September 2025 Newsletter | |
Learning with Joy, Living with Care
One of the wonderful things about gardening is that there’s always something new to learn, see, and experience. I’m constantly amazed by the many living things around me and the ways they interact. This month, as I wrote the article focusing on what not to compost from your garden, I had the chance to take a closer look at my own plants. In addition to the usual powdery mildew and Japanese beetle damage, I discovered leaf spot on some of my cucumber leaves, either Angular Leaf Spot or Anthracnose. These diseases not only affect the plant this season but can also lie dormant in the seeds and infect next year’s crop—a completely new discovery for me.
Though I regularly walk through my garden, I tend to overlook these imperfections because I try to garden as organically as possible, which often means accepting some pest damage. But this is a good reminder that, as gardeners, we are stewards of the life around us. Being a steward of an ecosystem means continually observing, learning about, and responding thoughtfully to it. We can nurture what we want to thrive and intervene where it’s needed. My infected cucumber plants will be bagged and put in the trash, and I will not be saving seeds from them.
This September, I hope you’ll take some time to really look at your garden and notice details you may have missed, perhaps discovering something completely new. By continually adding to our own knowledge of our gardens, we can improve our gardening experience. Consider keeping a small notebook or phone photos to track what you see—season by season, you’ll start to notice patterns, successes, and challenges you might otherwise overlook. Let your observations guide you—reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and carry these lessons forward to make next year’s garden even more rewarding.
And remember, learning doesn’t have to happen on your own. This month’s calendar is full of workshops, events, and opportunities to grow your gardening knowledge alongside others.
Submitted by Melissa, N.E.W. Master Gardener
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Open House at the Library
It's harvest time, and those Pepperoncini Peppers are rocking a vibrant red that screams, "Party time in the garden!" Join us in the Children’s Edible Garden at the Central Brown County Library on Saturday, September 13 between 11 am - 2 pm as we harvest, collect seeds, and share knowledge on the art and science of Seed Saving. Thanks to all who participate in the 1S1C program which helps us plant roots of sustainability and self-reliance. The spirited seed savers of Brown County are the heart and soul of this mission, proving that community spirit grows rewards as rich as a well-loved garden.
| Pepperoncini in different stages of ripening. As eating peppers they can be harvested at any time. Once completely red, they are ready to harvest for eating and seed saving. | | Submitted by Peggy, N.E.W. Master Gardener | |
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What is OSSI?
The Open Source Seed Initiative (OSSI) is a movement dedicated to ensuring that the genetic material of seeds remains accessible and free for everyone to use, share, and improve.
OSSI was founded by a group of plant breeders, farmers, and advocates who were concerned about the increasing privatization and patenting of seeds. Notable among the founders is Dr. Jack Kloppenburg, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who has been a vocal advocate for open-source seeds.
The primary purpose of the OSSI is to preserve and protect the genetic diversity of seeds by making them freely available to farmers, gardeners, and plant breeders. This is achieved through the following objectives:
- Preventing Patents: By keeping seeds open-source, OSSI aims to prevent them from being patented or otherwise restricted by intellectual property laws.
- Promoting Diversity: Encouraging the development and sharing of diverse seed varieties to foster resilience in agricultural ecosystems.
- Supporting Breeders: Providing a platform for plant breeders to share their seeds with a community that values collaborative improvement and innovation.
- Enhancing Food Security: Ensuring that seeds remain a public resource to improve food security and sustainability.
The Open Source Seed Initiative plays a vital role in preserving the genetic heritage of seeds while fostering a collaborative, sustainable, and equitable approach to agriculture. Its impact extends beyond individual farmers and communities, contributing to global efforts in ensuring food security and environmental sustainability.
Submitted by Peggy, N.E.W. Master Gardener
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What Not to Compost: Spotting Plant Problems During Fall Garden Cleanup
While composting is a wonderful way to recycle nutrients, it can also be a pathway for pests and diseases if we’re not careful. Home compost piles usually do not get hot enough to destroy pathogens or weed seeds, so careful sorting is essential. Diseased plants or those heavily infested with pests can survive the winter and return to trouble next year’s garden. The challenge is knowing how to tell normal wear from pest damage or disease, and deciding if that material is safe to compost.
