This Week in Gardening & Nature

Purple dwarf iris blooming

Invasive Plant of the Month: Wintercreeper

This week: Start Basil and Pepper seeds indoors + Transplant Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Chard, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Onions to garden. Plan your 2023 Garden with Seed St. Louis Seed Starting/Planting Calendar

Gardening By Month- March Tips & Tasks, Pests & Problems from Missouri Botanical Garden

Registration Begins March 15th for 2023 Callery (Bradford) Pear Buyback Program. Missouri Invasive Plant Council in partnership with Forest ReLeaf, Forrest Keeling Nursery, and Missouri Conservation Dept will host “buyback” around the state on April 18. Homeowners are invited to cut down one or more Callery pear trees and receive one free, non-invasive tree at this event.

Interested in Residential Compost Services in St. Louis? Check out compost pick up from New Earth Farm. Weekly pick up is $26 a month, Bi-Weekly is $18 a month.

Nature, Gardening, Horticulture, Ecology: 2023 St. Louis Community College Continuing Education Classes, some online, some in person. Fees apply

Missouri Botanical Garden Spring and Summer Classes. Fees apply

New Direction’s in the American Landscsapes’ March – April Virtual Education Series. Classes are $42 each and are 2-5 sessions each.

Wild Ones Free St. Louis Native Garden Design

Wild Ones Sample Native Plants Ordinance

Blog post on Mushrooms: buying spores from Seed St. Louis, growing info, mushroom hunting in MO and IL, online class, psychedelics legislation, more

10 am Wednesday Bellefontaine in Bloom at Bellefontaine Cemetery. 2 Hour Walking Tour with Master Guide. Register

Noon Wednesday Missouri Conservation Dept Zoom Class: Mushrooms- Meet the Morels. Register

Noon Wednesday thru March 29th White Oak, Whiskey & Wine Webinars sponsored by University of Missouri Extension, Missouri Conservation Dept, USDA, Forest & Woodland Association of Missouri. Register

4 pm Wednesday Missouri Prairie Foundation Zoom Class: Deciphering Botanical Latin. Register

3:30 pm Friday Missouri Conservation Dept Zoom Class: Native Plants- Creating a Butterfly Garden. Register

8 am Saturday St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk @ Forest Park. Free. Register

Saturday University of Illinois Extension Virtual Weekend Gardener Program. 9 am. Everlasting Flowers (dried flowers. 10 am Making the Most of Your Soil Amendments. Register

10 am Saturday Missouri Conservation Dept event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Area: Family Invasive Species Day. Ages 12 and older. 17 Seats remaining. Register

10 am to 1 pm Saturday Missouri Conservation Dept event at Tower Grove Park- Art in the Park: Brushes, Bees & Brews. Register

11 am March 7th & 21st Urban Land Institute Prioritizing Parks and Open Spaces Online Classes- exploring the value that parks create and build the case for prioritizing park development, funding, and operations. ULI Members $100, Nonmembers $150. Register

7 pm March 7th St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Birds, Bees, Flowers & Trees. Register

2 pm March 8th St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Homegrown National Park is Growing Here! Register

7:30 am to Noon March 10th Grow Native’s Native By Design: Community Conservation Conference at Lewis & Clark Community College, Edwardsville IL. $25 for Grow Native! or Missouri Prairie Foundation members, $30 for non-members, $15 with student ID. Register

3:30 pm March 10th Missouri Conservation Dept Zoom Class: Planting an Edible Native Garden. Register

9 am to Noon March 11th Seed St. Louis Spring Sale @ Carriage House, 3815 Bell. Arrive early for best selection. Bring a box lid to carry your plants. Available at this Sale: Potatos, Onion bulbs, Asparagus crowns, bare root Strawberries, Leek starts, Mushroom spawn, all with instructions

10 am March 11th Missouri Conservation Dept event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center: Native Plants- Tasty Tree-ts. Learn how to make Shagbark Hickory bark syrup. 8 Tickets remaining. Register

Noon March 14th Missouri Conservation Dept Zoom Class: Native Plants- Caring for Pollinators. Register

7 pm March 14th St. Louis County Public Library Zoom Class: Container Gardening with Native Plants. Register

2 pm March 15th St. Louis County Public Library Zoom Class: Transforming a Yard from Invasives to Natives. Register

4 pm March 15th Grow Native! Webinar: Gardens of Excellence Panel. Includes Cody Hayo on the gardens of South Grand Business District. Register

