Educational Programs for the General Public

Interested in scheduling Brian Hudelson for a presentation, workshop or other outreach activity?  Brian provides presentations on wide range of plant disease-related topics.  See below for details on popular topics.

Check out the calendar in the Outreach..Events section of the main menu to find out if Brian might have the date open.  Book early; his schedule fills up quickly.

Contact Brian directly [pddc@wisc.edu or (608) 262-2863] to verify his availability.


Fundamentals of Plant Diseases Icon

Fundamentals of Plant Diseases

Description

Learn about disease-causing organisms (fungi, bacteria, viruses, phytoplasmas and nematodes) and the symptoms they cause, as well as information on environment factors that favor disease development.  Also learn about disease-like plant disorders caused by non-biological factors such as nutrient imbalances, pesticide exposures, environmental pollutants and adverse environmental conditions.

Preview

Available formats

Presentation Length:  2.5 – 3 hours


  Diseases of Evergreens Icon

Diseases of Evergreens

Description

Learn about common diseases of evergreens (both needled and broadleaved) and their management.

Preview

Available formats

Presentation Length:  2.5 – 3 hours (Full Talk)
(Shorter customized versions also available)


Deciduous Tree and Shrub Diseases Icon

Deciduous Tree and Shrub Diseases

Description

Learn about common diseases of deciduous trees and shrubs and their management.

Preview

Available formats

Presentation Length:  4 hours (Full Talk)
(Shorter customized versions also available)


Diseases of Herbaceous Ornamentals Icon

Diseases of Herbaceous Ornamentals

Description

Learn about common diseases of herbaceous ornamentals and their management.

Preview

Available formats

Presentation Length:  3 – 4 hours (Full Talk)
(Shorter customized versions also available)


Diseases of Native Plants Icon

Ten Diseases of Native Plants
(and Non-Natives, Too)

Description

Learn about common diseases of plants that are native to Wisconsin.  This presentation will include information on how to identify these diseases, as well as information on how to manage them.

Preview

Available formats

Presentation Length:  1.5 – 2 hours (Full Talk)
(Shorter customized versions also available)


Diseases of the Landscape Icon

Diseases of Landscape Plants

Description

Learn about common diseases of your favorite outdoor plants (including herbaceous plants and woody trees and shrubs) and their management.

Preview (None available)

This talk combines elements from Diseases of Herbaceous Ornamentals, Diseases of Evergreens, and Deciduous Trees and Shrub Diseases (see above) to provide a customized talk for your specific location.

Available formats

Presentation Length:  3 – 4 hours (Full Talk)
(Shorter customized versions also available)


Hosta Diseases Icon

Hosta Diseases

Description

Learn about common diseases of hostas and their management.

Preview

Available formats

Presentation Length:  1 – 1.25 hours


Orchid Diseases Icon

Orchid Diseases

Description

Learn about common diseases of orchids and their management.

Preview

Available formats

Presentation Length:  1 hour


Diseases of Bonsai Plants Icon

Diseases of Bonsai Plants

Description

Learn about common diseases of plants used in the ancient art form of bonsai and how to manage these diseases.

Preview

Available formats

Presentation Length:  1 – 1.5 hours


 Vegetable Diseases Icon

Vegetable Diseases

Description

Learn about common diseases of vegetables and their management.

Preview

Available formats

Presentation Length:  3 – 4 hours (Full Talk)
(Shorter customized versions also available)


Diseases of Houseplants Icon

Diseases of Houseplants

Description

Learn about common diseases of houseplants and their management.

Preview

Available formats

Presentation Length:  1 – 1.5 hours


The Science and Art of Plant Disease Diagnosis Icon

The Science (and Art) of Plant Disease Diagnosis

Description

Learn about the complex process involved in accurately identifying plant diseases.

