Dreaming of Spring

Though snow blankets the ground and, to all appearances, the world is fast asleep, it’s the perfect time to begin planning for next year’s garden and gather recipes for the delicious foods you’ll have on the table come harvest time.

Wisconsin Garden Expo, February 11-13
Spring may not be on our minds quite yet, but in the midst of February’s chill, a vision of greenery and thoughts of bright flowers, tomatoes and basil may be just the ticket. The Wisconsin Garden Expo, February 11 - 13 at the Alliant Energy Center, will boast over 100 educational seminars and demonstrations on gardening and landscaping, hands-on workshops, a custom garden display and hundreds of exhibitors. One day tickets are $7 in advance or $8 at the door, two-day tickets are $11, and three day tickets are $16. Children 12 and under are free. Visit www.wpt.org/gardenexpo to purchase tickets online or to see a list of local businesses that sell tickets. All show proceeds benefit Wisconsin Public Television programming.

Use the USDA Plant Hardiness Zones Map to select perennials, landscape plantings and trees that will survive winter in our region. Visit the WiscOnline Gardening in Wisconsin website to view a map. The majority of Edible Madison counties are located in zone 4b, with some eastern counties falling in zone 5a. While you’re there, check out their monthly Yard and Garden Tips with some of the best week-by-week advice, including when to start seeds indoors and move them outdoors, pruning, landscaping tips, how to take soil samples, and reminders to check on your stored veggies and discard or quickly use up any that are headed “round the bend.”

Did you know…? Used coffee grounds are high in nitrogen, making good mulch for vegetables and acid-loving flowers and suppressing late blight in tomatoes. Or add them to compost for a nitrogen boost. Strong liquid coffee can also control slugs and snails.

Wisconsin Public Television's Wisconsin Gardener
Master Gardener and host Shelly Ryan doesn’t just give advice, she gets her hands in the dirt to really show how to create backyard and, ultimately, kitchen masterpieces tailored to Wisconsin’s growing season. Five- to ten-minute clips on the show’s website are a lovely reminder of summer color and inspiration for next year’s garden. And sign up for the Wisconsin Gardener Notebook enewsletter for monthly gardening tips, recipes and articles. From gardening basics to composting, CSAs, hummingbird gardens, ingredient-specific cooking, even winter gardening—the Wisconsin Gardener will keep you busy during these chilly months.

UW-Extension Wisconsin Horticulture Website
If you find yourself overwhelmed while standing in certain chain bookstores’ gigantic (and generic) gardening sections, consider browsing the UW-Extension Horticulture Website first. The site is an easyto- use distillation of the most useful gardening and landscaping books, articles, even Master Gardener Brown Bag audio programs—all tailored for our northern climate. Some articles, especially about pest control, are available in fulltext; while others, such as the Handbook for Wisconsin Gardeners (a collection of 60 best-selling gardening publications) and Selecting Woody Landscape Plants for Fall Color, link to the UW-Extension Learning Store where the book can be purchased.