Tag: Columbia Bottom Conservation Area

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Yellow and pink peach snapdragons growing in garden

Plant of the Week: Snapdragons, great garden color in cooler months.

If you are just looking for St. Louis Area Plant and Seed Swaps and Sales, they are here. 2026 Updates: Added Missouri Invasive Plant Council Callery Pear, Bradford Pear Buyback; Spring & Fall Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sales

St. Louis Master Gardeners Horticulture Answer Service: Monday-Thursday from 9 am to 2:30 pm

Plan your garden with  Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar, good for Zones 6a, 6b, 7a, maybe more.

Find a Native Plant/Seed vendor in Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Kansas,… (Grow Native)

Good Reads/Views/Listens —

Gorgeous- 1850-1925 Nursery and Seed Trade Catalogs (National Agricultural Library, USDA)

Paperwhites provide instant spring — just add water (Fulton Sun)

Should You Cut Back Asters Before Winter? Here’s What Gardening Pros Actually Do. Deciding whether to cut back the flower depends on your specific goals. (Martha Stewart)

How urban farms can make cities more livable and help feed America. Metropolitan gardens and farms are extraordinarily powerful tools that can improve food security, lower temperatures, and create invaluable gathering spaces. (Grist)

Should You Cut Back Lilacs Before Winter? Gardeners Often Get This Step Wrong. Fall pruning can cut off next season’s blooms. (Martha Stewart)

2025 Wild Ones Photo Contest Results. Lots of native pretties and pollinators (Wild Ones)

Iowa City Made Its Buses Free. Traffic Cleared, and So Did the Air. Ridership jumped, people cut back on driving and, over the summer, the city extended the program another year. (New York Times via Wayback Machine so no paywall)

Australia to offer three hours free solar per day to millions (Reuters)

Deep Roots Kansas City Native Plant Gardening Videos

Seed St. Louis Videos: Variety Trials, Virtual Classes, Starting Seeds Indoors, Orchard Tips, Gardening Tips & How To, In the Community Garden, Youth Garden Activities & Tips, Teachers in the Garden Tutorials. I will continue promoting the online resources and activities of Seed St. Louis where appropriate. I will not, however, knowingly promote events at Maxine Clark’s school privatization campus named Delmar Divine. It is unfortunate that Seed St. Louis is now a tenant there.

Growing Vegetables Advice: Begin with a Plan, Seed Starting, Soil Management, Weed Management, Hardening Off Indoor Seedlings, Season Extension, Supporting Plants, Pest Management, Fertilizing Your Garden, Irrigation, Garden Tool Care, Container Gardens, more (University of Illinois Extension)

Shaw Nature Reserve Propagation Guide

Free Native Garden Designs @ Wild Ones. There’s one specific to St. Louis, one for Chicago, one for Denver, …

Native plant gardening in a pot. Missouri Botanical Garden has container designs for sun and shade.

Illinois Native Plants for the Home Landscape

Missouri Native Plant Top 10 Lists (Grow Native) Native Plants for Children, Poorly Drained Clay Soil, Sun, Shade, Half Sun & Half Shade, Under Utility Poles, Rain Gardens, Kitchen Gardens, Bees, Pollinators in Winter, Hummingbirds, Wildlife, Butterflies, More

2023 Plants of Merit – Annuals, Bulbs, Edibles, Perennials, Shrubs, Trees, Vines (Missouri Botanical Garden)

2023 Plants of Demerit – Bamboo, Big Leaf Hydrangea, Blueberry, Burning Bush, Chameleon Plant, Lavender, Pin Oak, Wintercreeper (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Gardening and Nature Events —

—– ONGOING —–

Going on Now: Missouri Conservation Annual Tree Seedling Sale. Orders ship out in Spring. 29 Tree/Shrub Varieties (American Beautyberry, Buttonbush, Deciduous Holly/Possumhaw, Dogwoods- Gray, Roughleaf, Silky and Bundles (Edible, Nut, Pollinator, Wildlife), as examples, still available.

Volunteers Wanted. STL Neighborhood Foresters Neighborhood Tree Care Blitzes
December 6th Hyde Park. Register
December 7th Forest Park Southeast. Register
December 13th Tower Grove East. Register
December 13th Benton Park West. Register
December 20th Old North. Register
December 20th Benton Park. Register
December 21st Shaw. Register
December 27th Bevo. Register

5:30 to 9:30 pm or 10 pm Now thru January 3rd Missouri Botanical Garden’s Garden Glow. Fees apply.

Now thru January 3rd Missouri Botanical Garden exhibit at Emerson Conservatory: Holiday Flower and Train Show. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday morning, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

January 2nd Deadline to Register for University of Missouri Extension’s January 2nd to April 27th Master Gardener Online Course. $200 fee includes Missouri Master Gardener Core Manual ($40 when sold separately).

Now thru March 31st, 2026, Missouri Botanical Garden exhibit at Sachs Museum, Missouri Botanical Garden: Smelling the Bouquet- Plants & Scents in the Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

—– DAILY —–

6 pm Tuesday, November 25th, Missouri Conservation Department virtual class: Wild Turkeys. Register

15 Tickets remaining. 1 pm Friday, November 28th, Missouri Conservation event at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area: Walk off the Turkey and Pumpkin Pie Hike. Register

Volunteers Wanted: 9 am Saturday, November 29th, Eastern Missouri Sierra Club VolunteerDay at Babler State Park, Wildwood. Register

10 am Saturday, November 29th, Piasa Palisades Sierra Club event at Salt Lick Point Land & Water Reserve, Valmeyer, Illinois: Salt Lick Trail Hike,  moderate to strenuous hike with elevation rise of over 400 feet to the Mississippi overlook. Register

6:30 am December 2nd, Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Birds & Brews- Bird Watching with Coffee. Register

4 pm December 3rd Missouri Prairie Foundation webinar: Lichens in the Tallgrass Biome, presented by Douglas Ladd, conservation biologist, plant ecologist, conservation director for The Nature Conservancy’s Missouri program. Register 

Volunteers wanted. 9 am December 4th Heartlands Conservancy event in Edwardsville, Illinois: Poag Sand Prairie Restoration Stewardship Day. Register

5:30 pm December 4th The Nature Institute event in Godfrey, Illinois: Moonlight Hike. Register

Volunteers Wanted: 9 am December 6th Eastern Missouri Sierra Club volunteer day: Castlewood Service Project, Ballwin. Register

10 am December 6th The Nature Institute event in Godfrey, Illinois: Grow Your Own Mushrooms Workshop. $20 includes take home oyster mushroom growing kit. Register

6 pm December 6th Eastern Missouri Sierra Club Holiday Party & Potluck at Ethical Society. Register

1 pm December 6th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Preventing Winter Plant Damage

2 pm December 6th Missouri Conservation Department hiking event at Tower Grove Park: A Winter Walk in Tower Grove Park. Register

17 Tickets remaining. 9 am December 7th Missouri Conservation Department class at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Nature Photography with a Phone. Includes 1/3 mile loop walk, Tanglevine Trail. Register

5 pm December 9th Wild Ones Webinar: Turn That Patch Into a Plan. Design workshop for transforming your lawn into a native plant garden. Register

9 am to 2 pm Friday and 8 am to 2 pm Saturday, December 12th-13th, Flyleaf Market monthly pop up on 1st floor of Watson Terrace Christian Church, Watson @ Winnebago: Succulent & Tropical Plant Sale. This involves a very cool Citizen Growers program.

Noon December 12th University of Illinois Extension virtual class: Bats- Why we need to conserve them and how you can help presented by Dr. Joy O’Keefe, a leading researcher in bat ecology. Register

11 am December 13th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens November 15th

1:30 pm December 13th Piasa Palisades Sierra Club’s Creve Coeur Lake Hike,  3.25 mile hike, all flat. Register

2 pm December 13th St. Louis County Library event at Lewis & Clark Branch: The Art of Caring for Carnivorous Plants presented by St. Louis Carnivorous Plant Society. Register

6:30 pm December 15th Missouri River Bird Observatory webinar: Farm Bill 101- Sowing the Seeds for Conservation with Bill White, Grassland Coordinator with Missouri Native Grasslands Collaborative and Conservation Federation of Missouri. Register

8:30 am December 18th Missouri Conservation Department online class:  Winter Backyard Bird Watching. Register

Noon December 18th Missouri Conservation Department virtual class: Visitors from the Arctic: Snow Geese. Registration opens December 4th. Register

6 pm December 18th Missouri Conservation class at Rockwoods Reservation, Wildwood: Sustainable Holidays- Wrapping and Recipes. Learn creative, eco-friendly ways to wrap gifts. Register

20 Tickets remaining. 12:30 pm December 19th Missouri Conservation Department class at Tower Grove Park: CSI-  Conservation Scene Investigation. Register

