The USDA Plant Hardiness Map for Wisconsin Gardeners in Wisconsin are used to the chilly winters and, as indicated by the Wisconsin USDA planting map above, the temperatures can dip as low as -35 degrees F. (-37 C.). To find your zone on the new 2012 USDA plant hardiness map, click on the map to enlarge it. If you cannot find your areas easily, you can go to the USDA home page where you will find a box to input your zip code....

Wolf River Apple Info The origins of the Wolf River apple variety go back to the late 1800s when a Wisconsin farmer planted Alexander apples along the Wolf River. By chance he got some monster-sized apples, which were then propagated and eventually came to be called Wolf River apples. The fruit of today’s Wolf River apple trees grow up to eight inches (20.5 cm.) in diameter and can weigh more than a pound (450 g....

The plant also blocks water flow and damages bird nesting sites and important fish habitat. These hardy plants are found across the United States, with the exception of the Rocky Mountains. Learn more about its control in this article. Yellow Flag Iris Control When not in bloom, yellow flag iris looks much like familiar cattails, but the resemblance stops there. The plant, which spreads by long rhizomes and by seed, is easy to spot by its sword-like leaves and the bright yellow blooms that appear in late spring and early summer....

What are Golden Raspberries? Golden raspberry plants bear a mutated version of the common red cultivar, but they have all the same planting, growing, soil, and sun requirements. Golden raspberry plants are primocane bearing, meaning they bear fruit off the first year canes in the late summer. They tend to have a sweeter, milder flavor than their red counterparts and are pale yellow to orange-gold in color. Since they are less common than the red raspberry, they are usually sold as a specialty berry at farmers markets and the like, and command a higher price – a great reason for you to grow your own....

Combining Plants and Astrology Whether or not you are a firm believer in what the stars have to say, it can be fun to use zodiac signs when making choices about plants. The characteristic traits of each zodiac sign can lead to associated flowers and plants. Choosing flowers for your astrological sign can be quite enjoyable. Use flowers of the zodiac to select a gift plant for someone. Choosing the flower associated with their sign makes a great, unique, and personalized gift....

About African Violet Pruning African violets are a bit old fashioned, but they are still one of the most popular indoor blooming plants. With their softly furred leaves, intensely colored blooms and diminutive size, they snuggle into any moderately bright area of the home. One of the easiest chores that helps the plant attain perfection is trimming African violets. This is a relatively simple task that just needs a little finesse but no real skill or timing....

What is Amaryllis Red Blotch? Most commonly known for their potted plant culture during the holiday season, amaryllis is a beautiful tropical plant that thrives in warm climate flower beds. While the process of forcing these bulbs indoors in pots is extremely popular, growers living in USDA growing zones 9 to 11 can enjoy these plants outdoors with little care or maintenance. These flowers are relatively easy to grow, however, there are some issues that cause less than desirable outcomes, like red blotch of amaryllis....

Annual plants in the southwest have to do well in hot and dry desert climates. If you are ready to start growing desert annuals, read on for some of our favorites. About Southwestern Annuals Annual plants live and die in a single growing season. Southwestern annuals grow in spring, reach maturity and flower in summer, then set seeds and die in fall. While they don’t last for years as perennials do, annual plants fill your yard with eye-catching color....

When to Pick Apples Harvesting apples at just the right time is key, not only to obtaining the highest quality fruit but also to maximize the storage life. Each variety of apple has its own maturation time and can be dependent upon weather conditions during the growing season. For example, apples will ripen earlier if there is a mild, sunny spring which kick starts the tree’s fruiting cycle early. Because of this, you should gauge harvest time through other indicators rather than a specific date on the calendar....

Poplar Tree Facts Poplars can grow very tall and anchor their trunks with powerful roots. These roots might cause problems for homeowners or gardeners who are not familiar with basic poplar tree facts. For instance, planting hybrid poplar trees near houses is not recommended. Poplar trees thrive in warm weather and moist to wet soil. They grow most prolifically in the southern states where these conditions are met. Although poplar varieties range in height and breadth, most share some traits that make them easy to recognize....

