RUGN: The Racine Urban Garden Network

03/26/2026

Melinda Myers is having a free webinar tonight on how to start a garden - register below:

Join me Thurs., March 26 at 6:30 PM CT for this free webinar. REGISTER at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_46cylzi_R32_YBBOh3cbZA #/registration

Starting your first or even your second garden can be overwhelming, so I'll cover the basics to help you get off to a great start this garden season. There will be tips on designing the garden, preparing the soil, as well as planting seeds and plants. As always, there will be time at the end of the webinar to answer your questions.

The webinar is free, but registration is required.
I hope to see you Thursday night!

03/22/2026

Melinda Myers is coming to Racine for a Community Education talk about sustainable gardening at the SC Johnson's Golden Rondelle on Tuesday, March 24. RUGN: The Racine Urban Garden Network will be there and you'll be able to sign up for a garden plot. The program is free but you must register with SCJ to attend - see link below!

Join SC Johnson, A Family Company for "Sustainable Strategies to Help Plants Survive and Thrive" on March 24 at the Golden Rondelle Theater!

Nationally known gardening expert, radio host, author and columnist Melinda Myers will guide you through the essential first step of gardening sustainably. She will also share practical, sustainable strategies to help your plants survive and flourish despite challenging conditions.

Melinda has more than 35 years of horticulture experience, has written more than 20 gardening books, and has hosted radio and tv programs.

Reservations are encouraged to attend this FREE event. To learn more and reserve your seat, visit: https://visitracinecounty.com/events/sustainable-strategies-to-help-plants-survive-and-thrive-with-master-gardener-melinda-myers/

02/28/2026

Great post from Melinda Myers on seed starting! Mark your calendars for the 2nd Annual RUGN Sip 'n Swap Seed Exchange and get a head start on your garden this year! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSemuOJLEotz64uPxafOLUJq-JE_G-ZZ0Kh8BUQqoYeacyMH6A/viewform?fbclid=IwY2xjawQP4JpleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFwZ1lwcllWZjVLbUE2bmpjc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHuJHr1WfzrUcp4y4UFCMTmhNMUhqTz0JIq1F_Lji2Kpm1-EY0Z6WyI2PO8L9_aem_-yXpnCvcqeWSbMSDhvaayg

Starting plants from seeds can help you save money, extend your gardening enjoyment and may be the only option for hard-to-find plants. Always start with clean containers or disinfect used pots by soaking them in a 1-part bleach and 9-parts water solution for 10 minutes then rinse them with fresh water. Using clean/disinfected containers and a sterile seed starting mix will help you avoid problems with damping off disease. https://www.melindamyers.com/audio-video/melindas-garden-moment-audio-tips/planting-starting-new-plants/damping-off-disease .

02/22/2026

Today’s the day for our PowerPoint Party at the Eco-Justice Center! Join us at 3 pm in the Farmhouse to hear half a dozen 5-minute presentations on gardening topics including foraging for food, how worms are unsung heroes for soil, beneficial parasitic wasps, biblical gardening principles and meal templates for your garden. Come early and say hi to the goats, alpacas and chickens. Farm is open for visitors now through 4 pm and it’s a sunny day for some steps despite the chill.

02/19/2026

From one of our senior RUGN gardeners; please reply here if you can help!

“I need a little help here:

The place in which I'm currently living got rid of all the shopping carts the tenants used to be able to use for shopping, etc.
When I moved into this place I used them to transport bags & small boxes from the truck to my apt.
The management here got rid of all the carts as, I guess, a sort of punishment to those who never returned them on time to the outer front hall. Folks like myself have ended-up being "collateral damage", so to speak, with not being able to have the carts at our disposal.

My plea is:
Do any of you have any kind of vehicle similar to a cart, or maybe you have a small flatbed "trolley" I may borrow to use for my move on Saturday?
Please respond if you have such items/ an item.

Thanks.”