2 pm December 20th St. Louis County Library event at Grant’s View Branch:
The Art of Caring for Carnivorous Plants presented by St. Louis Carnivorous Plant Society. Register

Noon December 22nd Missouri Conservation Department online class: Backyard Birds in Winter and a Warm Cup of Cheer. Learn Bird Identification, Birding Essentials, Bird Sounds, Distinguishing Features. Register

29 Tickets remaining. 4:30 pm December 31st Missouri Conservation Department hiking event at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area: New Year’s Eve Hike at Columbia Bottom. Register

10 am January 1st Piasa Palisades Sierra Club’s New Years Day Hike at Pere Marquette State Park, Grafton, Illinois. Register

5:15 pm January 3rd The Nature Institute event in Godfrey, Illinois: Moonlight Hike. Register

7 pm January 7th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum Zoom class: Natural Landscape Design. Register

6 pm January 8th St. Louis County Library event at Florissant Valley Branch: Houseplant Care. Register (registration opens December 1st)

6 pm January 10th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Conservation Trivia Night at Powder Valley. Register

1 pm January 13th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum horticulture class: Pruning Trees and Shrubs. Register

Volunteers wanted. 9 am January 17th Heartlands Conservancy event in Waterloo, Illinois: Trout Hollow Hill Prairie Stewardship Day. Register

6:30 pm January 19th Missouri River Bird Observatory webinar: Naturalist Series- Box-nesting Birds. Register

11 am to 4 pm January 24th 15th Annual STL Seeding Frenzy Seed Swap at Sunset Hills Community Center, 3915 South Lindbergh Blvd. Seed Swap, Vendors, Raffle. Lable seeds. If you do not have seeds to swap, donate non-perishable food items, hygiene products or new kids socks and underwear for charity. This is a FB event that someone sent me information on but I don’t share FB links.

4 pm January 28th Missouri Prairie Foundation Webinar: Wiski/Oski (River Cane), A Keystone Species in the Floodplain and in Chickasaw Culture presented by Kent H. Sanmann, Natural Resources Instructor, The College of the Muscogee Nation. Register

9 am to 5 pm January 31st-February 1st Orchid Society of Greater St. Louis Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free until Noon on Saturdays and Wednesdays to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents, except during MoBot special events, otherwise Garden Fee applies.

6:30 pm February 2nd Missouri River Bird Observatory webinar: Naturalist Series- Aquatic Invertebrates . Register

6:30 pm February 16th Missouri River Bird Observatory webinar: Naturalist Series- Amphibians, presented by Waylon Hiler, Missouri Valley College . Register

5 pm March 2nd St. Louis Public Library event at Buder Library: Step into Sustainability- Connecting the Dots Between You and Local Climate Action

6 pm March 2nd St. Louis Public Library event at Buder Library: Step into Sustainability- Bird Talk! with the Missouri Department of Conservation

6:30 pm March 2nd Missouri River Bird Observatory webinar: Naturalist Series- Missouri Turtles. Register

6 pm March 4th St. Louis Public Library event at Buder Library: Step into Sustainability-  Introduction into Sustainability

March 6th-7th Midwestern Herb & Garden Show in Mount Vernon, Illinois

Noon March 7th St. Louis Public Library event at Buder Library: Step into Sustainability-  A Chick Chat with Second-Hen’d

6 pm March 11th St. Louis Public Library event at Buder Library: Step into Sustainability-  Bees, Pollinators and Native Plants

6:30 pm March 16th Missouri River Bird Observatory webinar: Naturalist Series- Missouri Fish. Register

6 pm March 25th St. Louis Public Library event at Buder Library: Step into Sustainability-  PFAS the Forever Chemical

6:30 pm March 30th Missouri River Bird Observatory webinar: Naturalist Series- Grassland Birds. Register

9 am April 11th Missouri Conservation Department virtual class: Learning to Hunt- Wild Edibles, presented by Bo Brown, foraging author and nature educator. Register

April 18th Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale at World Bird Sanctuary, Valley Park, St. Louis County

April 21, 2026, Missouri Invasive Plant Council Callery Pear, Bradford Pear Buyback. Info on 2025 event. No link yet for 2026. Confirmed locations: Cape Girardeau, Columbia, Doniphan, Hannibal, Jefferson City, Joplin, Kansas City, Kirksville, Lebanon, Liberty, Moberly, Park Hills, Parkville, Riverside, Rolla, Sikeston, Springfield, St. Charles, St. Joseph, St. Louis, Warrensburg, and West Plains.

9 am to 5 pm April 24th St. Louis Herb Society Herb Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Fee applies.

9 am to 5 pm May 9th St. Louis Hosta Society Show & Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free until Noon on Saturdays and Wednesdays to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents, except during MoBot special events, otherwise Garden Fee applies.

9 am to 5 pm May 16th Metropolitan St. Louis African Violet Council Show & Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free until Noon on Saturdays and Wednesdays to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents, except during MoBot special events, otherwise Garden Fee applies.

May 16th Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale at The Nature Institute, Godfrey, Illinois

9 am to 5 pm June 20th Carnivorous Plant Society Show & Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free until Noon on Saturdays and Wednesdays to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents, except during MoBot special events, otherwise Garden Fee applies.

9 am to 5 pm August 1st-2nd Greater St. Louis Iris Society Plant Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free until Noon on Saturdays and Wednesdays to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents, except during MoBot special events, otherwise Garden Fee applies.

Noon to 5 pm August 9th Orchid Society of Greater St. Louis Auction at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Fee applies.

9 am to 5 pm August 15th Missouri Botanical Garden Daylily Society Plant Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free until Noon on Saturdays and Wednesdays to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents, except during MoBot special events, otherwise Garden Fee applies.

9 am to 5 pm September 12th Gateway West Gesneriad Society Show & Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free until Noon on Saturdays and Wednesdays to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents, except during MoBot special events, otherwise Garden Fee applies.

September 12th Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale at The Nature Institute, Godfrey, Illinois

September 24th Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale at Roeslein & Associates, St. Louis County

This Week in Gardening & Nature

two dozen Lantana flowers in ywllow, orange, red colors

Plant of the Week: Lantana. This tropical can be overwintered indoors. Winter 2025-26 will be our third winter with beautiful indoor Lanatana flowers when it’s dreary outside.

Tuesday, August 26th, Application Deadline for FEMA assistance for St. Louis tornado

Learn about pressure canning, boiling water bath canning, steam canning, dehydration, and freezing your garden harvests and farmers market buys at University of Missouri Food Preservation Online Class. $30. Register

Plan your garden with  Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar, good for Zones 6a, 6b, 7a, maybe more.

St. Louis Master Gardeners Horticulture Answer Service: Monday through Thursday from 9 am. to 2:30 pm

If you are just looking for St. Louis Area Plant and Seed Swaps and Sales, they are here. Added this week: St. Louis Native Plant Swap’s Fall Swap in Kirkwood, Sustainable Backyard Network Fall Fest Sustainability Fair & Native Plant Sale, 2026 STL Seeding Frenzy Seed Swap at Sunset Hills Community Center

Find a Native Plant/Seed vendor in Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Kansas,… (Grow Native)

Good Reads/Views/Listens —

8 Native Sunflowers That Support Pollinators and Birds (Wild Ones)

Grow fruit trees in small spaces with the trick known as espalier (Associated Press)

The Mimosa Webworm in Missouri (University of Missouri Extension)

5 Places You Should Never Plant Hostas, According to Gardening Experts (Martha Stewart)

When Advocacy Fails: Lessons from the Loss of Bell Bowl Prairie to Chicago Rockford International Airport expansion (Wild Ones)

The unseen harvest: Pesticides, cancer and rural Missouri’s health crisis. The counties with the highest use of pesticides per square mile are all located in Missouri’s Bootheel. Many of these counties have some of the state’s highest cancer rates and their health care options are dwindling. (Investigate Midwest)

Pesticide politics: Inside the corporate push to limit liability. As lawsuits over Roundup’s safety mount, Bayer has launched a multi-state lobbying effort to limit its legal liability. (Investigate Midwest)

Deep Roots Kansas City Native Plant Gardening Videos

Seed St. Louis Videos: Variety Trials, Virtual Classes, Starting Seeds Indoors, Orchard Tips, Gardening Tips & How To, In the Community Garden, Youth Garden Activities & Tips, Teachers in the Garden Tutorials. I will continue promoting the online resources and activities of Seed St. Louis where appropriate. I will not, however, knowingly promote events at Maxine Clark’s school privatization campus named Delmar Divine. It is unfortunate that Seed St. Louis is now a tenant there.

