HORTICULTURE HELPDESK
Extension Brown County Horticulture Staff can help you with questions concerning lawn care, insect and disease diagnosis, gardening, trees, shrubs, and plant and insect identification.
Please use one of the following ways to submit a question:
Please use one of the following ways to submit a question:
- Email. Submit your question with up to 2 pictures to horticulturehelp@browncountywi.gov. Images are necessary to provide an accurate diagnosis.
- Phone. Call 920-391-4615 and leave a voicemail. Staff will return your call as soon as possible.
- In-Person. Visit the Brown County STEM Innovation Center, Room #113 between the hours of 8:00 am – 4:00 pm Monday through Friday, and leave your sample with the receptionist. Horticulture staff will be in touch via phone or email regarding your sample. If you prefer contactless sample drop-off, there is a table provided just outside the Extension office. Please complete a form and leave it with the sample in the bin provided.
Horticulture Resources
Visit the Extension Horticulture Website for all your gardening information needs. Get answers to your gardening questions using the online form. Photos are encouraged!
- Hundreds of articles listed by topic and season
- Special events, free webinars, Extension events calendar
- Find Extension gardening articles by searching for topics
SOIL SAMPLING – HOMEOWNERS
One of the first steps to having a successful lawn or garden is having your soil tested. A soil test provides more information about the nutrient status of your soil, pH level, organic matter content and texture. The test report also suggests various soil management practices to improve the fertility of the soil for a given crop.
Follow these steps to properly submit your soil sample:
- Call the Extension office 920-746-2260 to request a “kit” or visit the office to pick up the information.
- Follow the instructions for submitting a soil sample. About 2 cups of soil is required for testing. INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING A SOIL SAMPLE
- Cost per sample is $15.00, plus $5.00 postage (if you want the Extension office to mail your sample).
- Lawn and Garden Info Sheet – UW Soil Lab
- Sampling Lawn and Garden Soils A2166
- The UW Soil Lab will be analyzing your sample. UW Lab website
From the UW-Madison Plant Disease Diagnostic Clinic
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Decontaminating Your Way to Healthier Plants read more …
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‘Tis the Season – A Tree Pruning Redux read more …
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Optimizing Your Diagnosis at the Plant Disease Diagnostic Clinic read more …
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Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic Services for 2022 read more …
Fruit Crop Pest Reports
(from the Peninsula Ag. Research Station)
“Home Owner’s Guide to Pesticide Safety”
Topics:
- Rhizosphaera Needlecast more information …
- Jumping Worms
- Winter burn on trees and shrubs: click here
GARDEN FERTILIZER CALCULATOR Spreadsheet
WISCONSIN FRUIT – UW FRUIT PROGRAM
All the fruit information you’d ever want to know! — University of Wisconsin Fruit Website
Wisconsin Horticulture
European Chafer
- European Chafer – Door County
- Controlling European Chafer in Summer Months
- A4141 European Chafer
- Michigan State University: Grub Control
Emerald Ash Borer
Past Presentations:
- The Honey Bee’s Needs: Nectar and Pollen (PDF)
- Gardening in Small Spaces (PDF)
- Garden Pests and Beneficial Natural Enemies (PDF)
Publications — Search The Learning Store
- “Garden Fertilization” – A2304 — This publication discussed how to use soil test results and how to apply the recommended fertilizer to your garden for best flower and vegetable production.
- A3823 – Storing Fruit and Vegetables from the Home Garden — When stored and handled properly, fresh fruits and vegetables from the garden can add special appeal to meals long after harvest.
- A2727 – Harvesting Vegetables from the Home Garden — To ensure high quality, nutritious vegetables from your garden and to prevent waste, proper harvesting at the right stage of growth is essential.
RELATED HORTICULTURE LINKS OF INTEREST
- Wisconsin Master Gardener Program
- UW – Department of Entomology Insect Diagnostic Lab
- UW Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic
- UW Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic Facebook Page
- UW – Extension Horticultural Publications
- UW – The Wisconsin Gardener – Public TV
- UW – Urban Horticulture
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
- University of Connecticut Plant Database
- USDA Plants Database
- Weed Science Society of America
If you have any questions regarding Horticulture in Door County, please contact:
UW-Madison Division of Extension Door County
County Government Center
421 Nebraska Street
Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235
Phone: 920-746-2260
