Growing Strong & Healthy

Did you know that gardeners eat twice as many servings of vegetables as people who do not garden? Gardeners also get twice as many hours of exercise as people who do not garden.

UW-Extension educates Milwaukee County residents about gardening as a way to enhance self-sufficiency, health, family traditions and neighborhood dynamics. We also rent garden plots and help residents develop their own community gardens.

Emerald Ash Borer Found in Milwaukee County
On August 27, 2009, the emerald ash borer was found in the City of Franklin. This is the first sighting in Milwaukee County of this destructive beetle.

The emerald ash borer is a wood boring beetle that attacks ash trees, usually killing them in one to three years. To learn how to identify and control this beetle, visit: http://emeraldashborer.wi.gov or download an Extension fact sheet:

• Emerald Ash Borer in Milwaukee County 2009 ( 2 pages, 324 KB)
• Homeowner Guide to Emerald Ash Borer Insecticide Treatments - Revised 9/09 ( 2 pages, 143 KB

If you have an ash tree with two or more symptoms of infestation or have other questions, contact our office at 414-256-4600 for assistance.

Calendar & Tips
What should you be doing in your yard and garden this month? Check the monthly Garden Calendar and Tips prepared by Sharon Morrisey, Consumer Horticulture Agent. Sharon also provides timely gardening information between 7 and 9 am Mondays on Fox 6 (April-October).

Horticulture Help Line
Have a yard or garden question? From 9 am to Noon Monday through Wednesday, Milwaukee County residents may call 414-256-4664 to consult our Horticulturists or Master Gardeners. For more answers to your yard and garden questions, visit the Horticulture Help Line web page.

UW-Extension Horticulture Center at Boerner Botanical Gardens
For horticulture literature, answers to your general gardening questions, plant identification and diagnosis of insect and disease problems, stop by to talk to our Plant Health Advisors and Master Gardener Volunteers. The Horticulture Center is located on the Lower Level of the Boerner Botanical Gardens Education & Visitor Center. Hours: Monday - Friday 10 am - 2 pm (May 1- September 30)

Master Gardeners
Master Gardeners are volunteers trained by UW-Extension specialists and agents in many aspects of horticulture. In return for their training, Master Gardeners volunteer to help with educational programs in horticulture and a wide variety of community service projects. For more information about the SouthEast Wisconsin Master Gardeners, call the Volunteer Coordinator at 414-256-4661 or visit the SEW MG web site.

Urban Agriculture
We also offer a variety of programs in urban agriculture including:

• Accessible gardening
• Beekeeping
• Organic MicroFarming
• Rental Gardens