Wisconsin Horticulture - Extension

From peonies and pothos to insects and tree problems, Wisconsin gardeners bring all kinds of questions to Ask Your Gardening Question: Live.

Our latest recap highlights questions answered by UW-Madison Extension plant health experts, covering topics like insects, plant diseases, vegetables, trees, shrubs, and more.

If you've ever wondered whether your gardening question is worth asking, take a look at the recap. Chances are someone is dealing with the same challenge in their yard or garden: hort.extension.wisc.edu/ask-your-gardening-question-live/recap 🍅🐞

Have a question of your own? Join us for an upcoming Ask Your Gardening Question: Live session and get answers directly from our experts. The sessions are free and open to everyone.

Join us Friday, June 12 for the third and final session of the "Big 3 Apple Insect Webinar Series!" 🍎🪰

The series concludes with a look at the Apple Maggot, a common fly species that is active in orchards mid- to late-summer. Learn the best monitoring and management practices to protect your ripening fruit as you head toward harvest.

Register for free at go.wisc.edu/Big3Webinar-AM
This webinar will be recorded for later viewing.

Did your lilacs finish blooming? Now is the time to prune.

Spring-blooming shrubs—like lilac, forsythia, weigela, viburnum, and others—set their flower buds the year before. Pruning at the right time is crucial to ensure plenty of blooms next season. If you prune too late, you risk removing next year's flowers.

Learn when, how, and what to prune for the healthiest shrubs: hort.extension.wisc.edu/proper-timing-key-when-pruning

Join the UW-Madison Extension Horticulture Program for Ask Your Gardening Question: LIVE, a free online program where you can connect directly with plant health experts from UW. The next session is scheduled for Wednesday, May 20 from 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just getting started, don’t miss this opportunity to connect with horticulture professionals and grow your knowledge.

Register for free at go.wisc.edu/aygq052026

Free Online Gardening Programs Join Wisconsin Horticulture Extension for free online gardening programs — and watch from any device! Our topics are suitable for gardeners of any skill level.

“When can I prune my hydrangea?”

“Why didn’t my fruit tree bloom this year?”

“Will my plants recover from spring floods?”

Every month, Wisconsin gardeners bring their questions to 'Ask Your Gardening Question: Live' to get timely advice from UW experts about problems happening in their gardens and landscapes. If you’re wondering whether other gardeners are dealing with the same issues as you, the answer is probably yes.

Take a look at our latest recap featuring audience questions, expert answers, and science-backed resources — then be sure to join us for the next live session on May 20! hort.extension.wisc.edu/ask-your-gardening-question-live/recap

Join us Thursday, May 14, from 6–7 p.m. for a free webinar with Ann Kowenstrot, Diversified Vegetable Educator, exploring rhubarb history, production, and management. We will also cover what growers and gardeners need to know for successful rhubarb production and care. This session will provide practical, research-based information for both home gardeners and small scale producers.

Can't make it during the scheduled webinar? Don't fret. Register anyways, and we will email you the recorded webinar as soon as it's available! 🥬

Register for free at go.wisc.edu/RhubarbMay2026

Attention backyard apple growers: Have you ever cut into one of your homegrown apples to find a brown, frass-filled core with tunnels? Or worse, an actual worm 🐛🍏

Codling moth is likely the culprit. Join us Friday, May 15 for Part 2 of the “Big 3 Apple Insect Webinar Series,” covering strategies to protect your apple crop from this common insect problem.

Can’t make it during the scheduled webinar? No problem. Register for free and have the recorded webinar sent to your inbox. Sign up now: hort.extension.wisc.edu/free-online-programs/

When we say "No Mow May," THIS is what we mean! It’s not about the length of the lawn, it’s about providing vital pollen and nectar sources in early spring.

Pollinators begin foraging for food on blooming flowers as early as April. Low-growing, flowering “weeds” or even small bulbs planted in lawns are an excellent way to increase the amount of food sources available this time of year. But lawns are far from the only way to support pollinators in spring. This article offers helpful recommendations to make your entire yard a friendly haven for pollinators: hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/whats-the-deal-with-no-mow-may

This April has been one of the wettest on record in Wisconsin, and all that extra rain can affect plants as they emerge from dormancy. Saturated soils and prolonged flooding can damage plant roots and contribute to overall plant decline (or even death!).

With heavy rain events becoming more common, it is important for Wisconsin gardeners and landscapers to know how to respond.

Learn what to do to manage the impacts of extreme precipitation and protect your plants and landscapes: hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/gardening-in-extreme-precipitation-and-flooding

This Friday! Don’t miss our first session of the “Big Three Apple Insect Webinar series,” covering plum curculio, a common weevil species that harms fruits in the early growth stage. You’ll learn identification tips and timing for effective intervention.

Register for free: go.wisc.edu/Big3Webinar-PC

Can’t make it during the scheduled session? No problem. Register anyways, and you’ll get the recorded webinar sent right to your inbox.