Here is a Quick Guide:
🟢 Safe to Compost
- Healthy plant debris (leaves, stems, flowers)
- Weeds without seeds
- Thick, woody stems (sunflowers, cornstalks)
Tip: Chop large debris into smaller pieces for faster decomposition.
🟡 Possibly Safe to Compost
Tip: Know your pest and whether it can overwinter on plant debris. For example, Japanese beetle-damaged plants are safe to compost, but squash bug-damaged plants should be checked carefully for eggs or nymphs.
🔴 Better to Bag/Trash or Burn
- Plants with insect eggs or visible infestation
Tip: Many insects (squash bugs, cabbage worms, etc.) can overwinter on plant debris.
- Diseased leaves/stems (blight, mildew, rust, wilt, etc.)
Tip: Pathogens often survive unless the pile is very hot.
- Weeds with seeds or rhizomes (perennial sow thistle, bindweed, etc.)
Tip: Rhizomatous plants can regrow from very small pieces of rhizomes, and seeds/rhizomes can remain dormant through winter or even when dehydrated.
Not Sure What You’re Seeing?
- Don’t compost until you know. Bag, trash, or burn material to be safe.
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Use an ID app. Tools like Picture This can help identify plants and suggest likely diseases.
- Consult multiple sources. Books, experienced gardeners, and trusted university websites can help you identify problems and determine whether they could survive your compost pile.
Where to turn for help: Contact Extension
In Brown County, Horticulture Staff can help identify plant diseases, pests, and other garden concerns.
- 📧 Email: horticulturehelp@browncountywi.gov (include up to 2 photos)
- ☎️ Phone: 920-391-4615 (leave a voicemail; staff will return your call)
Other Trusted Resources
👉 Search tip: Add “University of Wisconsin” or “.edu” to search terms for reliable, research-based information.
As you clean up this fall, composting is a wonderful way to return nutrients to our soil—but skip diseased or pest-ridden material. When in doubt, trash it. Learning to recognize common pests and plant diseases, and understanding their life cycles, is key to safe and effective composting. The resources above will help you gain confidence year after year. Compost is a gardener’s treasure when done properly, and taking time to understand what’s in your garden this year will help you create healthier, more productive compost for next season.
Submitted by Melissa, N.E.W. Master Gardener
| Japanese beetle damage to bean plants... OK to compost | Squash bug eggs on pumpkin leaves. Can rip off parts of leaves infested with eggs and compost uninfested parts, or bag/trash the whole thing. | Leaf spot on cucumber leaves. These plants will be bagged and put in the trash. I will also clean my garden tools at the end of the season to try and reduce any contamination into next year's garden. | | |
Book Review
The Rooted Life: Cultivating Health and Wholeness Through Growing Your Own Food
by Justin Rhodes,
format: book
Rhodes and his family are homesteading near Asheville, NC. The Rooted Life is part biography, guidebook, scrapbook, and cookbook that will certainly spark joy in its readers. An easy one to start and stop at your leisure, as stated, this title can help inspire you to begin gardening and/or provide guidance on ways to maximize your garden spaces. The Rooted Life will lead you through the steps you need to get started with whichever you choose. Filled with photos, family vignettes, growing guidance, and recipes. After you select your seeds from the Brown County Seed Library, be sure to head to the shelves to find this book!
