercial fields. Learn about their life cycle, damage, and management in this factsheet.
Squash vine borer is an annual pest of pumpkins and squash, and can cause major losses in home gardens. Learn about the life cycle and management of this pest in this factsheet.