6 pm March 16th Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: Growing & Processing Staple Foods. Register

6 pm March 23rd Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: Spring Crops & Planning your Growing Space. Register

9 am March 25th Forest ReLeaf event. Volunteers wanted. Tree Planting at Ruth Porter Mall Spring Tree Planting, St. Vincent Greenway. Register

Volunteers Wanted for 10 am March 27th Delmar (Vandeventer to Boyle) Litter Pick Up on Tree Planting Day. Join SLACO, Forest ReLeaf, Vandeventer Community Development Corp, Brightside St. Louis, and AmeriCorps to clean up Delmar as City Forestry plants 102 trees. Register

4 pm March 29th Grow Native! Zoom Master Class: Prairie Garden Primer for Town and Country. Free to Missouri Prairie Foundation members and Grow Native professional members. $15 nonmembers. Register

9 am to Noon April 1st Seed St. Louis Spring Plant Sale @ Carriage House, 3815 Bell. Arrive early for best selection. Bring a box lid to carry your plants. $4 seedling 6-packs. Available at this Sale: Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Bok Choy, Collards, Dinosaur Kale, Lettuce

Native Plant Sales Return: 8 am to 4 pm April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and May 20, 27 Missouri Wildflower Nursery @ Kirkwood Farmer’s Market. Order in advanceby Tuesday prior to market day- or buy what they bring to Market

8 am to 2 pm April 15th Native Plant Workshop and Plant Sale at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood. Hosted by Partners for Native Landscaping.

April 28th-29th St. Louis Herb Society Plant Sale @ Missouri Botanical Garden

9 am April 30th Partners for Native Landscaping Native Plant Sale & Native Plant Swap @ Beyond Housing. Preorder from vendors for pick up or shop from what is available that day.

9 am to Noon May 13th Seed St. Louis Summer Plant Sale @ Carriage House, 3815 Bell. Arrive early for best selection. Bring a box lid to carry your plants. $4 seedling 6-packs. Available at this Sale: Basil, Eggplant, Sweet & Hot Peppers, Tomatoes, Mint, Lavender, Rhubarb, Sorrel, more

10 am May 13th World Bird Sanctuary Native Plant Sale. Preorder from vendors for pick up or shop from what is available that day.


Join us Sundays on Spoutible or Twitter for #GardenSunday to interact with other outdoor and indoor gardeners and nature enthusiasts, ask questions, give answers, share photos.

Predictions: Aldergeddon Primary

These are predictions for March 7th St. Louis City Alder Primary Election, not who I wish or would like to see headed to April 4th General Election.* I would be happy to see some of these predictions proven wrong.

In this election, voters may vote for as many candidates as they want and the top two candidates will advance to the General Election.

Board President Megan Green drew no opponent for this election and that hurts some candidates, I think. That, along with potential weather problems, could drive turnout very low. The result could be the candidates who drag the most family and friends to the polls, the extra super loyal who would walk thru fire or a snow storm for them, providing the win by a few dozen votes. That has heavily influenced some of my predictions.

1st Ward: Alder Anne Schweitzer and deputy sheriff Tony Kirchner. I say Kirchner, instead of Republican Matthew Kotraba, because Kirchner is endorsed by SLPOA.

2nd Ward: Alder Tom Oldenburg and Republican former cop Phill Menendez because St. Louis Hills is Republican and has a cop fetish. I do appreciate Katie Bellis running and giving voters a choice.

3rd Ward: Alder Shane Cohn. No one else is running. Predicting Cohn also wins General Election.

4th Ward: Alder Bret Narayan and Alder Joe Vacarro. Photographer Casey Otto does not have a campaign account filed with MEC.

5th Ward: Alder Joe Vollmer and salon owner Helen Petty are the only candidates on ballot.

6th Ward:  FleishmanHillard VP Daniela Velázquez and former Alder, former Recorder of Deeds Jennifer Florida are the only candidates on ballot.

7th Ward: School Board Member Alisha Sonnier and St. Louis Priory School Equity Director Jon-Pierre Mitchom.  Former Board President Lewis Reed is not much help to Cedric Redmon these days.

8th Ward: Alder Cara Spencer and former Alder Ken Ortmann. If business analyst and hip hop artist Shedrick Kelley were running against Alder Jack Coatar again, my prediction would be different. I think the addition of the rest of conservative and wealthier Lafayette Square via redistricting to the new ward and “vote for as many as you want” reform hurts Kelley this time.