01/31/2026

Learn more about how you can have an impact on community gardening in Racine at our table in the Rotary Club’s Service Before Self Expo at Fountain Hall in Sturtevant! Our Board members will be there on Saturday from 9 am to 3 pm to answer questions about urban gardening and how you can volunteer with RUGN. Stop by and pick up a free plant cutting to start growing with RUGN!

01/27/2026

Even though winter may keep us from working outdoors every day, it’s the perfect season to plan, prepare, and protect your garden for the months ahead. Before the month is over, here are the tips for January: Plan your crop rotations to keep soil healthy and productive. Start stratifying perennial flower seeds in the fridge or outdoors. Review last year’s plant successes and jot down lessons learned. Keep a garden journal: track planting dates, varieties, and harvests. Order seed catalogs now—try heirloom and open-pollinated varieties.. Pre-order bulbs and live plants to get your favorites before spring. Prep garden structures like cold frames, trellises, and seed-starting setups.

Sign up for a plot in a RUGN community garden. Click here for the plot application form: chrome-extensio://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://mcusercontent.com/b45eaab105c5d6f817d64ae86/files/422599d5-5b01-be3f-d0cb-78d68fff921e/2023_RUGN_FORM.pdf

Plan to attend the RUGN Gardeners' Potluck Dinner Friday, Feb. 6. Click here for details: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D48ABAD2DA1F9CE9-61498921-2026

The RUGN Potluck will be held on Friday, February 6th from 6-8pm at the EAA building, 3333 N Green Bay Rd, Racine, WI 53404. Please sign up for with the dish you will bring to pass and the number of people who will be attending with you. All dishes, cutlery, and beverages provided by RUGN.

01/23/2026

An interesting fact about what might happen to trees in subzero temperatures.

As a deep freeze heads our way, headlines and social posts about "exploding trees" are everywhere, and although it can technically happen, the less exciting headline of “cracking trees” is usually more appropriate.

When it gets cold enough, the liquid sap inside trees can freeze. When this happens, the sap expands and puts intense pressure on the inside of the tree. If the tree can’t handle that much pressure, it physically cracks.

As you can probably imagine, cracking open a tree takes a lot of force. A loud cracking or popping noise often occurs when the physical crack forms. While these cracks can certainly be startling, a true "explosion" would be rare.

A large crack seldom kills the tree, but it can be an entry point for insects, bacteria and fungi that can contribute to eventual tree decline.

Property owners seeing a large crack in a yard tree are urged to consult an arborist to determine if there is a risk of the tree falling or dropping large branches.

01/17/2026

Do you have a plant or gardening question but can’t find the answer on your own?

Join the Extension Horticulture Program Wednesday, Jan. 21, for the next Ask Your Gardening Question: LIVE, held from 1:30-2:30 p.m. These expert-led sessions address a wide range of topics, including houseplant care and indoor gardening, plant diseases, insect identification and management, fruit and vegetable plots, ornamental landscapes, lawns and more.

Find answers to all your plant questions here! Register at go.wisc.edu/AYGQLIVE

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving 🍁🦃 to all our gardeners and friends! Mark your calendars for our Gardeners Potluck on Friday January 30 from 6-8 pm at the EAA Experimental Aircraft Museum. More details coming soon!

10/30/2025

RUGN was happy to host the Walking School Bus at two of its gardens in May and we were interested to see that WTMJ Channel 4 News just did a feature on Stuart Wood, the coordinator, and his son, Spencer! Read all about it and if you know of anyone able to volunteer to be part of the Walking School Bus effort, spread the word. This program was developed for children who live too close to school to qualify for bus service but who might need a safe way to walk to school. Volunteers like Spencer and Stuart get their steps in on school days as they es**rt kids to Knapp or Julian Thomas schools. With more volunteers, more kids could participate in this valuable program.

The Walking School Bus program currently serves Knapp and Julian Thomas elementary schools. With more volunteers, the program could expand routes and include more families.