Growing Vegetables Advice: Begin with a Plan, Seed Starting, Soil Management, Weed Management, Hardening Off Indoor Seedlings, Season Extension, Supporting Plants, Pest Management, Fertilizing Your Garden, Irrigation, Garden Tool Care, Container Gardens, more (University of Illinois Extension)

Shaw Nature Reserve Propagation Guide

Free Native Garden Designs @ Wild Ones. There’s one specific to St. Louis, one for Chicago, one for Denver, …

Native plant gardening in a pot. Missouri Botanical Garden has container designs for sun and shade.

Illinois Native Plants for the Home Landscape

Missouri Native Plant Top 10 Lists (Grow Native) Native Plants for Children, Poorly Drained Clay Soil, Sun, Shade, Half Sun & Half Shade, Under Utility Poles, Rain Gardens, Kitchen Gardens, Bees, Pollinators in Winter, Hummingbirds, Wildlife, Butterflies, More

2023 Plants of Merit – Annuals, Bulbs, Edibles, Perennials, Shrubs, Trees, Vines (Missouri Botanical Garden)

2023 Plants of Demerit – Bamboo, Big Leaf Hydrangea, Blueberry, Burning Bush, Chameleon Plant, Lavender, Pin Oak, Wintercreeper (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Gardening and Nature Events —

—– ONGOING —–

Fall Color Reports: Illinois and Missouri

Going on now Brightside St. Louis Blooming Soon! Tulip & Daffodil Bulb Sale. 30 bulbs only $18: Brightside’s “Midwest Mix” Daffodils – a selection of 6 varieties of fine daffodils chosen by the Greater St. Louis Daffodil Society; Carlton Daffodils; “Brightside Red” hybrid Darwin Tulips; Pink Impression hybrid Darwin Tulips. Order now for October pick up October 10th-11th at Forest Park Greenhouse or pay for mailing.

Volunteers Wanted. STL Neighborhood Foresters Neighborhood Tree Care Blitzes
August 23rd Bevo. Register
September 6th Hyde Park. Register
September 7th Forest Park Southeast. Register
September 13th Tower Grove East. Register
September 13th Benton Park West. Register
September 20th Old North. Register
September 20th Benton Park. Register
September 21st Shaw. Register
September 27th Bevo. Register

Friday, August 29th, Deadline to submit entries for Wild Ones Photo Contest. Categories: Living Things, Home Landscapes, Signs of Spring, Events

Now thru Friday, August 29th, St. Louis City Public Library Art Exhibit at Schlafly Library: Sun Liu: Thousand Years Brilliant–Flowers & Birds from Song Dynasty

Sunday, August 31st, Deadline to submit entries for Missouri River Birds Observatory 10th Annual Bird Photography Contest. Prizes $100 to $1000. $25 Entry Fee per photo.

Now thru Sunday, August 31st, St. Louis Public Library Art Exhibit at Buder Library: Carolyn Lewis‘ Empowering Our Community, Fifty Empowerment Birds created using fabric, dried paint palettes, and dictionary pages from the 1940’s.

Now thru March 31st, 2026, Missouri Botanical Garden exhibit at Sachs Museum, Missouri Botanical Garden: Smelling the Bouquet- Plants & Scents in the Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

September 1st Deadline to enter 12th Annual Missouri Department of Natural Resources Photo Contest. Categories: Natural Resources, Unique Places, People Enjoying Missouri’s Outdoors

September 30th Deadline to participate in University of Missouri Extension Online St. Louis City & County Gardening Needs Assessments Survey

November 15th Deadline for Wild Ones’ Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Program. Open to schools, nature center, after-school care programs, community centers or youth groups in need of funding for a native garden or habitat, projects such as pollinator gardens, rain gardens to improve water quality, tallgrass prairies, native plant monarch waystations featuring community science activities, and sensory and natural playgrounds.

November 15th Deadline to enter Missouri Snapshots Photo Contest sponsored by Missouri State Parks and Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives’ Rural Missouri magazine. Categories: Parks Less Traveled, Adventure & Recreation, Park Heroes & Volunteers at Work, Learning Something New, On the Trail

—– DAILY —–

7 am Monday, August 25th, Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum History & Horticulture Sunrise Stroll with Master Guide. 2 mile walk over moderate terrain. $5 Donation suggested. Register

5:30 pm Monday, August 25th, Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum History & Horticulture Sunset Stroll with Master Guide. 2 mile walk over moderate terrain. $5 Donation suggested. Register

Monday, August 25th Deadline to order native plants from Missouri Wildflowers Nursery for pick up August 30th at Kirkwood Farmers Market. You may also purchase from what they bring.

6 pm Monday, August 25th, University of Missouri Extension Workshop at EarthDance Organic Teaching Farm, Ferguson MO: Twilight Farm Tour – Integrated Pest Management for small farmers. $10. Register

9:30 am to 3:30 pm Tuesday, August 26th, Eastern Missouri Sierra Club Tour, Hike, and Swim at Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park, East Fork of the Black River, Reynolds County in St. Francois Mountains. Two hour drive from St. Louis. Register 

1 pm Tuesday, August 26th, Missouri Conservation Department Virtual program: Dragonflies, The Sky’s Apex Predators. Register

21 Seats remaining. 10 am Wednesday, August 27th, Missouri Conservation Department program at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Bobcats. Register

4 pm Wednesday, August 27th, Missouri Prairie Foundation Webinar: Take a (Virtual) Hike on the Prairie – Summer Edition, Penn-Sylvania in Dade County. Register

For Kids ages 0-7 years. 18 Seats remaining. 10:30 am Thursday, August 28th, Missouri Conservation Department program at Tower Grove Park: You and Me under the Canopy- Aqua Adventures. Register

6:30 pm Thursday, August 28th, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival event at Kiener Plaza, Downtown St. Louis: A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Free

7 pm Thursday, August 28th, join Piasa Palisades Sierra Club at Illinois Commerce Commission Public Forum on Ameren Gas Rate Hike at East St Louis, IL.

7 pm Friday, August 29th, Missouri Conservation Department program at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Conservation Trivia Under the Stars. Register

8 am to 4 pm Saturday, August 30th, Missouri Wildflowers Nursery selling native plants at Kirkwood Farmers Market. Order in advance for pick up or purchase from what they bring.

9 am Saturday, August 30th, Urban Harvest STL workshop at Grandel Square Center for Urban Agriculture: DIY Compost Tumbler Class. You will be responsible for transporting the barrel to your site. $10. Register

6:30 pm Saturday, August 30th, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival event at  Carondelet Park, Bandstand: A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Free

September 2nd Ordering Begins for Missouri Conservation Annual Tree Seedling Sale. Order early for best selection, some trees and shrubs sell out first day. Orders ship out in Spring.

6:30 pm September 2nd St. Louis Shakespeare Festival event at January-Wabash Park, Ferguson: A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Free

9 am September 3rd Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum Arboretum Tour – Wildwood Valley Garden Walk with Horticulturist. $5 Donation suggested. Register

10 am September 3rd Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum History & Horticulture Trolley Tour with Master Guide. $5 Donation suggested. Register

Just a two hour drive from St. Louis or Kansas City. 4-7 pm September 4th University of Missouri Extension event at Jefferson Farm, Columbia: Tomato Festival

For Kids ages 7+ years. 25 Tickets remaining. 5 pm September 4th Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: Monarch Caterpillar Bracelets. Register

15 Tickets remaining. 6 pm September 5th Missouri Conservation Department Hike at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area: Moonrise/Sunset Walk to the Confluence. Register

8 am to Noon September 6th Fox Park Garden Tour. Free. Register

9 am to 1 pm September 6th Missouri Conservation Department event at Lincoln University’s Carver Farm, Jefferson City: Invasive Species Workshop. Register

9 am to 5 pm September 6th Gateway West Gesneriad Society Show and Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

9:30 am to 3 pm September 6th Film Screening Day for “Big Medicine: York Outdoors,” a documentary on York, an enslaved servant of William Clark, at Lewis & Clark State Historic Site, Madison County, Illinois

10 am September 6th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum History & Horticulture Trolley Tour with Master Guide. $5 Donation suggested. Register

5 Tickets remaining. 1 pm September 6th Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: Leaf ID and Leaf Prints, canvas tote bag craft. Register

6:30 pm September 7th St. Louis Shakespeare Festival event at Fairground Park: A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Free

9 am September 9th The Nature Institute hiking event at Godfrey, Illinois: Roaming Naturalists, Native Fall Fruits Hike. Register

1-4 pm September 9th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum Horticulture Class: Oak Trees. $15 Donation suggested. Register

6 pm September 9th University of Missouri Extension Virtual Class: Cover Crops & Soil Health for Vegetable Gardens. $10. Register

6 pm September 9th The Nature Institute class at Godfrey, Illinois: Plant Identification Workshop. Learn basic plant anatomy, field guide instruction, Illinois wildflower identification. $25 fee includes copy of Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Register

9 am September 10th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum Arboretum Tour – Wildwood Valley Garden Walk with Horticulturist. $5 Donation suggested. Register

