Having trouble seeing images? View this email in your browser.

Greetings gardeners,

By February, we are deep in the winter doldrums, but one welcoming sign that spring is around the corner is the annual Garden & Green Living Expo held in Madison, Wisconsin. The Expo is a great way to shake off the winter blues, connect with fellow gardeners, and learn from industry leaders who share a passion for plants and sustainable living. Be sure to plan your visit around the excellent lineup of educational talks from UW–Madison horticulture experts or stop by our booth to say hello! Read on for timely tips and upcoming events to help you prepare for the growing season ahead.

Rime ice—a fleeting winter beauty—forms when cool, moist air meets freezing temperatures, causing water droplets to freeze instantly on contact with cold surfaces.

Houseplants offer many benefits beyond beautifying a space. Not only can they improve the air quality in your home, they also can improve your mental well-being and reduce stress through basic care techniques. Caring for houseplants involves attention to light, temperature, water, and nutrients. This guide offers practical tips for each aspect of houseplant care, ensuring your plants thrive indoors year-round. Read more...

Late winter is an ideal time to prune deciduous trees, as it is easy to see the overall branch structure and identify any issues that can be corrected via pruning. Pruning can help control the size of a tree, influence flowering or fruiting, maintain plant health, and more. Read more…

As food becomes scarce in winter, deer seek out alternative food sources like ornamental plants, trees, and hedges. If deer are hungry enough, they will eat almost anything, but if deer are often in your area, consider growing plants that deer usually don’t find appealing. Read more…

A weekly column of horticulture education and activities for Wisconsin gardeners. Read the latest articles from this past month.

▶ Listen: Garden Talk: Growing berries and starting seeds | Wisconsin Public Radio | Featuring Vijai Pandian

▶ Listen: Garden Talk: How to use gardening catalogs; Protecting trees in winter | Wisconsin Public Radio | Featuring Bruce Spangenberg

Garden Talk with Larry Meiller live returns to Garden & Green Living Expo | PBS Wisconsin | Featuring Lisa Johnson and Brian Hudelson

More Extension Horticulture in the news →

Spider plant, Chlorophytum comosum, is an especially popular houseplant for beginners, since it is easy to propagate, tolerant of neglect, and able to thrive in nearly any type of condition.

UW-Madison Division of Extension Horticulture Program

Find articles, resources, educational events and more at hort.extension.wisc.edu

The University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment 
and programming in compliance with state and federal law.