University of Wisconsin - Extension

The gardening season is over, but there are still many subjects for gardeners to explore. The next edition of The Wisconsin Gardener at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 27, on Wisconsin Public Television (WPT) offers a unique blend of topics for "The Winter Gardener."

Producer/host Shelley Ryan and her guests discuss ornamental peppers as houseplants, how to prune grapevines and the advantages of membership in a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm. They also visit a model railroad garden.

Judith Reith-Rozelle, assistant superintendent of the University of Wisconsin West Madison Research Station tells viewers why peppers aren't just for the garden anymore. Ornamental peppers have become a popular new houseplant, especially around the holidays.

Ryan visits the Mukwonago home of Kevin Ylvisaker. A master gardener, florist and railroad enthusiast, Ylvisaker's backyard is landscaped entirely for model trains. The plantings -- miniature trees, shrubs, annuals and perennials also work well for container gardens.

At Vermont Valley Farm in Blue Mounds, Barbara Perkins explains why membership in a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm is a wonderful gift for anyone who enjoys fresh produce and makes a nice alternative for an overworked gardener. Philippe Coquard of Wollersheim Winery in Sauk City demonstrates the proper way to prune grapevines and explains why late winter and early spring is the best time for pruning them.

For more information about The Wisconsin Gardener, visit the Web site at www.wpt.org/garden. Major funding for The Wisconsin Gardener is provided by Fiskars Inc. and Ariens Foundation Ltd. Viewers with WebTV Plus boxes on their personal computers can simultaneously watch The Wisconsin Gardener and call up Internet links and exclusive interactive content related to the program through on-screen prompts. These prompts and links are embedded in the program so they carry through to all repeat broadcasts, as well as videos recorded for later viewing.

WPT is a service of the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board and University of Wisconsin-Extension. Wisconsin Public Television is a place to grow through learning on WHA-TV/Madison, WPNE-TV/Green Bay, WHRM/TV-Wausau, WLEF-TV/Park Falls, WHLA-TV/La Crosse and WHWC-TV/Menomonie-Eau Claire.