4 pm September 10th Missouri Prairie Foundation Wetlands Webinar Series: Wiski/Oski (River Cane)- A Keystone Species in the Floodplain and in Chickasaw Culture. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am September 11th Heartlands Conservancy event at Poag Sand Prairie, Edwardsville, IL: Monarch Tagging and Stewardship Day presented by Kent H. Sanmann, Natural Resources Instructor, The College of the Muscogee Nation. Register

3-5 pm September 11th St. Louis Public Library event at Baden Library: Mums the Word, Fall Garden Gathering

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am September 12th Heartlands Conservancy event at Exploration Garden, Clinton Hills Conservation Park, Swansea, IL: Monarch Tagging and Stewardship Day. Register

5 pm September 12th Audubon Center at Riverlands event at West Alton, Missouri: Riverlands Wellness- Bikes, Birds, & Brews. $20. Register

6:30 pm September 7th St. Louis Shakespeare Festival event at  Saint Louis Art Museum Sculpture Garden: A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Free

8 am to Noon September 13th Edwardsville IL Garden Club Plant Sale at St. Mary’s Church Parking Lot

9 am to Noon September 13th St. Charles Mo Master Gardeners event in St. Peters: In The Garden 2025, Fall Session-  Planting Garlic, Prepping & Planting Fall & Spring Bulbs, Fall Lawn Renovation and Maintenance. $20. Register

9 am to 1 pm September 13th Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale at The Nature Institute, Godftey, Illinois

11 am September 13th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens August 16th

1 pm September 13th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Mad About Mushrooms

2:30 pm September 13th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Fascinating Victorian Gardens

2:30 pm September 13th The Nature Institute hike in Godfrey, Illinois: Bird Hike with educators from Audubon Center at Riverlands. $5. Register

9:30 am to 12:30 pm September 14th St. Louis Native Plant Swap’s Fall Swap at 722 Delchester Ln, Kirkwood. Only native plants/cuttings/seeds. Write name on plants. Prefer bare roots to avoid spreading jumpworms. This is a FB event that someone sent me information on but I don’t share FB links.

1-4 pm September 14th Oratorio STL Workshop at St. Francis de Sales Oratory: Courtyard Urbanism: Building Cities for Families. Register

6:30 pm September 14th St. Louis Shakespeare Festival event at  Love Bank, Cherokee Street: A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Free

10 am September 17th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum History & Horticulture Trolley Tour with Master Guide. $5 Donation suggested. Register

2 pm September 17th Partners for Native Landscaping and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Missouri Native Trees and Shrubs for Urban Landscapes. Register

6 pm September 18th Wild Ones Webinar: EcoBeneficial Landscape Strategies for the Climate Crisis. Register

10 am September 20th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum Arboretum Trolley Tour with Horticulturist. $5 Donation suggested. Register

10 am to 1 pm September 20th Missouri Botanical Garden event: Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing Celebration. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

10 am to Noon September 20th Missouri Coalition for the Environment Annual Meeting & Awards Bruncheon at SqWires. Free MCE members; $45 for non-members. Register/Join

10 am to 2 pm September 22nd Bring Conservation Home Expo at Tower Grove Park. Missouri Wildflower Nursery and other vendors will be selling but you can also order plants for pick up at the event.

6:30 pm September 23th Illinois Sierra Club Virtual Workshop: Clean Energy for our Communities, status of wind and solar energy throughout Illinois. Register

3:30-6:30 pm September 25th Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale at Roeslein & Associates, Crestwood

9 am to 2 pm Friday and 8 am to 2 pm Saturday, September 26th-27th, Flyleaf Market monthly pop up on 1st floor of Watson Terrace Christian Church, Watson @ Winnebago: Succulent & Tropical Plant Sale. This involves a very cool Citizen Growers program.

9 am to Noon September 27th Webster Groves Herb Society Display at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday morning, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

10 am September 27th St. Louis County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Oak Bend Branch. Refreshments.

10 am to 1 pm September 27th Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing Celebration at Mississippi Greenway

10 am to 3 pm September 27th Missouri Pollinator Network Pollinator Palooza at Weldon Spring Site Interpretive Center, St. Charles MO. Missouri Wildflowers Nursery and other native plant vendors will be selling there.

11 am and 1 pm September 27th Missouri Botanical Garden concert at Sachs Museum: Musical Scents- Voices in the Garden, performances by Benedetta Orsi and St. Louis Women’s Chorale. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday morning, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

11 am to 4 pm September 27th STL Seeding Frenzy’s Homesteaders Hoedown, Exchange & Tool Swap at Watson Trail Park, Sunset Hills

1 pm September 27th St. Louis County Library Plant Swap at Grand Glaize Branch, Manchester

4-7 pm September 27th Forest ReLeaf Fundraiser: Arbormeisters

14 Tickets available. 8:30 am September 28th St. Louis Audubon Society event at Tower Grove Park: Beginner Bird Walk. Register

1:30 pm September 30th University of Illinois Extension Webinar: Be a Seed Shaker: Which Are Worth Saving? Register

10 am October 1st Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum History & Horticulture Trolley Tour with Master Guide. $5 Donation suggested. Register

2 pm October 1st Partners for Native Landscaping and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: St. Louis Native Plants in a Changing Climate. Register

October 3rd-5th Best of Missouri Market at Missouri Botanical Garden. Missouri Wildflowers Nursery is usually a vendor and this is last opportunity to purchase native plants in St. Louis City for the year. Admission Fee applies.

10 am to 3 pm October 4th Willoughby Farm’s Fall Farm Day at Collinsville, Illinois. $3 per person.

Noon to 4 pm October 4th Benton Park Neighborhood Association event: Benton Park Tunes on Tap – A Musical Garden Tour. Six home gardens. Live music and drinks from local breweries. Tickets $35 General Admission, $65 VIP. Advance sales end September 14th. Register

1 pm October 4th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: How Indigenous People Used Native Plants for Their Health and Well-Being

October 5th-6th Baker Creek Fall Harvest Festival in Mansfield, Wright County, MO, about a 3 1/2 hour drive from St. Louis or Kansas City

11 am October 11th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens September 13th

11 am and 1 pm October 11th Missouri Botanical Garden event at Sachs Museum: Poetry and Scents, the poetry of Devin Johnston. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday morning, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

10 am to 2 pm October 12th Sustainable Backyard Network Fall Fest Sustainability Fair & Native Plant Sale at Garden Chapel Sanctuary, St. Louis County. Event isn’t under their calendar, scroll down link for the event flyer

4:30-9:30 pm October 14th The Royale & Missouri Botanical Gardens’s Show Me Your Harvest Cocktail Competition 2025 at The Royale. Tickets $45. Register

2 pm October 15th Partners for Native Landscaping and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Native Gardening Maintenance Tips, Tricks and Hacks. Register

6-9 pm October 17th Urban Harvest Raise the Roof fundraiser at Sally’s Rooftop Garden & Terrace, Grand Center. Tickets $60.54. Register

9 am October 18th Seed St. Louis Garlic & Shallot Sale at Carriage House, 3815 Bell. Also selling overwintering cover crop seeds and Dig Annuals & Perennials will be selling perennials, shrubs, trees.

10 am to Noon October 18th Forest Releaf event at Scott Jopling House: Persimmon Festival and Tree Distribution

1:30 pm October 21st University of Illinois Extension Webinar: Reclaiming Runaway Landscapes. Register

9 am to 2 pm Friday and 8 am to 2 pm Saturday, October 24th-25th, Flyleaf Market monthly pop up on 1st floor of Watson Terrace Christian Church, Watson @ Winnebago: Succulent & Tropical Plant Sale. This involves a very cool Citizen Growers program.

5-8 pm October 25th Seed St. Louis event at Bell Community Garden: Fair on the Farm & Chili Cook Off

1 pm November 1st St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Decorating with Herbs

11 am November 8th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens October 11th

November 15th to January 3rd Missouri Botanical Garden exhibit at Emerson Conservatory: Holiday Flower and Train Show. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday morning, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

1 pm December 6th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Preventing Winter Plant Damage

9 am to 2 pm Friday and 8 am to 2 pm Saturday, December 12th-13th, Flyleaf Market monthly pop up on 1st floor of Watson Terrace Christian Church, Watson @ Winnebago: Succulent & Tropical Plant Sale. This involves a very cool Citizen Growers program.

11 am December 13th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens November 15th

11 am to 4 pm January 24th 15th Annual STL Seeding Frenzy Seed Swap at Sunset Hills Community Center, 3915 South Lindbergh Blvd. Seed Swap, Vendors, Raffle. Lable seeds. If you do not have seeds to swap, donate non-perishable food items, hygiene products or new kids socks and underwear for charity. This is a FB event that someone sent me information on but I don’t share FB links.

Join us Sundays on Bluesky for #GardenSunday.

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Plant of the Week: Melons.