Preview

Available formats

Presentation Length:  1 – 1.5 hours


Plant Disease Management Icon

Growing Healthy Plants – Basics in Plant Disease Management

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

Available formats

Presentation Length:  1.5 – 2.0 hours


Plant Disease Management by Design Icon

Plant Disease Management by Design:
Preventing Plant Disease Problems During the Landscape Design Process

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

Available formats

Presentation Length:  1.5 – 2.0 hours


Plant Diseases in History Icon

Plant Diseases in History

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

Available formats

Presentation Length:  1 – 1.5 hours


Confessions of a Black Thumb Icon

Confessions of a Black Thumb – Plants That I Have Killed (or at Least Seriously Maimed)

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

Available formats

Presentation Length:  1 – 1.25 hours


Dr. Death's Plant Disease Predictions Icon

Dr. Death’s Plant Disease Predictions for 2023

Description

Learn about Brian Hudelson’s predictions of what diseases will be prevalent and of importance in 2023.   Keep in mind however, that if Brian were actually able to predict accurately, he would not be giving this talk, but would be relaxing on a beach somewhere, drink in hand, having made millions playing the stock market.

Preview

Available formats

Presentation Length:  1.5 – 2 hours


Top Ten Plant Diseases Icon

Top Ten Plant Diseases of 2023

Description

Learn about 10 plant diseases that made a splash at the UW-Madison Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic in 2023.  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

Available formats

Presentation Length:  1.5 – 2 hours


Evil Twins Icon

Evil Twins:  Plant Disease Look-Alikes

Description

Learn about common diseases that have similar symptoms and can be misidentified, but may have very different management strategies.

Preview

Available formats

Presentation Length:  1.5 – 2 hours


Double Trouble Icon

Double Trouble:  Diseases in the Vegetable and Herbaceous Ornamental Garden

Description

Learn about common diseases that can be equally problematic in your vegetable garden and in herbaceous ornamental plantings.  This talk includes tips on identifying the diseases, as well as recommendations for management.  

Preview

Available formats

Presentation Length:  1.5 – 2 hours


Plant Diseases Not to Compost Icon

The Bad and the Ugly:
Ten Plant Diseases Not to Compost

Description

Certain plant diseases are so horrible or so deadly that composting is not an appropriate way to get rid of affected plants.  Learn about some of these diseases and their proper management.

Preview

Available formats

Presentation Length:  1.5 – 2 hours


New and Emerging Plant Diseases Icon

New and Emerging Plant Diseases

Description

Learn about plant diseases that have recently arrived in Wisconsin and have potential economic and/or regulatory impact, as well as more established diseases that have the potential to significantly impact the state in the near future.

Preview

Available formats

Presentation Length:  1 – 1.5 hours


Tales From the PDDC Icon

Tales from the PDDC:
Trials and Tribulations from 2020
(and Beyond)

Description

Learn about how COVID-19 impacted activities at the PDDC in 2020 and about some of the über-cool plant diseases that made their way to the clinic.

Preview

Available formats

Presentation Length:  1 – 1.5 hours


Custom Constructed Plant Disease Talks Icon

Custom Constructed Plant Disease Talks

Description

Consult with Brian to develop a plant disease talk that is customized to fit the needs of your group.  The possibilities are endless.

Preview (None available)

Available formats

Presentation Length:  1 – 4 hours


Plant Disease Q and A Icon

Plant Disease Q&A

Description

Put Brian in the hot seat by asking him your plant disease questions in a non-structured, informal atmosphere.

Preview (None available)

Available formats

Presentation Length:  1 – 2 hours


Signs and Symptoms Workshop Icon

Signs and Symptoms Workshop

Description

Hone your observational skills with this hands-on workshop where participants get to look at a wide range of  diseased plant specimens.  Learn about the wide range of disease symptoms, signs of plant pathogens that you can see by eye and the challenges of properly diagnosing plant diseases.  The session includes a group discussion of the diseases presented in the workshop, as well tips on management of the diseases.

Preview (None available)

Available formats

Presentation Length:  3 – 4 hours


Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic Tour Icon

Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic Tour

Description

Come visit the Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic.  Learning about clinic services and outreach, and watch clinic staff in action as they work with plant samples to diagnose disease problems.

Combine your visit to the PDDC with a visit to the UW Insect Diagnostics Lab, the Wisconsin Insect Research Collection,  and the Allen Centennial Garden.

Available formats

Presentation Length:  0.5 – 2 hours