Submitted by Jennifer, Brown County Central Library Associate and N.E.W. Master Gardener
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Calendar of Local Garden Related Events:
September 6, 9am - 2pm ($)
Wild Ones Fall Plant Sale
Stone Silo Prairie Gardens, 2325 Oak Ridge Cir, De Pere
September 8, 7pm - 8:30pm (free)
Prairiekeeping - The Ritual of Seed Gathering and Project Wingspan
Virtual, Wild Ones
September 11, 10am - 11:30am ($)
Mushrooms of Wisconsin
Green Bay Botanical Gardens, 2600 Larsen Rd, Green Bay
September 11, noon - 1pm (free)
Bitter Nectar, Toxic Pollen: Pollinators and Plant Chemicals
Virtual, Xerces Society
September 13, 11 am -2pm (free)
Children's Edible Garden Open House, Garden Harvest and One
Seed, One Community Seed Return
Brown County Central Library, 515 Pine St, Green Bay
September 13, 1pm - 2pm (free)
Seed Steward Training
Brown County Central Library, 515 Pine St, Green Bay
September 16, 5:30pm - 7:30pm (free)
Grassroots in the Garden: Growing Community
Seymour Park Food Forest, 314 S. Ashland Ave, Green Bay
September 17, 6pm - 8pm (free)
The Gardeners Club of Green Bay: Shade Gardening
Green Bay Botanical Gardens, 2600 Larsen Rd, Green Bay
September 18, 5:30pm - 7:30pm ($)
Green Thumb Gardening Fall 2025 - Spring Bulbs
Virtual, UW Extension
September 18, 6pm - 7pm (free)
“EcoBeneficial Landscape Strategies for the Climate Crisis" with Kim Eierman
Virtual, Wild Ones
September 22, 1:30pm - 2:30pm (free)
Ask Your Gardening Question: LIVE
Virtual, UW Extension
September 22, 6:30pm - 7:30pm (free)
Suburban Homesteading: Taste of the Harvest
Neenah Public Library, 240 E Wisconsin Ave, Neenah
September 24, 6:30 - 8:30pm (free)
The Bad and the Ugly: Ten Plant Diseases Not to Compost
Virtual, UW Extension
September 25, 5:30pm - 7:30pm ($)
Green Thumb Gardening Fall 2025 - Ornamental Grasses, Sedges, and Rushes
Virtual, UW Extension
September 25, 6pm - 8pm ($)
Harvesting, Preserving, & Preparing Your Herb Garden
Green Bay Botanical Gardens, 2600 Larsen Rd, Green Bay
September 27, 9am - 6:30pm (free)
Green Bay Botanical Garden Fall Family Fest
1pm - 3pm Native Seed Collecting for the Seed Library
Green Bay Botanical Gardens, 2600 Larsen Rd, Green Bay
September 30, 11am - noon (free)
Planting with Pat: Pruning for Winter
Wrightstown Branch Library, 615 Main Street, Wrightstown
September 30, 6:30pm - 8pm (free)
Planting bulbs for spring color
Virtual, U of Minn Extension
October 1, 9am - 3pm ($)
Urban Forestry Workshop: Invasive Species Plant ID and Management
670 Hillcrest Heights, Howard
October 2, 5:30pm - 7:30pm ($)
Green Thumb Gardening Fall 2025 - Woody Plants for Fall Fireworks
Virtual, UW Extension
October 3, 5pm - 7pm (free)
Grassroots in the Garden: Growing Community
Seymour Park Food Forest, 314 S. Ashland Ave, Green Bay
October 4, 9am or 1pm ($)
Intro to Foraging Walk
149 Baird Creek Rd, Green Bay
October 7, 1pm - 2pm (free)
Tri-County Winter Webinar Series:
Plant propagation for indoor and outdoor plants
Virtual, U of Minn Extension
October 9, 5:30pm - 7:30pm ($)
Green Thumb Gardening Fall 2025 - Soils, Soil Testing, and Fertilizers
Virtual, UW Extension
October 16, 5:30pm - 7:30pm ($)
Green Thumb Gardening Fall 2025 - Small Native (and Nativar) Trees and Shrubs
Virtual, UW Extension
October 16, 6pm - 7pm (free)
“Next Steps for Nature” with Doug Tallamy
Virtual, Wild Ones
October 18, 9:30am - 3pm (free)
Seed Packing for the BCSL
Brown County Central Library, 515 Pine St, Green Bay
October 20, 1:30pm - 2:30pm (free)
Ask Your Gardening Question: LIVE
Virtual, UW Extension
October 21, 1pm - 2pm (free)
Tri-County Winter Webinar Series: A beginner's guide to houseplants
Virtual, U of Minn Extension
October 22, 6:30 - 8:30pm (free)
Diseases of Houseplants
Virtual, UW Extension
October 23, 5:30pm - 7:30pm ($)
Green Thumb Gardening Fall 2025 - Getting the Garden Ready for Winter
Virtual, UW Extension
October 25, 1pm - 2pm (free)
The NE Wisconsin Pollinator Corridor and How You can Support Pollinators
Brown County Central Library, 515 Pine St, Green Bay
October 30, 5:30pm - 7:30pm ($)
Green Thumb Gardening Fall 2025 - Native Plants and Pollinators
Virtual, UW Extension
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All about Dill
Dill, scientifically known as Anethum graveolens, is an aromatic herb celebrated for its feathery leaves and distinctive flavor. This versatile plant not only enhances culinary dishes but also serves as a charming addition to any herb garden.
