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March 7, 2023
At first glance, Wisconsin in late winter might seem like a world frozen in time, hibernating under a white blanket, but there is more than meets the eye! Slowly, but surely, nature is starting to make moves. The following are some plants that will help carry wildlife through late winter, just before spring has finally sprung.
March 7, 2023
There are many spring ephemerals native to Wisconsin. Spring ephemerals are like limited edition perennials; they’re only viewable for a short time. A fitting motto for these types of flowers is “live fast, die young,” as they grow and reproduce quickly, maximizing their limited time and taking advantage of optimal conditions such as temperature, moisture levels, and sunlight.
March 3, 2023
When we think of St. Patrick’s Day, shamrocks, green carnations, and Bells of Ireland are ubiquitous on this day. Each leaf of a shamrock symbolizes hope, faith, and love, and if a fourth leaf is present, good luck. Bells of Ireland also represent good luck, while green carnations are popular for their vibrant color. There are, however, other plants, shrubs, trees, and conifers that have deep meaning and signify good fortune, luck, love, and prosperity. Some may surprise you!
February 25, 2023
Fruit Trees Availability Updated for 2023There is nothing quite like eating a fresh apple from a tree growing in your yard. There just isn’t. The taste is different, the texture is different, and even the smell is different. Better in all cases, compared to fruit purchased from grocery stores. Commercial […]
February 20, 2023
Wisconsin has many excellent native plants that can be used as groundcover while also benefiting pollinators and wildlife. Using a combination of groundcovers adds biodiversity, color, and texture to your garden, so don’t feel limited to just one type! Groundcovers are an excellent option to include in any garden to add texture, suppress weeds, reduce erosion, and maintain moisture levels.
February 15, 2023
New plants for 2023 are here. Find these 12 exciting new plants, including Phlox ‘Luminary Backlight’, Bunchberry, and American Filbert.
December 14, 2022
The top-selling plants of 2022 include a list of those most used plants by our customers including municipalities, land managers, and private homeowners. This is a fun insight into the most planted trees, shrubs, evergreens, perennials, and fruit trees in 2022.An amazing realization is that people are choosing Wisconsin native […]
December 14, 2022
2023 Color of the Year & Your Plants It’s that time of year again when the world eagerly awaits the announcement of the 2023 Color of the Year by Pantone. This is a great place to find inspiration for interior design, fashion, beauty, graphic design, and most important to us […]
December 1, 2021
Native Plant Sale Available for on-site shopping only.June is Wisconsin native plant appreciation month at Johnson\’s Nursery. We team up with our friends at Wild Ones to offer native plant enthusiasts an opportunity to save big. All active Wild Ones members receive 40% off Wisconsin native plants in containers at […]
November 30, 2021
While browsing the Wisconsin Native Plant Guide, double click on the page to zoom in/out. ** Download button in upper left corner ** *Hardcopies are available for purchase at our nursery.no-repeat;center top;;auto Shop Johnson\’s Nursery For Wisconsin Native Plants We\’re a third-generation family-owned business who passionately pursues the goal of […]
November 30, 2021
While browsing the Plant Reference Guide, double click on the page to zoom in/out.** Download button in upper left corner **Plant Reference Guideno-repeat;center top;;auto *Hardcopies are available for purchase in-store.Plant Reference Guideno-repeat;center top;;auto Plant Reference Guide The Plant Reference Guide is the hardcopy catalog of commonly grown and stocked plants […]
November 30, 2021
How to Plant & Handle Trees, Evergreens & Shrubs Properly planting trees is one of the best investments you can make for the long-term health of your trees. When done properly, your plants will flourish and cause less heartache in the future. These recommendations are from decades of experience and […]
November 30, 2021
We Plan – You Plant Many people enjoy DIY – cut your own beds, install your own plants, and lay your own mulch! But most people don\’t know the correct plants, the proper design aesthetic, or the size that plants mature to. Our designers will create for you a design […]
November 30, 2021
Pruning & Your Plants There are a few different methods of pruning shrubs and evergreens. Heading and thinning cuts are commonly used for most species. Rejuvenative pruning and the haircut method may also be used selectively. Pruning can be dangerous and fatal to your plants if done improperly. With the […]
November 30, 2021
What Are RootMaker Containers What are RootMaker Containers? no-repeat;center top;;auto0px What Are RootMaker ContainersRootMaker containers specialize in the growth of a fibrous root system. Johnson\’s Nursery uses them in the production of Wisconsin native trees, shrubs, and conifers. They are different than the typical, solid-wall container in a few ways. […]
November 30, 2021
Container Grown Trees Container Grown Trees Johnson\’s Nursery grows a variety of container trees, adding to the diversity of our growing operations and range of plants available to our wholesale clients. We appreciate the opportunity to serve and provide you with quality nursery stock. Contact your wholesale salesperson for availability […]
November 30, 2021
Understanding Nursery Stock Sizes Understanding Nursery Stock Sizes Most commonly, growers use caliper, container size, and height (inches or feet) for units of measurement for nursery stock. Why do we need multiple units? Because all plants are uniquely different and grow differently. In any of those 3 size units, it’s […]
