Mar 2014 Meeting: Pruning and Care of Fruit Trees

Mike Monague of Tippy Top Organic Orchard
demonstrates pruning techniques

Even the most experienced among us can sometimes be a bit unsure of ourselves when it comes to pruning, right?

So we were all ears to hear about proper pruning of fruit trees from Mike Monague of Tippy Top Organic Orchard outside of Dodgeville (near Clyde).

Over the last 22 years, Mike has planted and nurtured each one of his 400 pear and apple trees, which include numerous varieties you won't typically find at your local grocer, such as D'Anjou and Asian pears and the Mutsu apple.

Mike shared many pointers on pruning objectives and techniques (maintaining a leader, balancing the tree, opening up the center), demonstrating where to make the right cuts on branches he had brought in. He stressed the importance of thinning excess fruit to keep the branches from getting too heavy and to enable the remaining fruit to thrive.

He also talked about care of new seedlings, the type of fertilizer he uses and the type of organic foliar spray he uses, and generously answered many questions from club members.

Thanks to Mike for his lively and helpful presentation. 

Feb 2014 Meeting: Starting Veggies From Seeds and Extending the Growing Season

It was bitter cold at the beginning of February, but not too soon to be thinking about starting your vegetables indoors.

Jenny Bonde shows fabric row cover material

Organic grower Jenny Bonde provided valuable information on how to do greenhouse starts...from germination, to growing-on, to hardening off. She also covered ways to extend the growing season with row covers and low tunnels.

Jenny and Rink DaVee operate Shooting Star Farm east of Mineral Point (visit their Facebook page). A small, diversified vegetable farm with a commitment to selling locally, Shooting Star Farm's specialties include salad greens and heirloom tomatoes, but their produce also includes a wide array of items. You can find them at the Mineral Point Market every Saturday May through October, and their produce on the menus of restaurants in Mineral Point, Madison, Milwaukee, and Chicago.

An experienced presenter, Jenny has been one of the instructors in UW-Madison's Wisconsin School for Beginning Market Growers. Her expert advice and many tips were greatly appreciated and inspired us all to get going starting seeds!

Jenny shows Harriet how to make dirt blocks

Resha mans the membership table

Welcome to the Uplands Garden Club Blog

We are an organization of gardening enthusiasts in SW Wisconsin.

Click on the tabs above to learn more about our club and how you can become a member. 

And watch this space for announcements of upcoming meetings and events.