Hey, parents, teachers, child care providers: Storybooks on Pollinators

Sign up for University of Missouri Extension Online Food Preservation Class: pressure canning, boiling water bath canning, steam canning, dehydration, and freezing. $30. Register

Plan your garden with  Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar, good for Zones 6a, 6b, 7a, maybe more. Sow Outdoors: Beets, Bok Choy, Chard, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Peas, Radish. Transplant: Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Chard, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce.

St. Louis Master Gardeners Horticulture Answer Service: Monday through Thursday from 9 am. to 2:30 pm

If you are just looking for St. Louis Area Plant and Seed Swaps and Sales, they are here. Added this week: Two St. Louis County Library Plant & Seed Swaps

Find a Native Plant/Seed vendor in Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Kansas,… (Grow Native)

Good Reads/Views/Listens —

Gardening By Month: August Gardening Tips, Tasks, and Problems (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Time to head out and sow some Chinese cabbage (University of Missouri Extension)

‘It’s ours now’: St. Louis farmer expands community garden to serve more neighbors. Leah Lee-Pulliam started with a garden in her backyard. Now she’s transforming vacant lots into a shared space for growth, healing and access to healthy food. (KSDK St. Louis)

The Potato’s Mysterious Family Tree Revealed—And It Includes Tomatoes (Scientific American)

Wolf in Queen Anne’s clothing: Beware the poison hemlock (Arkansas Times)

Podcast. Midsummer Lessons: What’s Growing (and Dying) in Our Yards. At 34:04 check out Ken’s passive mosquito control – mosquito bucket of doom! (University of Illinois Extension)

July 2025 Native Plant News. Includes news from Illinois. (Wild Ones)

2025 Missouri Hunger Atlas (University of Missouri Extension)

‘Bee Atlas’ project turns up 26 new or rare species buzzing around Washington (Washington State Standard)

A century of data reveals declining forest diversity (University of Illinois Extension)

YouTube. Native Plants Planted Right: A Practical Guide for Beginners (Wild Ones)

Deep Roots Kansas City Native Plant Gardening Videos

Seed St. Louis Videos: Variety Trials, Virtual Classes, Starting Seeds Indoors, Orchard Tips, Gardening Tips & How To, In the Community Garden, Youth Garden Activities & Tips, Teachers in the Garden Tutorials. I will continue promoting the online resources and activities of Seed St. Louis where appropriate. I will not, however, knowingly promote events at Maxine Clark’s school privatization campus named Delmar Divine. It is unfortunate that Seed St. Louis is now a tenant there.

Growing Vegetables Advice: Begin with a Plan, Seed Starting, Soil Management, Weed Management, Hardening Off Indoor Seedlings, Season Extension, Supporting Plants, Pest Management, Fertilizing Your Garden, Irrigation, Garden Tool Care, Container Gardens, more (University of Illinois Extension)

Shaw Nature Reserve Propagation Guide

Free Native Garden Designs @ Wild Ones. There’s one specific to St. Louis, one for Chicago, one for Denver, …

Native plant gardening in a pot. Missouri Botanical Garden has container designs for sun and shade.

Illinois Native Plants for the Home Landscape

Missouri Native Plant Top 10 Lists (Grow Native) Native Plants for Children, Poorly Drained Clay Soil, Sun, Shade, Half Sun & Half Shade, Under Utility Poles, Rain Gardens, Kitchen Gardens, Bees, Pollinators in Winter, Hummingbirds, Wildlife, Butterflies, More

2023 Plants of Merit – Annuals, Bulbs, Edibles, Perennials, Shrubs, Trees, Vines (Missouri Botanical Garden)

2023 Plants of Demerit – Bamboo, Big Leaf Hydrangea, Blueberry, Burning Bush, Chameleon Plant, Lavender, Pin Oak, Wintercreeper (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Gardening and Nature Events —

—– ONGOING —–

See a gillion sunflowers at Columbia Bottom Nature Conservation Area

Going on now Brightside St. Louis Blooming Soon! Tulip & Daffodil Bulb Sale. 30 bulbs only $18: Brightside’s “Midwest Mix” Daffodils – a selection of 6 varieties of fine daffodils chosen by the Greater St. Louis Daffodil Society; Carlton Daffodils; “Brightside Red” hybrid Darwin Tulips; Pink Impression hybrid Darwin Tulips. Order now for October pick up October 10th-11th at Forest Park Greenhouse or pay for mailing.

Volunteers Wanted. STL Neighborhood Foresters Neighborhood Tree Care Blitzes
August 9th Benton Park West. Register
August 9th Tower Grove East. Register
August 16th Old North. Register
August 16th Benton Park. Register
August 17th Shaw. Register
August 23rd Bevo. Register
September 6th Hyde Park. Register

Now thru August 29th St. Louis City Public Library Art Exhibit at Schlafly Library: Sun Liu: Thousand Years Brilliant–Flowers & Birds from Song Dynasty

August 29th Deadline to submit entries for Wild Ones Photo Contest. Categories: Living Things, Home Landscapes, Signs of Spring, Events

August 31st Deadline to submit entries for Missouri River Birds Observatory 10th Annual Bird Photography Contest. Prizes $100 to $1000. $25 Entry Fee per photo.

Now thru August 31st St. Louis Public Library Art Exhibit at Buder Library: Carolyn Lewis‘ Empowering Our Community, Fifty Empowerment Birds created using fabric, dried paint palettes, and dictionary pages from the 1940’s.

September 1st Deadline to enter 12th Annual Missouri Department of Natural Resources Photo Contest. Categories: Natural Resources, Unique Places, People Enjoying Missouri’s Outdoors

November 15th Deadline for Wild Ones’ Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Program. Open to schools, nature center, after-school care programs, community centers or youth groups in need of funding for a native garden or habitat, projects such as pollinator gardens, rain gardens to improve water quality, tallgrass prairies, native plant monarch waystations featuring community science activities, and sensory and natural playgrounds.

November 15th Deadline to enter Missouri Snapshots Photo Contest sponsored by Missouri State Parks and Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives’ Rural Missouri magazine. Categories: Parks Less Traveled, Adventure & Recreation, Park Heroes & Volunteers at Work, Learning Something New, On the Trail

Now thru March 31st, 2026, Missouri Botanical Garden exhibit at Sachs Museum, Missouri Botanical Garden: Smelling the Bouquet- Plants & Scents in the Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

—– DAILY —–

9 am to 5 pm Sunday, August 3rd, Greater St. Louis Iris Society Plant Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

9 am Tuesday, August 5th, Shaw Nature Reserve Fall Wildflowers Market online pre-sale begins for September 5th event at Gray Summit, Franklin County MO

2 pm Tuesday, August 5th, St. Louis County Public Library Virtual Class: Seed Saving and Plant Breeding presented by Seed St. Louis. Register

9 am Wednesday, August 6th, Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum Summer Wildflower Walk with Horticulturist. $5 donation suggested. Register

9 am Wednesday, August 6th, Collinsville, Illinois, Willoughby Farm Teacher Workshop: Waste-Free Classrooms. Register

10 am Wednesday, August 6th, Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum History & Horticulture Trolley Tour with Master Guide. $5 donation suggested. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 8 am Thursday, August 7th, Heartlands Conservancy Poag Sand Prairie Restoration Stewardship Day in Edwardsville, Illinois. Register

August 7th Deadline to register for Missouri Prairie Foundation Annual Dinner and Silent Auction at Columbia MO. Tickets are $75 each for Missouri Prairie Foundation and Grow Native! Professional members, $85 for the general public. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 8 am Friday, August 8th, Heartlands Conservancy Exploration Garden Stewardship Day at Clinton Hills Conservation Park, Swansea, Illinois. Register

1:30-3 pm Friday, August 8th, St. Louis City Public Library Art Exhibit event at Schlafly Library: Reception for Sun Liu- Thousand Years Brilliant–Flowers & Birds From Song Dynasty

2 pm Friday, August 8th, St. Louis County Public Library event at Clark Branch: Planter Pot Decorating. Register

5:30 pm Friday, August 8th, Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum History & Horticulture Sunset Stroll. $5 Donation suggested. Register

8 am Saturday, August 9th, Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: Tree Identification. Register

10 am Saturday, August 9th, Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum History & Horticulture Trolley Tour with Master Guide. $5 Donation suggested. Register

11 am Saturday, August 9th, St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register

11:30 am Saturday, August 9th, Missouri Botanical Garden event at Sachs Museum: Sniff ‘n Learn- Scents of Wine & Spices. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

7:30 pm Saturday, August 9th, Missouri Conservation Department hiking event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Area, Kirkwood: Nature’s Night Shift Hike. Hickory Ridge Short Loop, 1/2 mile trail with steep inclines and declines. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am Sunday, August 10th, Piasa Palisades Sierra Club event in Alton, Illinois: Wadlow Restoration Work Day. The former site of a municipal golf course is being restored to native plants. Register

