Over the past few years I’ve noticed an increasing amount of poison ivy alongside the Wiouwash Trail that runs from Oshkosh to Hortonville. But poison ivy isn’t found only in the wild; it can appear in woodsy corners of our yards as well. Poison ivy is tricky in that it can take several forms. [Continue]
Purple loosestrife is evil! This aggressive perennial which grows two to seven feet tall with purple flowers on its long spikes invades wetland areas, literally shading out most other vegetation. Besides threatening plants, loosestrife also reduces populations or leads to the displacement of muskrats and several species of waterfowl. In Wisconsin, it is illegal [Continue]
I am an organic gardener, so you will never see me write anything in this column about applying pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers. There is an alternate organic method for solving just about every garden problem. There is, also, the alternate mind set. For example, my lawn is not full of weeds; it is a [Continue]