Gardening is a hobby that many people participate in. Some people garden to grow and harvest their own food, while others simply plant flowers and enjoy watching them flourish.
While many people garden, not all of them have green thumbs. They may be unsure of how to care for plants or have had bad luck in the past. Some may have never gardened in their lives.
This is where Horticulture Outreach Specialist Julie Hill steps in. Hill works for UW-Madison Extension, where she serves Walworth, Rock and Jefferson counties. In her role, Hill educates others in proper gardening techniques.
Hill explained that her initial interest in gardening stemmed from a love of the outdoors.
“I think really it just comes from wanting to connect with nature and be outside, and gardening is a great way to do that,” Hill said. “It’s a great stress reliever. It’s just really good for us in lots of ways.”
On April 8, Hill visited UW-Whitewater to give a presentation titled “Growing Vegetables in Containers.” This presentation was hosted by the Continuing Education office in Upham Hall.
(Zoe Emerson)
Hill expressed excitement about returning to speak at UW-Whitewater.
“I enjoy coming here, especially talking with students and adults in this type of environment,” Hill said. “I think it’s a great learning environment for all of us, and we can do lots of different topics and programs that people want to hear about.”
Hill educated audience members on a variety of topics, which were supplemented with numerous physical handouts. Such topics included selecting containers, soil and fertilizer.
Hill also interacted with audience members through true or false trivia questions, all of which were related to gardening. Hill also spoke about other gardening concepts such as drainage and watering.
Plant pests and diseases were also discussed, as were ways to prevent, identify and manage problems that occur when gardening. Hill also highlighted some common plant diseases, such as blight.
Members of the campus Gardening Club attended Hill’s presentation. President Maren McDonnell explained that the club gardens in the greenhouse and campus garden. McDonnell emphasized that even in the harsh winter months, the Gardening Club remains active with crafts and activities.
McDonnell expressed satisfaction with Hill’s presentation.
“It was great to have this presentation because it was very relatable for students who live on-campus in the dorms or off-campus in apartments,” McDonnell said. “It’s really beneficial to have this kind of information for gardeners to be able to partake in this activity wherever they are.”
McDonnell believes that the information Hill provided will be extremely useful to those in attendance.
“We’re lucky to have the campus garden and the greenhouse here on campus so people are able to garden here at school,” McDonnell said. “But it’s really exciting to be able to take that interest home with them.”
At the presentation’s conclusion, Hill provided attendees with her contact information and other resources through the UW-Madison Extension’s Horticulture Program.
Hill stated her hope that audience members will succeed in their gardening efforts this year.
(Zoe Emerson)
“I just hope that they’re willing to maybe try something new,” Hill said. “They have some tips and tricks now that will help them be more successful this year with whatever they’re trying to do in their gardens.”