Noon to 5 pm Sunday, August 10th, Orchid Society of Greater St. Louis Auction at Missouri Botanical Garden. Plant List. Admission Fee applies. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

1-4 pm August 12th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum Horticulture Class: Home Landscape Design and Practices for the Fall/Winter Season. $15 Donation suggested. Register

6 pm August 12th The Nature Institute Workshop in Godfrey, Illinois: Plant Identification Workshop– Basic plant anatomy, Field guide instruction, IL wildflower identification. $25 fee wnhich includes a copy of Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Register

9 am August 13th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum Summer Wildflower Walk with Horticulturist. $5 donation suggested. Register

4 pm August 13th Grow Native! Webinar: Dispelling Myths of Native Gardening. Register

6 pm August 14th St. Louis County Public Library event at Clark Branch: Celebrating a Century of Conservation, Shaw Nature Reserve – Past, Present, Future

6 pm August 14th Edwardsville IL Public Library event: How to Find an Owl in Your Neighborhood, presented by naturalist Mark H.X. Glenshawof Forest Park Owls fame

Noon August 15th St. Louis County Public Library workshop at Thornhill Branch: Anthotype Making. Test out the photographic process of using natural plant pigments to create prints. Register

9 pm August 15th Shaw Nature Reserve Fall Wildflowers Market online pre-sale ends for September 5th event at Gray Summit, Franklin County MO.

5:30 pm August 15th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum History & Horticulture Sunset Stroll. $5 Donation suggested. Register

9 am August 16th Seed St. Louis Fall Seedling Sale at Carriage House, 3815 Bell

9 am August 16th Piasa Palisades Sierra Club Bike Ride, Edwardsville, Illinois: Madison County Transit Trail Bike Ride. Nine miles in two hours. Register

9 am to Noon August 16 Webster Groves Herb Society Display at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday morning, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

9 am to 5 pm August 16th Missouri Botanical Garden Daylily Association Plant Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

For Kids 5+ years. 25 Seats remaining. 10 am August 16th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center: Conservation Kids- Sun Printing for Kids. Register

10:30 am August 16th Seed St. Louis Workshop at Bell Community Garden: Using the Garden to Teach. Register

1 pm August 16th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Gardens and Plants of Colonial America. Oddly does not mention labor and plants of enslaved persons.

1:30 pm August 19th University of Illinois Extension Virtual Class: Crop Rotation- Building Resilient Gardens. Register

6:30 pm August 19th Missouri Botanical Garden event at  Cohen Amphitheater: St. Louis Shakespeare Festival presents A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream. Doors open 5:30 pm. Free

7 pm August 19th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center: Moments in Nature by Wildlife Photographer Danny Brown. Learn how he “makes the shot” and how he locates critters and photographs them with minimal intrusion into their daily activities. Register

Noon August 20th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Program:  Wild Foxes. Register

1 pm August 21st University of Illinois Extension Webinar: Saving the World, One Box Turtle at a Time. $5. Register

6 pm August 21st Missouri Botanical Garden Event: Ireland and Its Aromatic Heritage, Short Documentary Film & Discussion Panel. Admission Fee.

6:30 pm August 21st Heartlands Conservancy Bike Ride on St. Clair County Transit District Trails, approximately 16 miles. Register

9 am to 2 pm Friday and 8 am to 2 pm Saturday, August 22nd-23rd, Flyleaf Market monthly pop up on 1st floor of Watson Terrace Christian Church, Watson @ Winnebago: Succulent & Tropical Plant Sale. This involves a very cool Citizen Growers program.

10 am August 22nd Lincoln University Cooperative Extension Specialty Crops/Native Plants Program at Jefferson City MO: Introduction to Missouri Fern Identification and Ecology Workshop. $25 includes lunch. Register

Heads up for Tower Grove Park users. 10 am to 8 pm August 23rd-24th Festival of Nations at Tower Grove Park

Volunteers Wanted. 8 am August 23rd Heartlands Conservancy Knoll Family Wildlife Sanctuary Stewardship Day at Edwardsville, Illinois. Register

For families. 10 am to 2 pm August 23rd Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Peanut the Turtle’s Birthday Bash. Peanut turns 41. Register

Noon to 4 pm August 23rd Piasa Palisades Sierra Club Summer Picnic at Beaver Dam State Park, Royal Lakes, IL. Register

1 pm August 23rd St. Louis County Public Library event at Grant’s View Branch: Dig In & Learn- A Day in the Garden with Seed St. Louis. Register

6 pm August 25th University of Missouri Extension Workshop at EarthDance Organic Teaching Farm, Ferguson MO: Twilight Farm Tour – Integrated Pest Management for small farmers. $10. Register

August 26th Deadline to order native plants from Missouri Wildflowers Nursery for pick up August 30th at Kirkwood Farmers Market. You may also purchase from what they bring.

1 pm August 26th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual program: Dragonflies, The Sky’s Apex Predators. Register

25 Seats remaining. 10 am August 27th Missouri Conservation Department program at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Bobcats. Register

For Kids ages 0-7 years. 20 Seats remaining. 10:30 am August 28th Missouri Conservation Department program at Tower Grove Park: You and Me under the Canopy- Aqua Adventures. Register

7 pm August 28th join Piasa Palisades Sierra Club at Illinois Commerce Commission Public Forum on Ameren Gas Rate Hike at East St Louis, IL.

7 pm August 29th Missouri Conservation Department program at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Conservation Trivia Under the Stars. Register

8 am to 4 pm August 30th Missouri Wildflowers Nursery selling native plants at Kirkwood Farmers Market. Order in advance for pick up or purchase from what they bring.

9 am August 30th Urban Harvest STL workshop at Grandel Square Center for Urban Agriculture: DIY Compost Tumbler Class. You will be responsible for transporting the barrel to your site. $10. Register (not available yet)

September 2nd Ordering Begins for Missouri Conservation Annual Tree Seedling Sale. Order early for best selection, some trees and shrubs sell out first day. Orders ship out in Spring.

8 am to Noon September 6th Fox Park Garden Tour. Free. Register

9 am to 5 pm September 6th Gateway West Gesneriad Society Show and Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

9:30 am to 3 pm September 6th Film Screening Day for “Big Medicine: York Outdoors,” a documentary on York, an enslaved servant of William Clark, at Lewis & Clark State Historic Site, Madison County, Illinois

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am September 11th Heartlands Conservancy event at Poag Sand Prairie, Edwardsville, IL: Monarch Tagging and Stewardship Day. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am September 12th Heartlands Conservancy event at Exploration Garden, Clinton Hills Conservation Park, Swansea, IL: Monarch Tagging and Stewardship Day. Register

5 pm September 12th Audubon Center at Riverlands event at West Alton, Missouri: Riverlands Wellness- Bikes, Birds, & Brews. $20. Register

8 am to Noon September 13th Edwardsville IL Garden Club Plant Sale at St. Mary’s Church Parking Lot

11 am September 13th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens August 16th

1 pm September 13th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Mad About Mushrooms

2:30 pm September 13th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Fascinating Victorian Gardens

1-4 pm September 14th Oratorio STL Workshop at St. Francis de Sales Oratory: Courtyard Urbanism: Building Cities for Families. Register

2 pm September 17th Partners for Native Landscaping and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Missouri Native Trees and Shrubs for Urban Landscapes. Register

6 pm September 18th Wild Ones Webinar: EcoBeneficial Landscape Strategies for the Climate Crisis. Register

10 am to 1 pm September 20th Missouri Botanical Garden event: Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing Celebration. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

10 am to 2 pm September 22nd Bring Conservation Home Expo at Tower Grove Park. Missouri Wildflower Nursery and other vendors will be selling but you can also order plants for pick up at the event.

9 am to 2 pm Friday and 8 am to 2 pm Saturday, September 26th-27th, Flyleaf Market monthly pop up on 1st floor of Watson Terrace Christian Church, Watson @ Winnebago: Succulent & Tropical Plant Sale. This involves a very cool Citizen Growers program.

9 am to Noon September 27th Webster Groves Herb Society Display at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday morning, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

10 am September 27th St. Louis County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Oak Bend Branch. Refreshments.

10 am to 1 pm September 27th Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing Celebration at Mississippi Greenway

10 am to 3 pm September 27th Missouri Pollinator Network Pollinator Palooza at Weldon Spring Site Interpretive Center, St. Charles MO. Missouri Wildflowers Nursery and other native plant vendors will be selling there. Sorry for no link. If you know of a link that isn’t Facebook or Instagram, please let me know.