9th Ward: Alder Michael Gras and grant specialist Michael Browning. Alder Tina Pihl has been pretty much abandoned by the so-called progressives who helped elect her.

10th Ward: Alder Shameem Clark-Hubbard and realtor Emmett Coleman are the only candidates on the ballot.

11th Ward: Alder Laura Keys and former US Senate candidate Carla Wright are the only candidates on ballot.

12th Ward: Alder Sharon Tyus and beauty supply business owner Tashara Earl. Tyus is a household name and Earl is backed by State Rep. Kimberly-Ann Collins. 1st Ward Committeewoman Yolanda Brown lives in same neighborhood as Tyus, but I don’t picture any strategic voting in that neighborhood to vote for both in Primary.

13th Ward: I have no idea and I am not pulling a prediction out of my ass to make this blog post tidy.

14th Ward: Alder Brandon Bosley and Alder James Page. Bosley has the Bosley Family base and Alder Page has his Downtown base. Ebony Washington has her Hubbard Family base but only makes it to General Election if there is more Absentee voting shenanigans. State Rep. Rasheen Aldridge is putting a lot of money in digital.

All New Ward Profiles here. Updating for recent MEC reporting will start Monday..

*Disclosure: I gave $100 to 7th Ward candidate Alisha Sonnier and $100 to Mayor Tishaura Jones this month. Those are the only MEC reported donations that I’ve made recently.

Upcoming STL Plant Sales: Veggies, Herbs, Natives

Native Plant Sales across Missouri sponsored by Grow Native!

March 10th & 11th Midwestern Herb & Garden Show in Mount Vernon, Illinois

9 am to Noon March 11th Seed St. Louis Spring Sale @ Carriage House, 3815 Bell. Arrive early for best selection. Bring a box lid to carry your plants. Available at this Sale: Potatoes, Onion bulbs, Asparagus crowns, bare root Strawberries, Leek starts, Mushroom spawn, all with instructions

Registration Begins March 15th for 2023 Callery (Bradford) Pear Buyback Program. Missouri Invasive Plant Council in partnership with Forest ReLeaf, Forrest Keeling Nursery, and Missouri Conservation Dept will host “buyback” around the state on April 18. Homeowners are invited to cut down one or more Callery pear trees and receive one free, non-invasive tree at this event.

Native Plant Sale Photo

9 am to Noon April 1st Seed St. Louis Spring Plant Sale @ Carriage House, 3815 Bell. Arrive early for best selection. Bring a box lid to carry your plants. $4 seedling 6-packs. Available at this Sale: Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Bok Choy, Collards, Dinosaur Kale, Lettuce

Native Plant Sales by Missouri Wildflower Nursery return to Kirkwood Farmer’s Market: 8 am to 4 pm April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and May 20, 27. Order in advanceby Tuesday prior to market day- or buy what they bring to Market

8 am to 2 pm April 15th Native Plant Workshop and Plant Sale at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood. Hosted by Partners for Native Landscaping.

April 28th-29th St. Louis Herb Society Plant Sale @ Missouri Botanical Garden

9 am April 30th Partners for Native Landscaping Native Plant Sale & Native Plant Swap @ Beyond Housing. Preorder from vendors for pick up or shop from what is available that day.

9 am to Noon May 13th Seed St. Louis Summer Plant Sale @ Carriage House, 3815 Bell. Arrive early for best selection. Bring a box lid to carry your plants. $4 seedling 6-packs. Available at this Sale: Basil, Eggplant, Sweet & Hot Peppers, Tomatoes, Mint, Lavender, Rhubarb, Sorrel, more

10 am May 13th World Bird Sanctuary Native Plant Sale. Preorder from vendors for pick up or shop from what is available that day.

This Week in Gardening & Nature

A Life Bird for a President. The true story of how former President Jimmy Carter saw his first Painted Bunting. – August 2012 issue of BirdWatching. Painted Buntings are seen in Southwest Missouri with occasional sightings in St. Charles County Mo and St. Clair County IL as well as Boone County in Central Missouri.

Missouri Botanical Garden Spring and Summer Classes

Nature, Gardening, Horticulture, Ecology: 2023 St. Louis Community College Continuing Education Classes, some online, some in person. Fees apply

New Direction’s in the American Landscsapes’ March – April Virtual Education Series. Classes are $42 each and are 2-5 sessions each.

