Educating fellow gardeners was her mission
If you’re a serious gardener, you already know who Sharon Morrisey is.
If you're not: For more than 25 years she was the consumer horticulture agent for the University of Wisconsin Extension Milwaukee County, where she headed the Master Gardener volunteers program in Milwaukee and Waukesha.
For most of those years, she wrote a monthly garden calendar (previously published in the Journal Sentinel) telling gardeners what they should be doing in their gardens throughout the month, and since 1998 she’s done regular TV segments related to vegetables, flowers, herbs and fruits for Channel 6.
Show her a plant and she can identify it in a flash. Ask her about your sad-looking tomato plant and she can tell you where you went astray.
But as of Jan. 31, the only plants Morrisey are likely to be looking at are those in her New Berlin gardens; that’s when she retired from her UW-Extension position.
In a phone interview in early February, Morrisey said she plans to stay busy.
“I want to take a break and have time to relax and do things I’ve had to put off for a long time,” she said, adding that she will be looking into volunteer opportunities. “I probably will continue to work with local groups involved in horticulture, gardening and environment.
“In spring I’m looking forward to digging into my garden. I started renovating it last year, but I was frustrated by not having (enough time). Now I’ll be able to work in my garden every day of the week.”
She said she wants to make it look like a horticulture agent’s garden — “not just the garden of someone who dabbles in plants.”
Eloisa Gómez, area Extension director for Milwaukee County, said Morrisey’s departure will leave a big void.
“We are really sorry that she will no longer be with us, but happy that she is retired. It’s well deserved. She’s been such a dedicated educator in our office all these years, and she has gone way beyond the call the duty in supporting people’s knowledge as they garden and deal with landscaping issues.”
Gomez said one of Morrisey’s biggest strengths is that she didn't overwhelm people.
“She can explain things in layperson’s terms so people are more likely to be educated as a result,” Gomez said. “I have heard this time and time again from people who say, ‘I learned so much from her.’ ”
Gomez added that Morrisey was also involved in a program that donates produce to Hunger Task Force, and that she served as the program coordinator for the Horticulture and Urban Agriculture program, which partners with various county departments, especially Parks and Recreation, Boerner Botanical Gardens, the Mitchell Park Domes, the Wehr Nature Center and the Milwaukee County Zoo.
At Boerner, Morrisey with UW-Extension and Master Gardener Volunteers also provided plant diagnostic services and educational programs for the public.
Morrisey's position will be filled, Gomez said, hopefully by May. Meanwhile, county residents can still call (414-256-4664), email (planthealth.advisors@ces.uwex.edu) or submit gardening questions via Facebook. Gardening information also can be found at the Milwaukee County Extension website, waukee.uwex.edu/horticulture/.