November 30, 2021
How to Attract Monarch Butterflies to Your Yard With the addition of the Monarch butterfly to the Red List of Threatened Species and categorized as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), many people have asked us how they can help this beloved creature. While they face […]
November 30, 2021
Growing Japanese Maples in Wisconsin Japanese Maples are a highly coveted landscape plant for many good reasons. They have a lot going for them, such as distinctive foliage in leaf form and color, interesting shape, overall size, and beautiful fall color. They are sure to inspire awe and are some […]
November 30, 2021
How to Build a Bird Garden in Wisconsin Build a Bird Garden in Wisconsinno-repeat;center top;;auto0px Watching backyard birds is relaxing, entertaining, and educational. Seeing a bright red cardinal in the middle of winter is uplifting. A visit from a ruby-throated hummingbird outside the breakfast nook can be a great way […]
October 31, 2021
2022 Color of the Year & Your Plants The last two years have been rough and there’s no doubt that we all have struggled in one way or another. We’re now looking at yet another Covid variant and sometimes it can feel like we just can’t catch a break. Despite […]
October 31, 2021
How to Choose a Tree A surprising number of people walk into our retail store and ask, “Do you sell trees?” or “Do you have any shade trees?” or “Do you have any ornamental trees?” We all smile and say yes; after all, trees are kind of our thing, and […]
October 30, 2021
Top 10 Asked Questions About Fruit Trees Fruit trees are a large part of our inventory, but they bring in more questions than any other category of plant. Our sales staff teamed up with our in-house orchard expert to answer the most asked questions about fruit trees in Wisconsin. We […]
October 1, 2021
Watering Your Plants in the Fall no-repeat;center top;;auto0px The air has turned chilly, the sun is setting earlier, and the Pumpkin Spice Latte fanatics are in heaven. While shorts and t-shirts may have been begrudgingly traded for jeans and sweaters, it’s too early to put away the garden hose. Summertime […]
January 18, 2021
10 Exciting New Plants in 2021 10 Exciting New Plants in 2021 Another season in the landscape is on the horizon! Now is a great time to trial plants that are new to the market, new to our inventory, or new in a larger quantity. Find a mix of new, […]
January 12, 2021
2021 Color of the Year & Your Plants Hopefully, the 2021 Color of the Year will help offset my family’s recently muted New Year’s Eve plans. No bar revelry. No toasting with friends and strangers at midnight. Instead, I spent a contented night at home with my husband and 4-year-old […]
December 30, 2017
Introductions & Originations Johnson\’s Nursery Originals; J.N. Plant Selections Introductions Johnson’s Nursery is proud to have numerous nationally recognized plants that originated in our fields. You may be familiar with trees and shrubs touting the cultivar names of ‘J.N. Select’, ‘J.N. Upright’, or ‘J.N. Select A’. These are plants […]
December 30, 2017
Specimen Trees Specimen Trees no-repeat;center top;;auto0px Specimen TreesAt Johnson’s Nursery, we describe specimen trees as large or high profile plants that specifically grown onto larger sizes because they display outstanding characteristics like phenomenal color, shape, or branching. A large shade tree brings instant gratification to home or commercial landscapes. This […]
December 29, 2017
Why I Enjoy Living in Zone 5 no-repeat;left top;;auto0px InvasivesSoutheast Wisconsin resides in Zone 5, with the northern portion in zone 5a and the southern in zone 5b. This measurement is a standard developed by the USDA that plant growers can determine which plants are likely to thrive and survive […]
December 29, 2017
Top 10 New Plants in 2020 Top 10 New Plants in 2020 Another season in your landscape is on the horizon and now is a great time to preview some of the new plants we’re releasing in 2020. Wisconsin’s local propagators are making waves in landscape plant propagation – woody […]
December 29, 2017
How to Prune Your Hydrangeas How to prune your hydrangeas generally depends on which of the four groups it falls in: Smooth, Panicle, Bigleaf, and Oakleaf. We cover other pruning methods in Pruning & Your Plants; however, this specific article aims to help you identify which type of hydrangea you […]
December 29, 2017
Grow Agreements Grow Agreements Simplify Logistics Why A Grow Agreement? If you’ve ever been excited about a big project only to discover your initial vision and goals were diluted because your preferred plant material was not available in the quantities or sizes you wanted. If you’ve ever had to answer […]
December 29, 2017
Training & Pruning Fruit Trees Training and pruning fruit trees is important to being a successful fruit grower. You train early in a fruit tree\’s life to achieve proper/desired shape and form (central leader, open center). The first-early years of a tree\’s life are most important for proper tree training […]
December 29, 2017
Best Pesticides For The Home Orchardist Best Pesticides For The Home Orchardist So many people want to grow fruit these days but don\’t know which are the best pesticides and when to use them. It is fun and exciting to plant fruit trees and then wait in anticipation for the […]
December 29, 2017
Content 1 Cleft Grafting Apple Trees Do you want to grow numerous varieties of apples all on one tree? Wish you could grow apples, but your yard is too small, and you only have room for one tree (growing apples requires 2 different varieties in order to set fruit)? Or […]