2024 Q&A Series:
Gardening and Landscape Questions

Register for the upcoming Q&A series to get all of your questions answered!


Free Online Gardening Programs

Suitable for gardeners of all skill levels and watchable on mobile, tablet, and desktop devices.


Growing and Caring for Plants in Wisconsin: Foundations in Gardening

Registration for the Fall 2024 course opens July 15, 2024!

In the meantime, stay informed about all our offerings, including announcements about this course. Join our mailing list to receive reminders about courses, webinars, and more!

Growing and Caring for Plants in Wisconsin: Foundations in Gardening is an online introductory course where you learn key concepts for selecting, growing, and maintaining plants – from trees to houseplants to vegetables and everything in between!


New to Gardening?

Gardening and learning to grow your own food provides many benefits, but we know it can be a bit intimidating when first starting out.
Check out our
New Gardener Resources to get your Wisconsin garden started quickly and easily.


Latest Horticulture News

Spring Dormant Pruning Season for Woody Plants Ending Soon

The window for dormant pruning of trees and shrubs is almost closed for the season in much of Wisconsin. Find out what you can still prune, late March / early April.

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Tips for Buying and Caring for Easter Lilies

By: Ann Wied, Horticulture Educator, Waukesha County The Easter lily is a favorite Easter-time/Spring treat. It’s a welcome gift following a long winter. It is often thought of as a symbol of hope and life. Whether you are buying one for yourself or as a gift, the following tips will help you be successful in […]

Spring is Tick Season in Wisconsin

Warmer temperatures mean that Wisconsinites are spending a lot more time enjoying the outdoors with activities such as gardening, hiking, picnicking, and camping. However, spring also happens to be a season of peak tick activity in the Midwest. Ticks may be small but can have big health impacts as they carry diseases such as Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, and others.

Check out Horticulture News Posts from earlier in the season!

Timely Articles for Spring Gardens

Extending the Garden Season

Cold frames and hot beds, hoop houses, cloches, and floating row covers allow gardeners to grow plants earlier in spring and later in fall. Get ideas that will work for you in this factsheet.

Bagging Apples for Insect and Disease Control

Producing apples in home gardens can be challenging due to damage by insects and fungal diseases. One effective organic solution is placing developing fruit in bags. This factsheet describes the process.

long-horned bee Melissodes sp. on oxeye daisy

Wisconsin’s Busy Bees: Getting to Know the Bees in Your Area

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 […]

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Pollinator Gardens: Plant Selection and Garden Care

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) […]

image of person applying wood mulch to flower bed

Mulches for Home Gardens and Plantings

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.

Wisconsin Lawn Care Calendar

The following lawn care calendar provides an overview of home lawn maintenance. Not all lawns require every maintenance activity. Be sure to customize the care of your lawn to its specific problems and needs.

Phenology

Phenology is a branch of science that studies the life cycles of plants and animals with seasonal changes and weather. Learn more in this factsheet.

Purple spike flowers with green spade shaped leaves

Landscaping Alternatives for Common Invasive Wetland and Aquatic Plants

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.

Swallowtail butterfly on monarda

How do Pesticides Affect Pollinators and Songbirds in Your Yard

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 […]

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Plants Not Favored by Deer

If deer visit your property, before planting (or replanting), check out this list of trees, shrubs, flowers, herbs, and grasses that deer tend to avoid.

Effects of Flooding on Woody Landscape Plants

“How long will my plants survive with their roots under water?” This publication will help you answer that question.

image of fresh pine shoots

Pruning Evergreens

Pruning can help control the size of an evergreen, direct growth, or maintain plant health and appearance. Learn how to prune evergreens in this factsheet.

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