November 30, 2021
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Bird Garden in Wisconsin

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 […]
November 30, 2017
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Water Your Plants

Water Your Plants Don’t forget to water your plants! Proper watering of a newly installed plant is critical to its establishment and future growth. Though watering may seem like a simple task, proper watering is a complex subject that does not easily offer a one-size-fits-all guideline for the quantity and […]
October 26, 2017
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Fall Harvest & Planting

Fall Harvest & Planting Fall Harvestno-repeat;left top;;auto Autumn in Wisconsin is a special time. Roadsides are painted in orange, red, and yellow. The air smells crisp and it’s time to get out the sweaters. The cooler temperatures invite most people to slow down from our busy summer schedules in preparation […]
October 16, 2017
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Seasonal Needle Drop

Seasonal Needle Drop The cooler temperatures of autumn are approaching and while humans are putting on extra layers of clothes, evergreens are shedding their old needles. This annual occurrence is called “Seasonal Needle Drop” and is completely normal. Think of it like people shedding their hairs. So don’t panic when […]
October 6, 2017

Fall Planting

Fall Planting Fall Planting In the fall, I am asked the same question over and over: Is it too late to plant? The answer? Not at all. But it is a good idea to get perennials and evergreens in the ground by mid-October. You want to give perennials enough time […]
October 2, 2017
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Native Pollinators

Native Pollinators Did you know the phrase “the bee’s knees” originally described something tiny and insignificant?  Since then it has evolved to mean something outstanding. And in August, I find nothing more outstanding than the sight of native pollinators in the landscape. One of the basics of plant life is […]
May 25, 2017
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Phenology

Phenology The calendar says that spring is officially here, but it doesn’t really look like it yet. Today’s tip touches on a branch of science called phenology, meaning when climatic conditions correlate with plant and animal behaviors. Some say spring has arrived when you spy a robin. I say it […]
April 18, 2017

Cultivar – What Is It?

Cultivar What is a cultivar? What are their advantages? My husband and I are expecting a little seedling in the fall. Thank goodness there is only one in here, but say I were having identical twins. They would be genetically identical, just like a plant “cultivar”. When the seeds of […]
April 5, 2017
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Signs of Spring

Signs of Spring Signs of Spring Officially, the calendar says March 20th is the Vernal Equinox and the first day of spring. But in Wisconsin, where a snowstorm might still be around the corner, I know that spring isn’t official until I see certain signs every year. Sign #1 – […]
April 1, 2017
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Harvest Windows & Dig Times

Harvest Windows Throughout the spring season, we hear from a lot of panicked people who think that their trees have to be in the ground by June. So not true! And although this video pertains to harvesting field-grown plants in the spring, the theme is the same for harvesting plants […]
March 22, 2017
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Green Screens: Living Privacy Fence with Evergreens

Green Screens: Living Privacy Fence with Evergreens The first signs of spring bring me to our tree farm in Jackson. Our fields are full of trees for potential green screens to hide your neighbors, a shed, or whatever obstacle you want to block.Ben Franklin wrote, “Good fences make good neighbors”. […]
February 18, 2017
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Forcing Tree Stems

Forcing Tree Stems We are smack in the middle of a long cold winter and that darn groundhog says it won’t be over soon. Today I’m going to show you how to bring a little spring indoors by forcing tree stems. Cutting stems of spring flowering trees and bringing them […]
February 11, 2017
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Winter Crabapples for Birds

Winter Crabapples for Birds Depending on how long spring holds out on us, February means either we are in the homestretch of winter, or smack in the middle of it. About this time is when certain birds, like Cardinals, really appreciate something to eat besides seed in the feeders. Lots […]
January 17, 2017
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Proper Snow Removal

Proper Snow Removal Instead of telling you to lift with your knees, it’s all about saving the branches of your trees. Contrary to what you might have heard, it is important after a heavy, wet snowfall to remove what has accumulated on certain plants like arborvitaes, boxwoods, and pines; basically […]
December 2, 2016
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Winterizing Evergreens

Winterizing Evergreens Just because winter is here, doesn’t mean ignoring the garden. The freezing process draws moisture out of a plant. The “polar vortices” of Wisconsin’s winters can be hard on certain evergreens, especially if they don’t get enough water in fall. When hit with repeated cycles of very cold […]
December 1, 2016
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Family Tree Discount

Family Tree Discount If you have recently had a baby, congratulations! Johnson’s Nursery has a Family Tree Discount. We offer 25% off the retail price of any one plant, whether a perennial, shrub, or tree to commemorate your bundle of joy. Baby and tree will grow up together. If you […]