What are Armyworms? Armyworms are the 1 ½-inch long larvae of a very innocuous tan to brown moth common in gardens. These smooth-skinned larvae vary widely in color, from pale green to dark green-brown and black. Many bear long, orange, white or black stripes along their sides and have a yellow to orange head. They change colors as they mature, making identification tricky. These larvae feed primarily at night, in large groups, and prefer cereal grains like wheat or corn and grasses....

Information on Asparagus Fern Care Growing asparagus fern is easy. The frilly, feathery asparagus fern plant appears soft and fuzzy, but when taking care of asparagus ferns you may be surprised to find they have thorny spurs. This, however, is no reason not to grow asparagus ferns, simply wear gloves during asparagus fern care. Asparagus fern can provide small flowers and berries when it is happy in its location. Berries can be planted to propagate the asparagus fern plant....

What is an Aztec Lily? Native to Mexico’s rocky hillsides, Aztec lilies are a member of the Amaryllis family, and its flowers are actually a bit reminiscent of an amaryllis. The Aztec lily flower has six 6 inch (15 cm.) long petals in a unique configuration, which are at the apex of a foot long (31 cm.) scape (leafless stem). The top three petals are upright and curled back at the tips....

Babcock Peach Fruit Information Babcock peaches date back to 1933. They were developed out of a joint low chill breeding effort by the University of California Riverside and Chaffey Junior college in Ontario, CA. The peach was named after the professor, E.B. Babcock, who originally started research on the development. It is most likely a cross between the Strawberry peach and Peento peach, and shares their characteristic firm flesh and sub-acid flavor....

Outdoor Aquarium Ideas You can go big with an outdoor aquatic ecosystem, but a small tank or pond is great too. Consider your budget, the amount of time you can put into building and maintaining it, and your skill level before choosing a project. Here are some ideas to get you started: Trough tank – A galvanized steel trough is all you need to create a lovely outdoor aquarium or pond....

Mulch for rose gardens truly is a marvelous thing! Mulch helps to hold in the priceless moisture for rose bushes and other plants, saving on the amount of watering we need to do. The mulch also stops, or at least discourages, weeds from coming up in rose beds and robbing the moisture, not to mention keeping the weeds and grass from robbing the nutrients intended for rose plants. Best Mulch for Roses Having tried several different types of mulch over the years as well, I have narrowed it down to two types that I use around my rose bushes and in the gardens, one non-organic mulch and one organic mulch....

Rose Soil pH We know that the soil pH is optimum at 6.5 on the pH scale (pH range 5.5-7.0). Sometimes the rose soil pH may be either too acidic or too alkaline, so what do we do to effect the desired change in the pH? To make the soil less acidic, the common practice is to add some form of lime. Typically, ground agricultural limestone is used and the finer the particles the more rapidly it becomes effective....

Reasons for Cutting Back Birch Trees There are several reasons for cutting back birch trees: Remove dead, diseased, and injured branches for the health of the tree. Branches that rub together offer entry points for insects and disease, so remove one of them. Branches that grow nearly straight up have weak attachments to the trunk. Take them down while they are small to prevent them from breaking off later on. Remove a branch that is too close to another branch....

Blue Vervain Information Blue vervain (Verbena hastata) is also known as American blue vervain or wild hyssop. The plant grows wild in nearly every part of the United States. However, this cold tolerant perennial doesn’t do well in climates warmer than USDA plant hardiness zone 8. Blue vervain is a traditional medicinal herb, with the roots, leaves or flowers used to treat conditions ranging from stomach aches, colds and fever to headaches, bruises and arthritis....

What is a Breadfruit? Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) is native to the Malayan Archipelago and gained some recognition due to its affiliation with Captain Bligh’s famed ship, the Bounty, in 1788. Aboard the Bounty were thousands of breadfruit trees bound for the islands of the West Indies. The fruit is grown in South Florida in the United States or imported from the West Indies, particularly Jamaica, from June through October, sometimes year-round, and is found in local specialty markets....