2026 May Plant and Soils Project Activities for– Houseplants, Crops, Vegetables, & Flowers
It’s gardening time! Have you chosen and ordered or purchased seeds you are going to plant? Soon there will be many seedling to purchase if you haven’t started your own.
For early harvesting or if you plan to exhibit vegetables or flowers at the Fair, you will need to count the days until Fair and plan to give them growing time. You also need to consider the weather and soil conditions. Will it frost and is the soil warm enough for seeds to start growing. Review or download A1989 The Vegetable Garden by Harrison.
Help tender plants acclimate to the weather. Use “hot caps” or covers for them. You can make covers from large soda bottles or milk jugs. Cut the bottom off the bottle or jug and remove the lid. You can place these over the plants to protect them from frost or wind. Remove them on very warm/hot days. Replace at night. So the plants don’t get cooked from the heat of the day but stay warm at night. Use a “row cover” for new plants growing from seeds you planted. Check out row covers and how and when to usethem. They may help you have a successful garden.
Plant healthy plants. Use clean tools and limit fertilizer to seedlings until several true leaves have developed.New plants are tender and need careful handling. Watch their growth for damping off. Damping-Off is a common disease of seedlings where stems are affected by fungi causing stems to rot and not able to support the seedling. They are fungus or mold that thrive in cool, wet conditions. Don’t over water and have good drainage. Also keep the seedlings at a warm temperature. Before planting seeds outdoors, wait until garden soil has reached the best temperature for germination. That temperature varies depending on the plant. Mature plants can also be affected with crown rot. The University of Wisconsin Garden Facts XHT1124 (Damping-Off), is a good resource. It’savailable athttps://pddc.wisc.edu/fact-sheet-listing-all/
When wepurchase plants, we need to know what the plant is supposed to look like. Look them over and be choosy. Inspect the plant carefully for signs of bugs, slugs or disease. Look on both sides of the leaves. Also examine the roots. Buy healthy plants.
Remember the importance of plant rotation of our garden vegetables.
Use your garden plan/map. The University of Wisconsin Garden Facts XHT1210 Using Crop Rotation in the Home Vegetable Garden has helpful information. Find it at https://pddc.wisc.edu/fact-sheet-listing-all/
Also, Look up the Guide 3384-Specialized Gardening Techniques: Wide -Row Planting, Square Foot Gardening and Raised Beds. It may give you help in developing this years garden plan. Or review A3382 Containers, and A3383 Mulches for Home Gardens and Plantings, fromthe learningstore.uwex.edu .
If you are considering exhibiting, plan ahead. The Fair Book is online at jcofair.com Look at and print a copy of Dept 13 &14 rules and entries. Mark the entries you will do. Check for the deadline for completing your entries on line. Print a copy of your entries so you can check them to be correct and can refer to them when taking them in for judging in July.
Check for updates for exhibiting and information on schedules. Watch the Weekly Clover Connection for any information and check the InFAIRmation Update from the Jefferson County Fair.
Keep A2935 Evaluating & Judging Flowers & Indoor Plants and A3306 Exhibiting & Judging Vegetables handy to use for information for good growing practices and exhibiting fair entries. Make a card for each entry, listing the details for that entry and use the card as you prepare your exhibit. Take it to the Fair with you for a reference as you talk to the judge. Note rule #7 under Dept 14 asks for a note card identifying plants and flowers being exhibited.
Got questions, Text or email or for help and information.
Sharon Schweitzer, 920-650-7110 or email rwses@idcnet.com
2026 May Natural Science Activities, Adventures, and all
Natural Science Projects include Beekeeping, Birds, Insects, Fishing, Forestry, Wildflowers, Hunting & Wildlife, Adventures, and Environmental projects.
Natural Science Activities scheduled for May are open to all 4-H members.
Saturday, May 09, 10am-2pm, Birding, Ecosystems, Project Scavenger Hunt, & More
Activities will be held at Dorothy Carnes County Park, West Unit
RSVP by May 7th, for these Natural Science Project Activities
text or email Sharon at 920-650-7110 or rwses@idcnet.com.
If you didn’t get to celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day in April. Spring is now appearing and Nature is popping. So let’s do our celebrating and acknowledge Earth Day and Arbor Day with some Natural Science activities.
Dorothy Carnes Park offers a great opportunity to explore and gain information for Natural Science projects. You can have an adventure, watch for wildlife, ID prairie flowers or see how plants and animals live together. Come enjoy the birding activities and the ecosystems or scavenger hunt on Saturday May 9th.
Birding Activities will start at dawn but you can visit Dorothy Carnes Park anytime during the day. Celebrate International Migratory Bird Day with the Friends of Rose Lake. They will be holding a Dawn to Noon Birding Sit-In with members there from dawn to noon Everyone is welcome to take part. It will be held on the deck on the park’s west side. In previous years 60 to 70 species of birds have been heard or seen at the Birding Sit-In. This event is a great opportunity to observe a wide variety of birds with help of other birders. Spring migration will be in full swing as birds come back to Wisconsin or are passing through going on north.
Explore Ecosystems at the Park. Do a scavenger hunt as you hike one of the trails watching for the spring flowers or looking for animals in tree tops or in the undergrowth. Bring a pair of binoculars, your camera, note pad and pencil to list what you see and capture with pictures. Record details for the Natural Science project you enjoy and choose to tell others about.
Rose Lake is the lake within the park. It provides water, giving support to the migrating birds and homes to others. Amphibians and other wildlife call it home too. The lake is surrounded by plant and animal ecosystems making it a special Jefferson County park. Please RSVP so activity information will be available.
See you at the park!
Directions to Dorothy Carnes County Park, West Unit from the Hwy 26 Bypass take Hwy 12 West from Fort Atkinson to Radloff Road. Follow signs to Dorothy Carnes County Park. There is a sign for the park on Hwy 12.
Other available activities
May : Horicon Marsh Bird Festival. Marsh-wide event. See full schedule of events at www.horiconmarsh.org for more details and for various other programs.
June : Wisconsin Free Fishing Days. Go to dnr.wisconsin.gov>free Fishing Weekend for dates and information. Watch for scheduled activities for Jefferson County or your community for June.
Also check out dnr.wisconsin.gov>adventure>freefun for Free Fun Weekend for other activities.
Natural Science related opportunities start at home. They may be inside relating to the materials(paper&plastic) you use and how you manage them. Or outside your door, down the street or road, in the fields or parks. We have a wonderful world. Let’s enjoy and take care of it.
Text or email with any project questions or if you would like more information for creating a fair exhibit. Your Fair entries will be entered online. Face to Face Judging of your exhibit is in July.
If you have Natural Science project questions or are looking for info about creating a fair exhibit, or to RSVP, text or email Sharon at 920-650-7110 or rwses@idcnet.com.
Your RSVP by May 7th is important for planing and providing materials.
They will be available with activity guidance on the deck or at the shelter from 10am to 2pm.