Wild Ones Free St. Louis Native Garden Design

Wild Ones Sample Native Plants Ordinance

Thru next Sunday Orchid Show at Missouri Botanical Garden. Tickets

Start eggplant and lettuce seeds indoors this week. Plan your 2023 Garden with Seed St. Louis Seed Starting/Planting Calendar

Blog post on Mushrooms: buying spores from Seed St. Louis, growing info, mushroom hunting in MO and IL, online class, psychedelics legislation, more

10 am Thursday Missouri Conservation Dept. Virtual Class: Becoming a Bluebird Landlord. Register

6 pm Thursday Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: Who is Pollinating Your Food? Register

9-11 am Saturday Missouri Botanical Garden Black History Month event: Black Farmer Panel Discussion @ Visitor Center. Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents with proof of residency and MoBot members.

Volunteers Wanted for 9 am Saturday Forest ReLeaf Tree Pruning at Penrose Park. Register

10 am Saturday Missouri Conservation Dept Virtual Class: DIY Native Landscape Design. 12 Seats remaining. Register 

10 am March 1st Bellefontaine in Bloom at Bellefontaine Cemetery. 2 Hour Walking Tour with Master Guide. Register

Noon March 1st Missouri Conservation Dept Zoom Class: Mushrooms- Meet the Morels. Register

4 pm March 1st Missouri Prairie Foundation Zoom Class: Deciphering Botanical Latin. Register

3:30 pm March 3rd Missouri Conservation Dept Zoom Class: Native Plants- Creating a Butterfly Garden. Register

8 am March 4th St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk @ Forest Park. Free. Register

10 am March 4th Missouri Conservation Dept event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Area: Family Invasive Species Day. Ages 12 and older. Register

7 pm March 7th St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Birds, Bees, Flowers & Trees. Register

2 pm March 8th St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Homegrown National Park is Growing Here! Register

7:30 am to Noon March 10th Grow Native’s Native By Design: Community Conservation Conference at Lewis & Clark Community College, Edwardsville IL. Register

3:30 pm March 10th Missouri Conservation Dept Zoom Class: Planting an Edible Native Garden. Register

9 am to Noon March 11th Seed St. Louis Spring Sale @ Carriage House, 3815 Bell. Arrive early for best selection. Bring a box lid to carry your plants. Available at this Sale: Sweet Potato slips, Onion bulbs, Asparagus crowns, bare root Strawberries, Leek starts, Mushroom spawn, all with instructions

10 am March 11th Missouri Conservation Dept event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center: Native Plants- Tasty Tree-ts. Learn how to make Shagbark Hickory bark syrup. 8 Tickets remaining. Register

Noon March 14th Missouri Conservation Dept Zoom Class: Native Plants- Caring for Pollinators. Register

7 pm March 14th St. Louis County Public Library Zoom Class: Container Gardening with Native Plants. Register

2 pm March 15th St. Louis County Public Library Zoom Class: Transforming a Yard from Invasives to Natives. Register

6 pm March 16th Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: Growing & Processing Staple Foods. Register

9 am March 25th Forest ReLeaf event. Volunteers wanted. Tree Planting at Ruth Porter Mall Spring Tree Planting, St. Vincent Greenway. Register

9 am to Noon April 1st Seed St. Louis Spring Plant Sale @ Carriage House, 3815 Bell. Arrive early for best selection. Bring a box lid to carry your plants. $4 seedling 6-packs. Available at this Sale: Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Bok Choy, Collards, Dinosaur Kale, Lettuce

Native Plant Sales Return: 8 am to 4 pm April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and May 20, 27 Missouri Wildflower Nursery @ Kirkwood Farmer’s Market. Order in advanceby Tuesday prior to market day- or buy what they bring to Market

April 28th-29th St. Louis Herb Society Plant Sale @ Missouri Botanical Garden

9 am April 30th Partners for Native Landscaping Native Plant Sale & Native Plant Swap @ Beyond Housing. Preorder from vendors for pick up or shop from what is available that day.

9 am to Noon May 13th Seed St. Louis Summer Plant Sale @ Carriage House, 3815 Bell. Arrive early for best selection. Bring a box lid to carry your plants. $4 seedling 6-packs. Available at this Sale: Basil, Eggplant, Sweet & Hot Peppers, Tomatoes, Mint, Lavender, Rhubarb, Sorrel, more

10 am May 13th World Bird Sanctuary Native Plant Sale. Preorder from vendors for pick up or shop from what is available that day.


