Racine Kenosha Master Gardener Association

09/07/2026

Troubled by tomatoes? Yeah….

Maybe some cracking, black spots on the bottom, delayed or refused ripening, or showing strange yellow shoulders?

Tune in to the team as Chris and Ken dig into the most common tomato fruit disorders caused by weather, watering, heat, and nutrient imbalances.

Try to turn those tomato troubles around with tips for late-season tomato care, including topping plants, ripening green tomatoes indoors, and cleaning up the garden to reduce problems next year.

🎧 Listen to anywhere you get your podcasts or online at https://extension.illinois.edu/podcasts/good-growing/ep-263-its-not-disease-common-tomato-fruit-problems-you-cant-spray-away-goodgrowing

🔗Troubles with Tomatoes: https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2020-05-01-troubles-tomatoes

09/01/2026

Keep pollinators in mind as you manage fall leaves, prune shrubs, and clean up and prepare your landscape for winter. Fall is also a great time to add trees, shrubs, and perennials to your landscape. Melinda Myers will share tips for taking care of your new and established native and non-native plants, flowerbeds, rain gardens, and lawns. She’ll cover proper watering, fertilization, winterization, and protection from wildlife to get them through our challenging winters and ready for an eye-catching spring display!

The webinar is free, but registration is required.

Register at: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_tYYMXi1kTmSzxfOsf9c-Vw

Sponsored by Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District and hosted by Milwaukee Public Library

08/15/2026

University of Illinois Extension.
When checking milkweed plants for monarch caterpillars, you may have been surprised to find other insects living and feeding on the plants.

While milkweed is toxic to other animals, some insects have evolved to feed on it and, like monarch caterpillars, have become milkweed specialists.

Visitors may include milkweed beetles and bugs, milkweed tussock moth, or oleander aphids.

Learn which is which, characteristics, and why managing them may not be necessary in this feature.

🔗 Read More Than Monarchs: What Are Those Bugs on My Milkweed? https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2021-07-30-more-monarchs-what-are-those-bugs-my-milkweed

🎧 Prefer to listen? Tune in to the Good Growing podcast Gardenbite, all milkweed visitors at https://extension.illinois.edu/podcasts/good-growing/gardenbite-more-monarchs-insects-milkweed-goodgrowing

07/26/2026

Blueberry Fest on Saturday, July 25th was a great success thanks to the organization by the sponsors, the volunteers, and the excited attendees.
Thanks to Diane Larsen here are two pictures with attendees learning how to grow blueberries in raised beds.

07/13/2026

Blueberry Fest July 25th at the Kenosha County Center. Plants for sale and samples for tasting. It is free but registration required. Use the QR code.

07/09/2026

Wisconsin Horticulture Extension

Join us online next Wednesday, July 15 at 1:30 p.m. for Ask Your Gardening Question: LIVE, a monthly web series where you can connect directly with plant health experts from UW and get free advice for your yard and garden—houseplants too!

Our panel of experts can speak on a wide range of gardening topics, including:
🌳 Caring for trees and shrubs
🍓 Growing fruits and vegetables
🏡 Maintaining healthy lawns
🐜 Managing plant diseases and pests

…and so much more! Don’t miss this opportunity to grow your gardening knowledge. Register for free at

Join our monthly online programs in 2026 for an opportunity to connect with plant health experts from the UW-Madison Division of Extension. Each session, held on Wednesdays at 1:30 - 2:30 or 6:30-7:30 PM, is your chance to ask questions about your trees and shrubs, garden vegetables and ornamentals,...

06/29/2026

Want to be a Master Gardener in Wisconsin? Here’s how to get started. 🌱

If you love digging in the dirt, growing plants, protecting the environment, and sharing knowledge with others, then the Wisconsin Extension Master Gardener Program may be just the right thing for you. The path to certification typically starts in fall. Learn what it takes to become a Master Gardener here: hort.extension.wisc.edu/how-to-become-a-master-gardener

06/23/2026

WILD ONES

*Root River Chapter*
MEMBER GARDEN TOUR

Twin Lakes, WI
Saturday, July 11, 2026
10:00am - 12:00PM
*Registration Required
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScuBs-BsIJaUfVLZgZDFD1maoD1ojJEa3Msc0I89tWMBjkAVA/viewform?pli=1

for our event & follow us on Facebook!
Tour location will be provided upon registration.
By registering, we will notify you if this event is
cancelled or rescheduled due to inclement
weather.

Wild Ones promotes native
landscapes through education,
advocacy, and collaborative action.
Native plants help protect and restore
biodiversity, improve air and water
quality and provide wildlife with quality
food and shelter. Our vision is native
plants and natural landscapes in every
community.

Send a message to learn more

06/20/2026

Want to be a Master Gardener in Wisconsin?
Here’s how to get started.
If you love digging in the dirt, growing plants, volunteering in your community, and sharing knowledge with others, then the Wisconsin Extension Master Gardener Program may be right for you. The process to join starts in fall. Learn what it takes to become a Master Gardener.

How to get started
Step 1 | Participate in an approved learning opportunity.
To be a successful Master Gardener, you need foundational knowledge about growing and caring for plants in Wisconsin. Extension offers a comprehensive online gardening course to prepare individuals for the Master Gardener Program.

This course, Growing and Caring for Plants in Wisconsin: Foundations in Gardening, occurs annually from September through December. Registration opens in July each year. This approved learning opportunity is led by Extension Horticulture staff and subject matter experts. It focuses on objectives and topics covered in the Wisconsin Extension Master Gardener Program Onboarding exam.

Step 2 | Complete the Master Gardener Onboarding course.
The online Onboarding course introduces you to the requirements of the Wisconsin Extension Master Gardener Program. The course takes place in February and March each year. As part of the course, participants must pass the horticulture entrance exam, which requires a score of 70% or better.

Become a Master Gardener You don’t need to know everything about gardening to become a Master Gardener — you’ll continue to learn the more you participate in the program. You do need to be committed to lifelong learning and community service, as these are the cornerstones of the Wisconsin Ex...

06/11/2026

UW Extension Forestry
Almost ripe! Can we get some love for the serviceberry or juneberry (Amelanchier species)? This native small tree or shrub can be found primarily in forests, woodland edges, and open fields. As their name suggests, serviceberries provide incredible pollinator benefits in the spring and tasty berries for wildlife and people in early summer.
Serviceberries have become common replacements for removed ash trees in many municipalities. Will you be harvesting serviceberries this June? Or are you thinking about planting serviceberries on your property to enhance wildlife habitat?

Visit our website to learn more about foods that you can grow and gather in your woods:

Beyond Timber: Grow and Gather in Your Woods Jump to section: > Understory plants & fungi > Tree crops > Firewood & fence posts > Seeds for planting > Carbon Jump to section: > Understory plants & fungi > Tree crops > Firewood & fence posts > Seeds for planting > Carbon Timber is far […]