Aquatic and wetland plants are great additions to your water gardens, ponds, and rain gardens to oxygenate the water, shelter and feed wildlife, provide beauty, and support pollinators. The plants we choose for rain gardens are also key to how it will function to reduce runoff. Over time, we have learned that many invasive plants introduced to our gardens impact native species by spreading into natural areas.
Flowers, grasses, and sedges are great additions to your gardens and home landscape to intercept and control dirty water, store and cycle carbon, promote healthy soil, shelter and feed wildlife, and provide pollinator support. Over time, we have learned that many plants introduced into our gardens can negatively impact native species by spreading into natural areas.
Have you heard about “No Mow May?” Many people have committed to not mowing their yards in May, allowing flowering plants to grow to help provide food for pollinators. Before you stow away your mower for May, let’s look at what options you can take to help pollinators this Spring.
By: Claudio Gratton, Professor, UW-Madison Department of Entomology WiBee is a new community science smartphone app developed by the Gratton Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Using WiBee, you can help increase the research data on diverse pollinator species and can also provide growers with better pollination management recommendations and share more information about the […]
By: Mark Renz, Professor, Extension Weed Specialist, UW-Madison Planting pollinator friendly habitats is an important practice to help support pollinator conservation, but managing the weeds can make it challenging. In this video, you will learn about Mark Renz’s research about weed management options and what factors you should consider when planning and establishing pollinator plantings. […]
By: Lynn Markham, Extension Land Use Statewide Specialist, UW-Stevens Point Maybe you’ve heard news stories about declines in pollinators and songbirds. In this video, you will learn what research studies have found about how pesticides affect pollinators and songbirds. You will also learn about what people have done to help in their yards and communities […]
By: Susan Carpenter, Wisconsin Native Plant Garden Curator, UW-Madison Arboretum In this video, learn how to select and care for plants to attract and support diverse pollinators in your garden all season long. This presentation emphasizes native plants and pollinators and includes sustainable gardening practices. Pollinator Gardens: Plant Selection and Garden Care (Link to YouTube) […]
By: PJ Liesch, Extension Entomology Specialist, UW-Madison While bees such as honey bees and bumblebees are well-known, Wisconsin is home to nearly 500 species of bees. Most of these bees go unrecognized by the public but provide critical pollination services. In this video, you will learn about some of the commonest wild bees in the […]
In winter, young trees are prone to a variety of hazards. In this video, learn how you can mitigate that damage by protecting young trees from potential wildlife damage and how to effectively protect trunks from winter sunscald damage.
By: Janell Wehr, Horticulture Outreach Specialist Festive houseplants are common gifts in winter. In this video, learn how to keep a poinsettia, Christmas cactus, Norfolk Island Pine and other favorite gift plants thriving. Common gift plants are usually native to tropical locations around the world, in particular Norfolk Island Pines, holiday cactus, and poinsettias. Using […]
By: Amaya Atucha, Fruit Crop Specialist Late winter is an excellent time to prune your backyard apple trees and proper pruning helps your trees to produce high-quality apples. In this video, you will learn about how the structure of an apple tree supports fruit production and disease prevention. It also covers proper pruning principles to […]
By: Amanda Gevens, Professor and Integrated Extension Specialist Plants can be affected by fungus, bacteria, viruses and other factors. In this video, you will learn how to look for symptoms of plant disease, cultural methods to reduce disease pressure, and other management practices. Plant disease is an abnormal response in plant health to a pathogen, […]