Join us Sundays on Spoutible or Twitter for #GardenSunday to interact with other outdoor and indoor gardeners and nature enthusiasts, ask questions, give answers, share photos.

Shrooms: Growing, Hunting, Psychedelics Legislation

Large morel mushroom next to table fork for scale

Growing

Seed St. Louis will be selling Mushroom Spores ‘Wine Cap’ at its March 11th Sale. $5 for one pound of mushroom spawn, enough for 10 square feet. Grow in full shade to part sun in wood chips/mulch or straw mulched areas of garden.

Here’s a nice Wine Cap Mushroom Growing Guide from Seed St. Louis

University of Missouri Extension’s: Growing Shiitake Mushrooms in an Agroforestry Practice

Hunting

Noon March 1st there’s a Zoom Class by Missouri Conservation Department: Mushrooms- Meet the Morels. Register

Missouri Conservation Department’s A Guide to Missouri’s Edible and Poisonous Mushrooms

March/April 2021 Missouri Life magazine article: Fascinating Fungi (includes various mushroom seasons)

Illinois Natural Resources Department’s Illinois Mushrooms poster

Illinois Mycological Association

Missouri Mycological Association

Psychedelic Therapy Legislation

Missouri Republican pushes to legalize ‘magic mushrooms’ to treat depression, PTSDMissouri Independent, January 30, 2023

Illinois lawmaker introduces bill to create regulated psychedelic therapy program – WCIA, January 18, 2023

Can Psychedelics Solve the Youth Mental Health Crisis? Nearly two-thirds of young adults report having either depression or anxiety. In California, Connecticut, Illinois, and other states, lawmakers are considering their options for psychedelics legalization. – The Nation, February 3, 2023

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Nature, Gardening, Horticulture, Ecology: 2023 St. Louis Community College Continuing Education Classes, some online, some in person. Fees apply

Fun Valentine’s Day project for kids of all ages. Herb & Flower Lollipops (YouTube) via P. Allen Smith

Thru February 26 Orchid Show at Missouri Botanical Garden. Tickets

Start boy choy and mustard greens indoors this week. Plan your 2023 Garden with Seed St. Louis Seed Starting/Planting Calendar

Blog post on Mushrooms: buying spores from Seed St. Louis, growing info, mushroom hunting in MO and IL, online class, psychedelics legislation, more

1 pm Tuesday Missouri Conservation Dept Online Class- Native Plants: Plant Romance. “All registrants for this event must be between 14 and 120 years of age by 2/14/2023.” Register

Noon Wednesday University of Missouri Extension’s Garden Hour on YouTube

4 pm Wednesday Grow Native Zoom Master Class: Practical Magic for Pondscapes. Free to Missouri Prairie Foundation members and Grow Native! professional m embers. $15 for non-members. Register

Hey, teachers & parents 6 pm Wednesday Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: School Garden Design. Start planning now for September-May 2023-2024 school gardens. Register

6 pm Thursday Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: Dormant Fruit Tree Pruning. Register

6:30 pm Thursday Missouri Conservation Dept. Virtual Class: Birding in Winter. Register

6 pm Friday Missouri Conservation Dept. Virtual Class: Common Raptors of Missouri. Register

4:30 pm Saturday St. Louis Audubon Society Owl Prowl at Forest Park. Register

10 am Feb 23rd Missouri Conservation Dept. Virtual Class: Becoming a Bluebird Landlord. Register

6 pm Feb 23rd Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: Who is Pollinating Your Food? Register

9:30 am Feb 24th Missouri Conservation Dept event at Victoria Glades Conservation Area, Hillsboro, Jefferson County: Winter Glade Hike @ Victoria Glades. Only 3 Tickets remaining. Register

Volunteers Wanted 9 am Feb 25th for Forest ReLeaf Pruning at Penrose Park. Register

10 am Feb 25th Missouri Conservation Dept Virtual Class: DIY Native Landscape Design. 12 Seats remaining. Register 

4:30 pm Feb 25th St. Louis Audubon Society Owl Prowl at Forest Park. Register

10 am March 1st Bellefontaine in Bloom at Bellefontaine Cemetery. 2 Hour Walking Tour with Master Guide. Register

Noon March 1st Missouri Conservation Dept Virtual Class: Mushrooms- Meet the Morels. Register

