Ground Cherry in husk

Ground Cherries

Ground cherries are an old-fashioned garden favorite that is in the nightshade family, the same family that includes tomatoes and peppers.  These unique “fruits” are about the size of a cherry tomato and are hidden away inside a papery outer husk. The fruity flavor of the ground cherry lends itself well to use in salads, […]

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Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi

Growing vegetables doesn’t have to be boring.  This week’s featured vegetable is the kohlrabi. The kohlrabi is known best for its enlarged above ground stem.  That’s right STEM.  It is used in stir fries or eaten raw.  It has a light cabbage flavor.  It grows best in cool weather.

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hand holding ripe red cherry tomatoes in front of a green lawn background

Dried tomatoes

Sick of canning tomatoes or don’t want to can, but also still want to preserve some of the fruit for later?  Try drying tomatoes.

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Yellowjacket hornet adult on grey background.

How to Find Pest Removal Experts

Occasionally our office will get a question about bee removal, but after discussion it turns out that the “bees” are actually hornets, not honey bees.  A lot of folks aren’t equipped to deal with hornets themselves, so the next question is: “who is in the area that can help me?”  In Extension we can’t recommend […]

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horsehair worm hidden among the leaves of a goji berry plant

Horsehair worm

This has been a week of curious creatures and plant issues coming into the office… above you can see a thread-thin creature writhing about on the leaf of a goji berry plant.  This is a horsehair worm, a parasite of insects and other invertebrates.  Horsehair worms are often found after a rain or near pools […]

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bottom of fungi on branch

Gelatinous fungi

https://www.facebook.com/MarquetteMasterGardener/videos/2044682065791597/ You never know what will be brought to the UW-Extension office for identification…have you ever seen this type of growth on a branch before?  We sent this video and some pictures in to the Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory for identification.  The sample came from a Japanese Lilac.  The lab sent back that this is […]

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Garlic mustard seedling on brown soil background.

Garlic Mustard, A Threat to the Wooded Areas of Wisconsin

Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is an introduced species in North America that was originally brought here by settlers from Europe.  Part of the reason that the settlers brought the plant here was for use in cooking due to the garlic-like scent/flavor that the name implies.  One of the issues with garlic mustard is that none of the insects and diseases that would naturally control the population of plants are present in North America. 

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Black carpenter ant on gray background.

Carpenter Ants

Have you seen big black ants crawling around your house?  They might be carpenter ants!  Carpenter ants can be a nuisance in the home.  Click the button below to find out more about controlling them in the factsheet “Controlling Carpenter Ants”.

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Photo of earwig on white background.

Earwigs

This is the time of year that all sorts of insects start invading your home. Temperatures are getting cool outside, food sources are diminishing, and bugs start looking for a place to overwinter.  One of the pesky insects that you may find invading your home is the earwig.  Find out more about how to deal […]

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