Miscellaneous
What's New
National Pollinator Week & Dealing With Deer Webinar
Phenology and Gardening
Have you ever noticed that some natural events, such as bird migration or flower blooming, occur on different calendar dates each year, but always happens in a predictable pattern relative to the weather and other seasonal events? Phenology is the study of the timing of natural events in relation to weather. Learn more about phenology in this article...
Organic Pesticides
Although "organic pesticide" may seem like an oxymoron, there really are a number of naturally-derived materials registered as pesticides for use by organic growers. This article describes what a pesticide is and some of those approved for organic production. Learn more by reading the full article...
Add the Landscape Pesticide Registry to Your End of Year To-Do List
Did you know the state of Wisconsin will notify you when lawn and landscape pesticides are to be applied to adjacent properties by commercial applicators? To take advantage of this free service, all you have to do is sign up online with WI-DATCP. For more details on the program read the full article...
Chocolate
What could be better than chocolate? Many people love this sweet, rich treat, but not everyone knows where it comes from. The process of converting the seeds of a tropical rainforest tree to the confection we know involves a number of steps. But that tree itself is an interesting plant. To learn more about where chocolate comes from, read this article...
Fascinating Fasciation
Have you ever seen a plant with unusual, distorted growth – especially in a flower or flower stem – and wondered what that was? This mistake in plant growth is a phenomenon called “fasciation” that causes flattened, ribbon-like growth. You can learn more about this interesting condition by reading this article...
Vanilla
Most people like the flavor of vanilla, but not many know where it comes from. The orchid Vanilla planifolia is the source of most commercial vanilla beans, or seed pods, that are processed to produce the flavoring used in dairy products, baked goods and many other treats. To learn more about this exotic plant read this article...
Floating Row Cover
Floating row cover is a great addition to any vegetable garden, as it can be used for several different purposes and is easy to use. Learn more about these specially designed fabrics in this article.
Green Flowers
St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, so there’s lots of green stuff out there, including flowers. Some of the ones for sale now are dyed for the occasion, but there are many flowers that are naturally green. Read on to learn more about some of these green gems...