4 pm March 1st Missouri Prairie Foundation Zoom Class: Deciphering Botanical Latin. Register

3:30 pm March 3rd Missouri Conservation Dept Virtual Class: Native Plants- Creating a Butterfly Garden. Register

10 am March 4th Missouri Conservation Dept event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Area: Family Invasive Species Day. Ages 12 and older. Register

2 pm March 8th St. Louis County Library Virtual Class: Homegrown National Park is Growing Here! Register

7:30 am to Noon March 10th Grow Native’s Native By Design: Community Conservation Conference at Lewis & Clark Community College, Edwardsville IL. Register

3:30 pm March 10th Missouri Conservation Dept Virtual Class: Planting an Edible Native Garden. Register

9 am to Noon March 11th Seed St. Louis Spring Sale @ Carriage House, 3815 Bell. Arrive early for best selection. Bring a box lid to carry your plants. Available at this Sale: Sweet Potato slips, Onion bulbs, Asparagus crowns, bare root Strawberries, Leek starts, Mushroom spawn, all with instructions

10 am March 11th Missouri Conservation Dept event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center: Native Plants- Tasty Tree-ts. Learn how to make Shagbark Hickory bark syrup. 8 Tickets remaining. Register

Noon March 14th Missouri Conservation Dept Virtual Class: Native Plants- Caring for Pollinators. Register

9 am March 25th Forest ReLeaf event. Volunteers wanted. Tree Planting at Ruth Porter Mall Spring Tree Planting, St. Vincent Greenway. Register

9 am to Noon April 1st Seed St. Louis Spring Plant Sale @ Carriage House, 3815 Bell. Arrive early for best selection. Bring a box lid to carry your plants. $4 seedling 6-packs. Available at this Sale: Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Bok Choy, Collards, Dinosaur Kale, Lettuce

Native Plant Sales Return: 8 am to 4 pm April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and May 20, 27 Missouri Wildflower Nursery @ Kirkwood Farmer’s Market. Order in advanceby Tuesday prior to market day- or buy what they bring to Market

9 am to Noon May 13th Seed St. Louis Summer Plant Sale @ Carriage House, 3815 Bell. Arrive early for best selection. Bring a box lid to carry your plants. $4 seedling 6-packs. Available at this Sale: Basil, Eggplant, Sweet & Hot Peppers, Tomatoes, Mint, Lavender, Rhubarb, Sorrel, more


Join us Sundays on Spoutible or Twitter for #GardenSunday to interact with other outdoor and indoor gardeners and nature enthusiasts, ask questions, give answers, share photos.

Candidate Requirements Updated, Prez Caucus Date Unknown

Six question marks, one each yellow, green, orange, pink, dark blue, light blue

Missouri & St. Louis City Candidate Age & Residency Qualifications page has been updated with 2026 election cycle date for offices elected in 2022.

Date of the Missouri 2024 Presidential Caucuses, which replace statewide Presidential Primary, remain a mystery. Elimination of Presidential Primaries in Missouri was a part of the voter suppression bill passed by Republicans last year and signed into law by Governor Mike Parson.

But two Republican Missouri House members want to bring back March Presidential Primaries to the State. Neither House Bill 267 nor House Bill 347 has been assigned to a committee yet, let alone had a hearing.

Further Reading: Uncertainty abounds as Missouri prepares for 2024 presidential caucuses, Columbia Missourian, July 23, 2022

2023 School Board Candidate Profiles

St. Louis City School Board candidates needed their own page in addition to inclusion in New Ward Profiles.

You can now find Profiles for the three School Board candidates here.

The School Board is elected at-large in citywide elections, not by district/ward. The next School Board election is April 4th. In this election, the top two of three candidates will join the Board.

Information on the current School Board here.

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Photo of red amaryllis flower

Thru February 26 Orchid Show at Missouri Botanical Garden. Tickets

February Gardening Tips & Tasks, Pests & Problems from Missouri Botanical Garden. Now is the time to sow larkspur, sweet pea, snapdragon, Shirley poppy seeds!

