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]
Just because you don’t have a vegetable garden doesn’t mean there is nothing to eat growing in your yard or flower garden. Most herbs have flowers that are edible, as do many pretty annuals and perennials. Fancy restaurants use colorful blossoms as garnishes and as flavoring ingredients in many dishes and you can [Continue]
In Wisconsin, roses must be protected against not only low winter temperatures but also fluctuating temperatures and winter winds. Different types of insulators such as soil, cones, and mulch can provide the necessary protection. To protect roses using soil, mound soil 8-10 inches high around the base of the canes after the first [Continue]
Two types of plants are commonly referred to as geraniums. One, which is the true geranium, is really the cranesbill, a bushy long-lived perennial plant. The other is the red, pink or white-flowered plant seen everywhere in flower boxes and pots which is correctly called Pelargonium. There are five types of pelargonium: zonal, dwarf [Continue]