11 am and 1 pm September 27th Missouri Botanical Garden concert at Sachs Museum: Musical Scents- Voices in the Garden, performances by Benedetta Orsi and St. Louis Women’s Chorale. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday morning, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

1 pm September 27th St. Louis County Library Plant Swap at Grand Glaize Branch, Manchester

4-7 pm September 27th Forest ReLeaf Fundraiser: Arbormeisters

18 Tickets available. 8:30 am September 28th St. Louis Audubon Society event at Tower Grove Park: Beginner Bird Walk. Register

1:30 pm September 30th University of Illinois Extension Webinar: Be a Seed Shaker: Which Are Worth Saving? Register

2 pm October 1st Partners for Native Landscaping and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: St. Louis Native Plants in a Changing Climate. Register

October 3rd-5th Best of Missouri Market at Missouri Botanical Garden. Missouri Wildflowers Nursery is usually a vendor and this is last opportunity to purchase native plants in St. Louis City for the year. Admission Fee applies.

1 pm October 4th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: How Indigenous People Used Native Plants for Their Health and Well-Being

October 5th-6th Baker Creek Fall Harvest Festival in Mansfield, Wright County, MO, about a 3 1/2 hour drive from St. Louis or Kansas City

11 am October 11th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens September 13th

11 am and 1 pm October 11th Missouri Botanical Garden event at Sachs Museum: Poetry and Scents, the poetry of Devin Johnston. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday morning, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

2 pm October 15th Partners for Native Landscaping and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Native Gardening Maintenance Tips, Tricks and Hacks. Register

9 am October 18th Seed St. Louis Garlic Sale at Carriage House, 3815 Bell

10 am to Noon October 18th Forest Releaf event at Scott Jopling House: Persimmon Festival and Tree Distribution

1:30 pm October 21st University of Illinois Extension Webinar: Reclaiming Runaway Landscapes. Register

9 am to 2 pm Friday and 8 am to 2 pm Saturday, October 24th-25th, Flyleaf Market monthly pop up on 1st floor of Watson Terrace Christian Church, Watson @ Winnebago: Succulent & Tropical Plant Sale. This involves a very cool Citizen Growers program.

1 pm November 1st St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Decorating with Herbs

11 am November 8th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens October 11th

November 15th to January 3rd Missouri Botanical Garden exhibit at Emerson Conservatory: Holiday Flower and Train Show. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday morning, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

1 pm December 6th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Preventing Winter Plant Damage

9 am to 2 pm Friday and 8 am to 2 pm Saturday, December 12th-13th, Flyleaf Market monthly pop up on 1st floor of Watson Terrace Christian Church, Watson @ Winnebago: Succulent & Tropical Plant Sale. This involves a very cool Citizen Growers program.

11 am December 13th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens November 15th

Join us Sundays on Bluesky for #GardenSunday.

This Week in Gardening & Nature

a dozen turnips with green tops on wood kitchen table

Plant of the Week: Turnips. Swap out potatoes for turnips and make Turnips Au Gratin. Sauté the greens for quiche.

Plan your garden with  Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar, good for Zones 6a, 6b, 7a, maybe more. Start seeds indoors for August planting of lettuce and parsley. Sow Fall carrots outdoors. Transplant Fall Broccoli, Cabbage.

St. Louis Master Gardeners Horticulture Answer Service: Monday through Thursday from 9 am. to 2:30 pm

If you are just looking for St. Louis Area Plant and Seed Swaps and Sales, they are here. Added this week: presale info for Shaw Nature Reserve Fall Wildflower Sale; Fall native plant sale by Missouri Wildflowers Nursery at Kirkwood Farmers Market; Missouri Prairie Foundation native plant sale in Godfrey IL; Missouri Pollinator Network Pollinator Palooza;

Find a Native Plant/Seed vendor in Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Kansas,… (Grow Native)

River City Outdoors St. Louis now offers a Gear Lending Library for outdoor recreation equipment rentals to St. Louis City residents and St. Louis regional organizations that take children, families, and groups on outdoor trips.

Good Reads/Views/Listens —

This Gardening Mistake Might Be the Reason Hummingbirds Aren’t Visiting Your Yard (Good Housekeeping)

Nick Offerman Is Sounding the Alarm: America’s National Parks Are Under Attack (The Daily Show)

Missouri Prairie Journal, Summer 2025 Edition (Missouri Prairie Foundation)

Breakthrough discovery shows that moths listen to plants — and avoid the noisy ones (CNN)

‘Intrinsically connected’: how human neurodiversity could help save nature. Biodiversity is linked to people’s diversity, and nature lends itself to people who are different, says author Joe Harkness (The Guardian)

Mastercard’s biggest U.S. data center is in Missouri — it will soon be powered by solar (St. Louis Public Radio)

Deep Roots Kansas City Native Plant Gardening Videos

Seed St. Louis Videos: Variety Trials, Virtual Classes, Starting Seeds Indoors, Orchard Tips, Gardening Tips & How To, In the Community Garden, Youth Garden Activities & Tips, Teachers in the Garden Tutorials. I will continue promoting the online resources and activities of Seed St. Louis where appropriate. I will not, however, knowingly promote events at Maxine Clark’s school privatization campus named Delmar Divine. It is unfortunate that Seed St. Louis is now a tenant there.

Growing Vegetables Advice: Begin with a Plan, Seed Starting, Soil Management, Weed Management, Hardening Off Indoor Seedlings, Season Extension, Supporting Plants, Pest Management, Fertilizing Your Garden, Irrigation, Garden Tool Care, Container Gardens, More (University of Illinois Extension)

Shaw Nature Reserve Propagation Guide

Free Native Garden Designs @ Wild Ones. There’s one specific to St. Louis, one for Chicago, one for Denver, …

Native plant gardening in a pot. Missouri Botanical Garden has container designs for sun and shade.

Illinois Native Plants for the Home Landscape

Missouri Native Plant Top 10 Lists (Grow Native) Native Plants for Children, Poorly Drained Clay Soil, Sun, Shade, Half Sun & Half Shade, Under Utility Poles, Rain Gardens, Kitchen Gardens, Bees, Pollinators in Winter, Hummingbirds, Wildlife, Butterflies, More

2023 Plants of Merit – Annuals, Bulbs, Edibles, Perennials, Shrubs, Trees, Vines (Missouri Botanical Garden)

2023 Plants of Demerit – Bamboo, Big Leaf Hydrangea, Blueberry, Burning Bush, Chameleon Plant, Lavender, Pin Oak, Wintercreeper (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Gardening and Nature Events —

ONGOING

See a gillion sunflowers at Columbia Bottom Nature Conservation Area

Going on now Brightside St. Louis Blooming Soon! Tulip & Daffodil Bulb Sale. 30 bulbs only $18: Brightside’s “Midwest Mix” Daffodils – a selection of 6 varieties of fine daffodils chosen by the Greater St. Louis Daffodil Society; Carlton Daffodils;  “Brightside Red” hybrid Darwin Tulips; Pink Impression hybrid Darwin Tulips. Order now for October pick up October 10th-11th at Forest Park Greenhouse or pay for mailing.

Volunteers Wanted. STL Neighborhood Foresters Neighborhood Tree Care Blitzes
August 2nd Hyde Park. Register
August 3rd Forest Park Southeast. Register
August 9th Benton Park West. Register
August 9th Tower Grove East. Register
August 16th Old North. Register
August 17th Shaw. Register

Now thu July 28th Art Exhibit at Kemper Art Museum, Washington University- Seeds: Containers of a World to Come

Now thru July 31st Art Exhibit at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Naturalist Intern Nila Milo’s “Fawning for Missouri’s Flora & Fauna”

Register for 15 Week (August 10th to December 23rd) University of Missouri Extension Course: Missouri Master Gardener Online Core Training. $200. Register

August 29th Deadline to submit entries for Wild Ones Photo Contest. Categories: Living Things,  Home Landscapes, Signs of Spring, Events

Now thru August 31st St. Louis Public Library Art Exhibit at Buder Library: Carolyn Lewis‘ Empowering Our Community, Fifty Empowerment Birds created using fabric, dried paint palettes, and dictionary pages from the 1940’s.

September 1st Deadline to enter 12th Annual Missouri Department of Natural Resources Photo Contest. Categories: Natural Resources, Unique Places, People Enjoying Missouri’s Outdoors

November 15th Deadline for Wild Ones’ Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Program. Open to schools, nature centesr, after-school care programs, community centers or youth groups in need of funding for a native garden or habitat, projects such as  pollinator gardens, rain gardens to improve water quality, tallgrass prairies, native plant monarch waystations featuring community science activities, and sensory and natural playgrounds.

