Colorful flowers are always welcome indoors in the winter. Cyclamen persicum is a tender plant that is grown as a houseplant for its bright white, pink or red flowers that can bloom for months. It may be difficult to provide the right conditions to get this plant to rebloom, however. To learn more about what cyclamen needs to thrive, read this article…
If you want to grow something a little different, with grassy foliage and relatively large flowers, consider pink rain lily. This tender bulb gets its common name from the color of the flowers that burst into bloom after a good rain. Easy to grow in containers, it makes a good summer patio plant or a year-round houseplant. Learn more in this article…
This handy chart lists pesticides that are most effective against common greenhouse pests such as aphids, scales, leafminers, spider mites, and thrips. Formulation, effectiveness, cautions, and other details are provided.
Leaf streak is a common disease of daylilies, affecting daylilies wherever they are grown. Daylily varieties can vary widely in terms of their susceptibility to the disease. Oftentimes leaf streak is a cosmetic problem, causing little damage, but sometimes can cause substantial leaf loss or complete defoliation of daylily plants. Learn how to manage this disease in this factsheet.
What is hollyhock rust? Hollyhock rust is the most common fungal leaf disease of hollyhocks (Alcea rosea). Many other ornamentals (e.g., flowering maple, rose mallow) and weeds (e.g., common mallow) in the mallow family are also susceptible. Hollyhock rust can quickly spread, causing stunting of plants and premature leaf drop. In rare instances, hollyhock rust […]
Though not yet found in Wisconsin, Thousand Cankers disease (TCD) is a serious, potentially fatal disease of black walnut, a native tree. Learn what to watch for here.
Bacterial soft rots are diseases that damage succulent plant parts including fruits, tubers, stems and bulbs. Learn how to identify and avoid problems with bacterial soft rot in this factsheet.
What is impatiens downy mildew? Impatiens downy mildew is a serious threat wherever impatiens are grown, including Wisconsin. Impatiens downy mildew has been so destructive in the past that it has made impatiens unusable as a garden ornamental. The disease affects garden impatiens (Impatiens walleriana and I. balsamina), as well as native jewelweeds (I. pallida and I. capensis). New […]
Brown rot is a destructive fungal disease of the genus Prunus, including plums, cherries, apricots, and peaches. This factsheet will help you identify and manage brown rot.
Common corn smut is a fungal disease that affects field, pop and sweet corn, and forms swellings (galls) on ears, kernels, tassels, husks, leaves, stalks, buds and even aerial roots of the plant. Learn more here.
When it comes to digging in the garden or pruning trees and shrubs, having high quality tools that are cleaned, lubricated, sharpened and otherwise properly maintained, makes any outdoor job simpler and more efficient. Learn how to maintain your garden tools in this useful factsheet.
This mushroom-like mass found on the ears of corn and corn relatives can be a problem for corn growers (i.e., “corn smut”), but is also often a culinary delicacy! Learn more in this factsheet.
