If you are feeling a bit of weather whiplash, you are not alone. Some plants have leafed out or are blooming a few weeks earlier than usual due to the record-breaking warm weather in February and early March. Now, Mother Nature as she often does, is doing a bit of a course correction and we […]
The 3rd-4th week in March is a great time to start seeds in the southern half of the state. We are holding a seed starting workshop this Saturday at the Dane County Extension office. This in-person event begins with a lecture on seed starting techniques and principles followed by a hands-on session in the Dane County Extension Teaching Garden Greenhouse where attendees can practice planting seeds and will take home some seeds in packs that they have planted. There are still spaces left if you’d like to come.
If you want to learn about proper tree and shrub pruning, this hands-on workshop will begin with an indoor PowerPoint program on proper pruning techniques and afterwards, the class will move outside into the Dane County Extension Teaching Garden for a demonstration/participatory pruning session on shrubs and trees in the Garden. The PowerPoint lecture will […]
Woodpecker flecking on ash bark Photo credit Lisa Johnson Woodpecker Flecking on Ash Photo credit Wisconsin DNR Even before humans are able to detect signs of emerald ash borer in ash trees, woodpeckers know the larvae are there, feeding just under the tree’s bark. Woodpecker damage, called “flecking,” occurs when birds peck away the top […]
De-icing rock salt
One of the tools we have for climate resilience and mitigating the effects of urban heat islands in cities is planting more large-scale trees. This new two-sided publication from Dane County Extension Horticulture and the Tree Canopy Collaborative illustrates the steps in planting a tree, whether it is in a pot, bare root or has […]
You may have received or purchased some flower bulbs over the holidays. For forcing, you need to know whether you have a precooled or non-pre-cooled bulb. Or maybe you have an amaryllis bulb, which needs no cooling due to its tropical origins. Amaryllis bulbs produce large showy blooms on a sturdy stalk. The common name […]
Before the ground freezes too far down, it is a good time to put protective fencing around trees and shrubs that may experience damage from deer, rabbit, vole, or mouse feeding over winter. Fruit trees, crabapples, burning bush, shrub hibiscus, Fothergilla, young witch hazel, low-growing junipers and arborvitae are among the plants most commonly damaged, […]
The month of October or even the beginning of November is the best time for planting garlic in the southern part of Wisconsin. The second or third week of October is the usual planting time in northern Wisconsin. We used to plant late in the fall to avoid having cloves sprout. However, new research shows […]
The autumn of 2022 was one of those amazing years for fall color. 2023 has been fairly good as well, which I was not expecting, given the severe drought that can cause woody plants to defoliate earlier than usual. But in 2022, even some woody plants that I don’t normally see great fall color on looked […]
Seed starting time is coming! Do you know if your seeds are viable? Here are some tips to keep in mind. Fresh seed germinates best. Seed packets are labeled with the date they are best used by. Though seeds are usually viable longer than that date, some species lose viability faster, and germination decreases for […]
January 23 begins Salt Awareness week. With the recent snowfall, you may be using de-icing salt products to keep driveways and sidewalks clear. Excess de-icing salts can damage soils, plants and water sources. It just takes one teaspoon of salt in a five-gallon bucket of water before it starts to create problems. It also is […]