Seed St. Louis Seed Starting Class on YouTube

Start cauliflower, chard, collards, kale, kohlrabi, parsley seeds indoors this week. Plan your 2023 Garden with Seed St. Louis Seed Starting/Planting Calendar

Missouri and Illinois Endangered Species- Animals and Plants

6 pm Monday Missouri Department of Conservation Virtual Class: Invasive Species- Identify and Manage Exotic Invasive Plants. Learn how to identify and manage exotic invasive plants. 33 Tickets remaining. Register

Saturday is Eagle Days at Audubon Center at Riverlands, West Alton (Not Chain of Rocks Bridge). Register

11 am Feb 14th For Kids, 3-6 Year Olds. Missouri Conservation Dept program at Tower Grove Park, Stupp Center. Conservation Kids: You and Me under the Canopy- Making Tracks. Register

1 pm Feb 14th Missouri Conservation Dept Online Class- Native Plants: Plant Romance. “All registrants for this event must be between 14 and 120 years of age by 2/14/2023.” Register

4 pm Feb 15th Grow Native Zoom Master Class: Practical Magic for Pondscapes. Free to Missouri Prairie Foundation members and Grow Native! professional members. $15 for non-members. Register

Hey, teachers & parents 6 pm February 15th Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: School Garden Design. Start planning now for September-May 2023-2024 school gardens. Register

6 pm Feb 16th Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: Dormant Fruit Tree Pruning. Register

6:30 pm Feb 16th Missouri Conservation Dept. Virtual Class: Birding in Winter. Register

6 pm Feb 17th Missouri Conservation Dept. Virtual Class: Common Raptors of Missouri. Register

4:30 pm Feb 18th St. Louis Audubon Society Owl Prowl at Forest Park. Register

10 am Feb 23rd Missouri Conservation Dept. Virtual Class: Becoming a Bluebird Landlord. Register

6 pm Feb 23rd Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: Who is Pollinating Your Food? Register

Volunteers Wanted 9 am Feb 25th for Forest ReLeaf Pruning at Penrose Park. Register

4:30 pm Feb 25th St. Louis Audubon Society Owl Prowl at Forest Park. Register

10 am March 1st Bellefontaine in Bloom at Bellefontaine Cemetery. 2 Hour Walking Tour with Master Guide. Register

7:30 am to Noon March 10th Grow Native’s Native By Design: Community Conservation Conference at Lewis & Clark Community College, Edwardsville IL. Register

9 am to Noon March 11th Seed St. Louis Spring Sale @ Carriage House, 3815 Bell. Arrive early for best selection. Bring a box lid to carry your plants. Available at this Sale: Sweet Potato slips, Onion bulbs, Asparagus crowns, bare root Strawberries, Leek starts, Mushroom spawn, all with instructions

9 am to Noon April 1st Seed St. Louis Spring Plant Sale @ Carriage House, 3815 Bell. Arrive early for best selection. Bring a box lid to carry your plants. $4 seedling 6-packs. Available at this Sale: Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Bok Choy, Collards, Dinosaur Kale, Lettuce

Native Plant Sales Return: 8 am to 4 pm April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and May 20, 27 Missouri Wildflower Nursery @ Kirkwood Farmer’s Market. Order in advanceby Tuesday prior to market day- or buy what they bring to Market

9 am to Noon May 13th Seed St. Louis Summer Plant Sale @ Carriage House, 3815 Bell. Arrive early for best selection. Bring a box lid to carry your plants. $4 seedling 6-packs. Available at this Sale: Basil, Eggplant, Sweet & Hot Peppers, Tomatoes, Mint, Lavender, Rhubarb, Sorrel, more


Join us Sundays on Spoutible or Twitter for #GardenSunday to interact with other outdoor and indoor gardeners and nature enthusiasts, ask questions, give answers, share photos.

New Ward Profiles Updated

40 Days Before Election campaign finance report information and other committee changes have been added to the New Ward Profiles.

Mostly, these are updates to candidate for Alder and changes to ward committees.

Next up are 8 Days Before Election Reports: Due February 27th. Required only if committee 1) had expenses (paid or incurred) or 2) donated to another committee. The closing date for this report is February 23rd.

The New Ward Profiles WILL NOT be updated with:

  • 48 Hour Report of Contribution over $5,000: Due within 48 Hours after receipt.
  • 24 Hour Notice of Late Contribution Over $250 Received Less Than 12 Days Before Election: Due within 24 Hours after receipt.
  • 24 Hour Late Expenditure Report by Continuing Committees (PACs including ward committees): Due within 24 Hours after paid or incurred.

Contributions and expenditures reported in these filings are included in the next report filed by the committee. There are too many candidates in this election cycle for one person (me) to keep up with these kinds of filings.