Dill is an annual herb, meaning it completes its life cycle in one growing season. It grows to a height of 2 to 3 feet, with slender stems and soft, delicate leaves that are fern-like in appearance. The plant produces yellow flowers that develop into flat, oval seeds. Both the leaves (often referred to as dill weed) and the seeds are used in cooking, offering a fresh and slightly tangy taste. Dill is frequently used in pickling, soups, and salads.
Planting
Sow dill seeds directly into the garden after the last frost date in your area. Dill thrives in warm weather. Choose a sunny location with well-drained soil. Dill prefers slightly acidic to neutral pH levels. Scatter seeds on the soil surface and cover lightly with about 1/4 inch of soil. Space seeds roughly 12 inches apart to allow room for growth.
Caring for Dill
Keep the soil consistently moist, especially during dry spells, but be cautious of overwatering, which can cause root rot. Dill generally doesn't require much fertilization. Once seedlings are about 2 inches tall, thin them to allow the strongest plants to flourish.
Harvesting
Begin harvesting the leaves once the plant reaches about 8 inches tall. Regular harvesting encourages more leaf production. To harvest seeds, wait for the flower heads to turn brown. Cut them and place in a paper bag to dry, then gently shake the bag to release the seeds.
Submitted by Peggy, N.E.W. Master Gardener
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Dill & Cream Cheese Cucumber Pinwheels
*Do not make more than 8 hours ahead. Tortillas will get soggy.
Ingredients:
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 oz dry ranch seasoning packet
• Or 8 ounce spreadable chive cream cheese
• 4 large flour tortillas
• 2 tsp fresh chopped dill
• 1 medium cucumber, sliced thin
Instructions:
1. Chop the dill and thinly slice the cucumbers.
2. In a small bowl, mix the softened cream cheese with the ranch seasoning until smooth and well combined or use spreadable chive cream cheese.
3. Spread ¼ of the cream cheese mixture evenly onto each tortilla.
4. Sprinkle ½ tablespoon of fresh dill over the cream cheese.
5. Arrange thin cucumber slices in a single layer over the cream cheese and dill.
6. Roll the tortilla tightly from one end to the other to create a log.
7. Wrap each tortilla log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set.
8. When ready to serve, remove plastic wrap, trim 2 inches from each end, and slice the remaining roll into 6 equal pinwheels.
9. Arrange flat on a platter and serve chilled. Enjoy!
Variation
• Add Protein: For a heartier version, add thin slices of turkey, ham, or smoked salmon before rolling. The savory meat pairs beautifully with the creamy ranch spread and gives the pinwheels a bit more staying power perfect for lunchbox meals or heavier appetizers.
• Use Flavored Tortillas: Try spinach, sun-dried tomato, or whole wheat tortillas.
Submitted by Eileen, N.E.W. Master Gardener
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Although brand names of products are mentioned in this newsletter, NEWMG and BCL do not endorse any particular brands. These mentions reflect individual experiences and should not be interpreted as endorsements or recommendations.
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