The Fall and Winter Green Thumb Gardening series will give you the practical knowledge to keep your garden thriving! UW Extension educators and specialists will provide in-depth and accessible information for everyone from the novice to the experienced gardener through these online classes. You can sign up for one class or receive a discount when you register for the entire series. Classes will be taught over Zoom and can be accessed by computer or mobile devices. Class size is limited so don’t delay getting registered. Contact Lisa Johnson at least 10 days before the program start date for information about translation services at [email protected] .
Fall 2020 Series online Mondays 6:00-8:00 pm
Spring Bulbs Nov 2 This talk goes beyond tulips and daffodils (although they are covered as well) and focuses on perennial bulb and corm species that don’t get as much attention but are stellar garden plants, such as crocus, Puschkinia, chionodoxa and alliums. We will also discuss bulbs for sun and shade situations, deterring critters that eat bulbs, and general bulb care. (Speaker Lisa Johnson)
Composting Nov 9 This presentation will review the principles of composting, tracking your compost temperature, maintaining proper moisture and temperature, aeration and turning, types of composters and bins, techniques such as sheet composting and vermiculture, and more! Natural Resources Outreach Specialist Mindy Habecker has been an instructor for the Master Composter program for a number of years and has many resources to share. (Speaker Mindy Habecker)
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges Nov 16 There are many beautiful species from tall to small, clumping and sod-forming to choose from that you can grow in a variety of situations, from shade to sun. We will cover native and non-native species and cultivars, planting, propagation and maintenance. (Speaker Lisa Johnson)
Woody Plants for Fall Fireworks: Choosing Deciduous Woody Plants with Great Fall Color Nov 30 People tend to think about maple trees when they think about fall color, and beautiful maples certainly abound. But there are many other woody species, trees and shrubs both that also provide plenty of fall interest. Tree and shrub diversity is important in a healthy, resilient landscape, so while we will talk about maples, we will cover other great species as well. (Speaker Lisa Johnson)
Register here for the Fall Gardening Series: https://2020fallgardeningclasses.eventbrite.com
Winter 2021 Vegetable Gardening Series online Mondays 6:00-8:00 pm
Vegetable Garden Planning and Techniques Jan 11 Organic Produce Outreach Specialist, Claire Strader will get you ready for vegetable gardening with strategies and tips for advanced gardeners as well as well as newer gardeners. She will talk about timing of crops, spacing, building productive soils, using cover crops, and more. You will leave with at least four electronic copies of handouts full of great information.
Seed Starting Jan 25 If you area new gardener, or just looking for some tips on starting seeds, this lecture will cover it. You will get an electronic copy of a handout on optimal soil temperatures for the germination of many crops. (Speaker Lisa Johnson)
Vegetable Diseases Feb 1 Brian Hudelson, Director of the Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic (https://pddc.wisc.edu/), will speak about common diseases of vegetables and their management. You will get tips and strategies for preventing disease as well and digital copies of a number of fact sheets on various common vegetable diseases. (Speaker Brian Hudelson)
Vegetable Insects Feb 8 Dr. Russ Groves of UW-Madison Wisconsin Vegetable Crop Entomology (https://vegento.russell.wisc.edu/) will review the life cycles common insect pests of a variety of crops and give you techniques to combat them in the garden. You will receive a number of electronic fact sheets on insects covered during the talk.
Cover Crops Feb 15 Cover crops bring extra nutrients to the soil and help control weeds. Some also attract pollinators, which can help increase your crop yield. Organic Produce Outreach Specialist Claire Strader will talk about different types of cover crops to use in different situations, as well as when to plant and remove them.
Weed Management in Vegetable Gardens Feb 22 Learn how to identify various common weeds in the vegetable garden and use their life cycles and other techniques to manage them. Cultural techniques will be stressed, but organic and traditional chemical control products will be briefly discussed as well. (Speaker Lisa Johnson)
Seed Saving/Harvesting and Storage March 1 Learn how to successfully harvest and store seeds from a variety of crops. Success is more likely with some crops, and less likely with others. Learn which crops are easiest and most reliable for getting the results you want. We will also cover proper storage of seeds and seed viability testing. (Speaker Lisa Johnson)
Register Here for the Winter Vegetable Gardening Series: https://2021greenthumbgardeningwinter.eventbrite.com/
