Posts Tagged ‘Horticulture’

UW-West Madison Agricultural Research Station Urban Horticulture Day – Saturday, August 20 10:00 am-3:00 pm

New Program: 8:00 to 10:00 a.m.  At 8:00am, a Beginners Bird Walk and Bird Survey will be held, hosted by David Drake, Extension Wildlife Specialist, and Marsha Lisitza, local bird expert. They will lead a morning walk and a beginning bird survey program—remember to bring your binoculars! Meet in the parking lot next to the garden. Park across the dumpster near the hay barn.  Then, stay and join the fun at the field day!

Get new ideas and answers to perplexing problems, sample fresh produce and tour one of the area’s most extensive collections of flower and vegetable varieties, including many that haven’t yet appeared in seed catalogs, listen to the Madison Flute Club perform their Spring Concert from 10:30 to 11:30, taste and watch sauerkraut being made, “Silly Soil and Crazy Caterpillar” Sundaes will be available for the kids, Rocket Balloons, Fortune Fish, as well as a treasure hunt, and UV Bead, bracelet making—all at the West Madison Agricultural Research Station, 8502 Mineral Point Road, Verona. More details to come! Admission and parking are free. The field day is sponsored by UW-West Madison Agricultural Research Station staff, researchers at the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Extension staff, and Master Gardener Volunteers.

Questions: 608-262-2257

Possible stocking stuffers for you or your loved ones? Some might not fit, though. Hopefully, you can get a hold of these at the library or go ahead and order for yourself for Christmas or just for the heck of it — hey, it’s winter in Wisconsin.

Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs – Michael A. Dirr — If you haven’t heard of Michael Dirr, you need to attend more gardening functions, he’s the king.

Perennials – Garden Handbooks — A photographic guide to more than 1,000 plants by type size, season of interest, and color

Flowering Crabapples (The Genus Malus) – Fr. John L. Fiala — “Father Fiala bring 50 years of passionate interest in the hybridization and cultivation of the ornamental crabapple to his readers.”

Growing Shrubs and Small Trees in Cold Climates – Nancy Rose, Don Selinger, and John Whitman

Trees of Wisconsin Field Guide – Stan Tekiela — Every tree lover and hiker should have this in their stocking this year. If you don’t know what the trees are in your yard – you need this field guide. (New version came out last year).

Birdscaping In The Midwest – Mariette Nowak — If you like the birdies and the beauty of native plants, you will not be able to put this down.  Absolutely knockout photos of native plants and birds.  I’ve featured this one in our “Growing With Ganshert’s” newsletter.

And if it still isn’t spring yet and you finished reading all of the above, don’t forget The Pruner’s Handbook by John Malins — It’s the Ganshert staff go-to for specific pruning questions on a particular genus or species of plant or tree.

HAPPY READING!                 THINK SPRING.  

Where: West Madison Agricultural Trial Gardens on Mineral Point Road (just past Steve’s Liquor and the cemetery) on the right.

When: Tuesday, July 13th at 6:30 p.m.

WEST MADISON, Wis.

An evening garden walk focusing on the insects lurking your backyard will be held at 6:30 p.m. on July 13 at the West Madison Agricultural Research Station. Come learn about common insects and how to deal with the pests your yard or garden. If you have questions about an unknown bug, this is your chance to bring a critter in and have an entomologist help you identify it! This tour will be led by Extension Specialist in Entomology Phil Pellitteri, and is open to the public (donation requested). For complete details about this and other garden walks, please visit www.cals.wisc.edu/westmad/garden/.

Take them to Family Horticulture Day at the West Madison Agricultural Research Station, 8502 Mineral Point Road (out past Menards and Steve’s Liquor on Mineral Point). When: May 15th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

You and your family can choose from many learning activities relating to growing fruits and vegetables, insects, and how our ecology system works; everything from the importance of bees for pollinating our plants, to why worms are so important for growing plants (vermiculture).

Your kids can take home some squash and pumpkin seeds to plant or take home some tomatoes, peppers, or herb plants to try out in your garden.

IT’S FREE! And a great family outing. Please see the Family Hort Day Flyer for inside and outside activities.

Let me know how you liked it.  Have Fun!

Your friendly Master Gardener Volunteer and Ganshert Office Manager,

Sharon