Each month in 2026, the UW Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic will sponsor a Zoom presentation on a plant disease-related topic. Check out descriptions and a preview of the talks below.
If you have questions about the presentations, feel free to contact Brian Hudelson at pddc@wisc.edu or (608) 262-2863.
To register for one or more of the talks, CLICK HERE.
Top Ten Plant Diseases of 2025
Date: January 28, 2026
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Description
Learn about 10 plant diseases that made a splash at the UW-Madison Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic in 2025. Diseases include both those that were submitted the most commonly to the clinic and those that potentially had the biggest impact from an economic or regulatory standpoint.
Preview
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Fun and Games at the PDDC!
Date: February 25, 2026
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Description
Learn about the UW-Madison Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic and the services and activities that it sponsors. This presentation will include information on both the diagnostic services and outreach efforts provided by the PDDC, as well as information on new and (hopefully) fun and exciting projects that have recently debuted or are currently in the works.
Preview
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Fundamentals of Plant Diseases
Date: March 25, 2026
Time: 6:30 – 9:00 pm
Description
Learn about disease-causing organisms and the symptoms they cause, as well as information on environmental factors that favor disease development. Also, learn about disease-like disorders caused by non-biological factors such as nutrient imbalances, pesticide exposures, environmental pollutants and adverse environmental conditions.
Preview
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Plant Disease Management by Design:
Preventing Plant Disease Problems During the Landscape Design Process
Date: April 22, 2026
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Description
Learn about common diseases in landscape settings and strategies in site evaluation, plant selection, plant installation, and post-installation maintenance that will help you design and establish landscapes that will have long-term sustainability.
Preview
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The Science (and Art) of Plant Disease Diagnosis
Date: May 27, 2026
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Description
Learn about the fascinating and complex process involved in identifying plant diseases. Learn about how to visually assess for plant disease symptoms, as well as about the range of lab tests that are often needed to confirm the identity of plant diseases.
Preview
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Plant Diseases in History
Date: June 24, 2026
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Description
Learn about how plant diseases have impacted human history and how plant diseases continue to be important in our daily lives and in pop culture.
Preview
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Evil Twins: Plant Disease Look-Alikes
Date: July 22, 2026
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Description
Learn about common diseases that have similar symptoms and can be misidentified, but may have very different management strategies.
Preview
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Hosta Diseases
Date: August 26, 2026
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Description
Learn about common diseases of hostas. This presentation will include information on how to identify these diseases, as well as information on how to manage them.
Preview
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Growing Healthy Plants: Basics in Plant Disease Management
Date: September 23, 2026
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Description
Learn about common methods for disease control, their pros and cons, and how you can adapt these techniques for use in your own home garden.
Preview
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Orchid Diseases
Date: October 28, 2026
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Description
Learn about common diseases of orchids. This presentation will include information on how to identify these diseases, as well as information on how to manage them.
Preview
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Confessions of a Black Thumb: Plants That I Have Killed (or at Least Seriously Maimed)
Date: November 18, 2026
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Description
Learn about the favorite plants of Brian Hudelson (aka Dr. Death) and his epic failures in attempting to grow these plants in his home garden, either through his encouragement of plant diseases, his insistence on practicing “Darwinian gardening” or through his sheer gardening stupidity. Use these cautionary tales to improve your own gardening skills.
Preview
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Plant Disease Holiday Gift List
Date: December 16, 2026
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Description
Learn about plant diseases that can be beneficial to people and might make a great holiday gift for a loved one.