It’s Time to Start Seeds – Check Out Our Seed Starting Workshop!

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.

The annual tree and shrub pruning workshop is coming soon!

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 […]

Check Your Ash Trees for Signs of Emerald Ash Borer This Winter

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 […]

Green Thumb Gardening Spring 2024 Series

The Green Thumb Gardening Spring Class Series will give you the practical knowledge to keep your garden thriving! Learn about a variety of gardening topics from spring wildflowers to growing berries to creating a rain garden and more. The series brings you in-depth and accessible information for everyone from newer to experienced gardeners. Register for […]

GARDEN AND LANDSCAPE Q&A SERIES

The UW-Madison Division of Extension Horticulture Program is offering FREE educational online sessions where you can connect with plant health experts to get answers to your garden and landscape questions. The Ask the Experts: Monthly Garden and Landscape Q&A Series Monday February 19, 1:00-2:00 PM. These sessions are your chance to ask questions about your […]

New Tree Planting Handout

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 […]

Forcing Flower Bulbs

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 […]

Protecting Trees and Shrubs from Critter Damage in Winter

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, […]

It’s Garlic Planting Time

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 […]

Tree Canopy – A Tool To Build Climate Resilience

Author: Lisa Johnson, Horticulture Educator The Dane County Office of Energy and Climate Change has created a Climate Action Plan to cut carbon emissions in half within the next decade. One of the ways to help achieve this goal is to protect existing trees and increase tree canopy cover in the county. The non-profit American […]

Guidelines for Consuming Late Season Produce Exposed to Floodwater

 Heavy rains and the flowing water that results can contaminate plants growing in the garden and create a food safety hazard. As floodwater moves into your garden, it can carry raw sewage overflow, farm and domestic animal waste, river or pond water, and agricultural run-off, all of which can be sources of human pathogens such […]

Support Extension