Welcome to St. Croix County Horticulture

• Ask the Horticulture Educators for St. Croix & Pierce Counties your commercial and home horticulture questions
• Farm Markets in St. Croix, Pierce & Polk Counties (1 page, 11 KB)
• University of Wisconsin - Extension On-line Horticulture Publications
• Landscape Plant Selection
• Soil Sampling & Lab Tests
• Insect Pest Identification
• Plant Disease Lab Testing and Publications
• Western Wisconsin Horticulture UW-Extension
• Master Gardener Volunteer Programs
• St. Croix Community Garden

STAFF

Ask Horticulture Educators for St. Croix & Pierce Counties Your Commercial & Home Horticulture Questions

Ruth Hilfiker
Horticulture Educator
St. Croix County - UW Extension
Agricultural Service and Education Center
1960 8th Avenue, Suite 140
Baldwin, WI 54002
Phone: 715-684-3301 Ext 5
Fax: 715-684-2666
Email: ruth.hilfiker@ces.uwex.edu

Specializing in Commercial Horticulture for St. Croix & Pierce Counties

Workshops, on-farm/business visits & individual advising for commercial horticulture businesses in:

• Direct marketing horticulture products
• Fruit & vegetable production management
• Environmental turf & landscape management

Commercial horticulture hours:  Tues. & Thurs. afternoons and by appointment on Fridays or Tues/Thurs evenings.

Home horticulture advising hours:  Tues. & Thurs. 8:30 -11:30 am or e-mail
Office visits: On Hwy 63, ½ mile north of I-94

Diana Alfuth
Horticulture Educator
Master Gardener Program Coordinator for St. Croix & Pierce Counties

Training classes and project advising for Master Gardener Volunteers www.hort.wisc.edu/mastergardener/

Home horticulture advising hours:  Mon. & Wed. 8 am – noon
E-mail:  diana.alfuth@ces.uwex.edu;  www.uwex.edu/ces/westwihort/
Phone:  715-273-3531 x6663
Office visits:  Pierce County Office Bldg., 412 West Kinne St. Ellsworth, WI  54011

University of Wisconsin - Extension Horticulture Publications

• http://learningstore.uwex.edu - Visit this web site to review and directly download UW-Extension publications in horticulture or other subjects. Tree and shrub species selection, plant variety, pest control and cultural recommendations are readily available with color pictures.

• http://www.uwex.edu/ces/wihort/ - This web site is from the UW-Madison Horticulture Department. It includes recently produced Urban Horticulture publications. Detailed horticulture subjects not covered above can likely be found here.

• http://www.extension.umn.edu/topics.html?topic=5 - This web site is from the University of Minnesota Extension and has very good horticulture publications relevant to the St. Croix Valley.

Landscape plant selection

Would you like to know which trees, shrubs and flowers can be planted in the St. Croix Valley? This area is in zone 3b and 4a. Use the following web sites to make appropriate selections.

• http://www.sustland.umn.edu - From the University of MN, this interactive list allows you to search for a list of plants based on the elements of landscape design: plant type, form, size, texture and season of interest.

• http://www.midwestlandscapeplants.org - From the University of WI, this plant list includes adapted species with pictures.

Soil Sampling & Lab Tests

UW - Soil and Plant Analysis Laboratory

Please obtain information on soil sampling and lab forms through this link. Soil testing directions and bags are also available at the UW-Extension Office in St. Croix County in Baldwin or call the Baldwin Office at 715-684-3301 to have a bag and forms sent to your home or business.

The UW-Extension has two soil testing labs. Tests are available to home gardeners and commercial horticulture businesses. Using a soil test can:

• can save you money on fertilizer by customizing your fertilizer applications to the your specific soil and the plants or crops you will be growing
• help you optimize the growth of your plants by identifying any nutrient deficiencies
• can minimize the effects of fertilizing on the natural environment by helping you avoid fertilizer application in excess of what is needed. Excess fertilizer can pollute your groundwater and our community lakes and streams.

Note : Make sure you take a composite sample of 10 samples to put in one test bag to get an average level of soil fertility.

Follow-up help : If you need help understanding the soil test results you may call or e-mail the UW-Extension Horticulture Educator in St. Croix County.

<<<Top

Insect Pest Identification

UW - Department of Entomology Insect Diagnostic Lab

This web site has great pictures and recommendations that can help you identify the insect of concern in the home or on plants.

Note: An old film container works well for sending in insect samples to the lab. You may also e-mail the lab a digital photo of an insect for identification. There is no fee for this service at this time.

Follow-up help : If you cannot figure out what insect you have from the web site you may call or e-mail the UW-Extension Horticulture Educator in St. Croix County. Cultural and chemical control recommendations can also be provided.

<<<Top

Plant Disease Lab Testing and Publications

UW - Plant Disease and Diagnostic Clinic

This web site has great pictures and recommendations that can help you identify the plant diseaes of concern in the home or on plants.

Tree and plant samples can be sent into the UW-Extension Plant Clinic to confirm with a labatory analysis what specific disease your plants may have.

Note : A fee is charged for this service so it is most appropriate for concerns with valuable trees, turf or horticulture crops. However, anyone may use this lab service. Make sure you package the samples as directed or the lab test will be inconclusive.

Follow-up help :
If you cannot figure out what disease is on your plants from the web site you may call or e-mail the UW-Extension Horticulture Educator in St. Croix County. Cultural and chemical control recommendations can also be provided.

<<<Top

Western Wisconsin Horticulture

Western Wisconsin Horticulture UW-Extension web site

Get the latest information on:

• Horticulture meetings and events locally and regionally
• St. Croix Valley Master Gardener Association. Join this fun, community active group.

<<<Top

Master Gardener Volunteer Programs

Would you like to become a Master Gardener in St. Croix or Pierce County? Please contact the Pierce County UW-Extension Office at 715-273-3531 or e-mail diana.alfuth@ces.uwex.edu to sign up for training and volunteer activities with the St. Croix Valley Master Gardeners.

<<<Top

St. Croix Community Garden

The St. Croix Valley Master Gardener volunteers and the UW-Extension sponsor a community garden north of New Richmond, WI.

Plot Rental:
Gardeners may rent a garden plot at the site. A rental form can be obtained by calling or e-mailing the St. Croix County UW-Extension Office by downloading a form here:

• Community Garden Rental form (1 page, 80 KB)
• Community Garden Rental form (1 page, 78 KB)

Volunteers Needed to "Share the Bounty":
A portion of the St. Croix Community Garden is grown and harvested by volunteers who then share the produce with senior centers and those in our community who are less fortunate. If you would like to help with the Share the Bounty Project in any way please call or e-mail the St. Croix County UW-Extension Office. The help of service organizations is always welcomed.

<<<Top