November 15th Deadline to enter Missouri Snapshots Photo Contest sponsored by Missouri State Parks and  Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives’s Rural Missouri magazine. Catergories: Parks Less Traveled, Adventure & Recreation, Park Heroes & Volunteers at Work, Learning Something New, On The Trail

Now thru March 31st, 2026, Missouri Botanical Garden exhibit at Sachs Museum, Missouri Botanical Garden: Smelling the Bouquet- Plants & Scents in the Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

DAILY

9 am to 4 pm Sunday, July 27th, Shaw Cactus & Succulent Sale at Jost Event Center, St. Louis County

2 pm & 4 pm Sunday, July 27th, Audubon Center at Riverlands event at West Alton, MO: Bridging Music & Nature, an afternoon of concerts by Riverbend Community Orchestra and educational activities. Register

9 Tickets remaining. 9 am Wednesday, July 30th, Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Summer Birding Hike on Broken Ridge Trail. Register

4 pm Wednesday, July 30th, Grow Native! Webinar: Lessons Learned at Primrose Prairie. Register

5:30 pm Wednesday, July 30th, Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum History & Horticulture Sunset Stroll. $5 Donation suggested. Register

6:30 pm Wednesday, July 30th, Eastern Missouri Sierra Club hike in Oakville MO: Cliff Cave Park Evening Hike. 3-4 mile hike on the bluffs above Mississippi River. Register

3 Seats remaining. For ages 0-7 years. 10:30 am Thursday, July 31st, Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: Conservation Kids- You and Me under the Canopy- Summer Sensations. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 8 am Saturday, August 2nd, Heartlands Conservancy Poag Sand Prairie Restoration Stewardship Day, Edwardsville, Illinois. Register

9 am to 5 pm Saturday-Sunday, August 2nd-3rd Greater St. Louis Iris Society Plant Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

1 pm Saturday, August 2nd, St. Louis City Public Library class at Central Library: Harvesting and Preserving Herbs

5:30 pm Saturday, August 2nd, Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum History & Horticulture Sunset Stroll. $5 Donation suggested. Register

2 pm August 5th St. Louis County Public Library Virtual Class: Seed Saving and Plant Breeding presented by Seed St. Louis. Register

9 am August 5th Shaw Nature Reserve Fall Wildflowers Market online pre-sale begins for September 5th event at Gray Summit, Franklin County MO

9 am August 6th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum Summer Wildflower Walk with Horticulturist. $5 donation suggested. Register

9 am August 6th Collinsville, Illinois, Willoughby Farm Teacher Workshop: Waste-Free Classrooms. Register

10 am August 6th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum History & Horticulture Trolley Tour with Master Guide. $5 donation suggested. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 8 am August 7th Heartlands Conservancy Poag Sand Prairie Restoration Stewardship Day in Edwardsville, Illinois. Register

August 7th Deadline to register for Missouri Prairie Foundation Annual Dinner and Silent Auction at Columbia MO. Tickets are $75 each for Missouri Prairie Foundation and Grow Native! Professional members, $85 for the general public. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 8 am August 8th Heartlands Conservancy Exploration Garden Stewardship Day at Clinton Hills Conservation Park, Swansea, Illinois. Register

2 pm August 8th St. Louis County Public Library event at Clark Branch: Planter Pot Decorating. Register

5:30 pm August 8th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum History & Horticulture Sunset Stroll. $5 Donation suggested. Register

8 am August 9th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: Tree Identification. Register

10 am August 9th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum History & Horticulture Trolley Tour with Master Guide. $5 Donation suggested. Register

11 am August 9th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens July 12th

11:30 am August 9th Missouri Botanical Garden event at Sachs Museum: Sniff ‘n Learn- Scents of Wine & Spices. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

7:30 pm August 9th Missouri Conservation Department hiking event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Area, Kirkwood: Nature’s Night Shift Hike. Hickory Ridge Short Loop, 1/2 mile trail with steep inclines and declines. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am Saturday, August 10th, Piasa Palisades Sierra Club event in Alton, Illinois: Wadlow Restoration Work Day. The former site of a municipal gold course is being restored to native plants. Register

Noon to 5 pm August 10th Orchid Society of Greater St. Louis Auction at Missouri Botanical Garden. Admission Fee applies. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

1-4 pm August 12th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum Horticulture Class: Home Landscape Design and Practices for the Fall/Winter Season. $15 Donation suggested. Register

9 am August 13th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum Summer Wildflower Walk with Horticulturist. $5 donation suggested. Register

4 pm August 13th Grow Native! Webinar: Dispelling Myths of Native Gardening. Register

6 pm August 14th St. Louis County Public Library event at Clark Branch: Celebrating a Century of Conservation, Shaw Nature Reserve – Past, Present, Future

Noon August 15th St. Louis County Public Library workshop at Thornhill Branch: Anthotype Making. Test out the photographic process of using natural plant pigments to create prints. Register

9 pm August 15th Shaw Nature Reserve Fall Wildflowers Market online pre-sale ends for September 5th event at Gray Summit, Franklin County MO.

5:30 pm August 15th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum History & Horticulture Sunset Stroll. $5 Donation suggested. Register

9 am August 16th Seed St. Louis Fall Seedling Sale at Carriage House, 3815 Bell

9 am August 16th Piasa Palisades Sierra Club Bike Ride, Edwardsville, Illinois: Madison County Transit Trail Bike Ride. Nine miles in two hours. Register

9 am to Noon August 16 Webster Groves Herb Society Display at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday morning, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

9 am to 5 pm August 16th Missouri Botanical Garden Daylily Association Plant Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

10:30 am August 16th Seed St. Louis Workshop at Bell Community Garden: Using the Garden to Teach. Register

1 pm August 16th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Gardens and Plants of Colonial America. Oddly does not mention labor and plants of enslaved persons.

1:30 pm August 19th University of Illinois Extension Virtual Class: Crop Rotation- Building Resilient Gardens. Register

18 Seats remaining. 2 pm August 16th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Area, Kirkwood: Make & Take Cyanotype Tote Bag after 1/3 mile hike to gather materials. Register

6 pm August 21st Missouri Botanical Garden Event: Ireland and Its Aromatic Heritage, Short Documentary Film & Discussion Panel. Admission Fee.

6:30 pm August 21st Heartlands Conservancy Bike Ride on St. Clair County Transit District Trails, approximately 16 miles. Register

9 am to 2 pm Friday and 8 am to 2 pm Saturday, August 22nd-23rd, Flyleaf Market monthly pop up on 1st floor of Watson Terrace Christian Church, Watson @ Winnebago: Succulent & Tropical Plant Sale. This involves a very cool Citizen Growers program.

10 am August 22nd Lincoln University Cooperative Extension Specialty Crops/Native Plants Program at Jefferson City MO: Introduction to Missouri Fern Identification and Ecology Workshop. $25 includes lunch. Register

Heads up for Tower Grove Park users. 10 am to 8 pm August 23rd-24th Festival of Nations at Tower Grove Park

Volunteers Wanted. 8 am August 23rd Heartlands Conservancy Knoll Family Wildlife Sanctuary Stewardship Day at Edwardsville, Illinois. Register

4 Tickets remaining. 11 am August 23rd St. Louis Public Library event at Tower Grove Park: Birds in Your Backyard, Birds in Your City: An Ornithological Summer Series- Session 3: Bird Walk with Missouri Conservation Department. Register

Noon to 4 pm August 23rd Piasa Palisades Sierra Club Summer Picnic at Beaver Dam State Park, Royal Lakes, IL. Register

1 pm August 23rd St. Louis County Public Library event at Grant’s View Branch: Dig In & Learn- A Day in the Garden with Seed St. Louis. Register

August 26th Deadline to order native plants from Missouri Wildflowers Nursery for pick up August 30th at Kirkwood Farmers Market. You may also purchase from what they bring.

7 pm August 28th join Piasa Palisades Sierra Club at Illinois Commerce Commission Public Forum on Ameren Gas Rate Hike at East St Louis, IL.

8 am to 4 pm August 30th Missouri Wildflowers Nursery selling native plants at Kirkwood Farmers Market. Order in advance for pick up or purchase from what they bring.

September 2nd Ordering Begins for Missouri Conservation Annual Tree Seedling Sale. Order early for best selection, some trees and shrubs sell out first day. Orders ship out in Spring.

8 am to Noon September 6th Fox Park Garden Tour. Free. Register

9 am to 5 pm September 6th Gateway West Gesneriad Society Show and Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

9:30 am to 3 pm September 6th Film Screening Day for “Big Medicine: York Outdoors,” a documentary on York, an enslaved servant of William Clark, at Lewis & Clark State Historic Site, Madison County, Illinois

5 pm Septemner 12th Audubon Center at Riverlands event at West Alton, Missouri: Riverlands Wellness- Bikes, Birds, & Brews. $20. Register

8 am to Noon September 13th Edwardsville IL Garden Club Plant Sale at St. Mary’s Church Parking Lot

11 am September 13th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens August 16th

1 pm September 13th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Mad About Mushrooms

2:30 pm September 13th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Fascinating Victorian Gardens

1-4 pm September 14th Oratorio STL Workshop at St. Francis de Sales Oratory: Courtyard Urbanism: Building Cities for Families. Register

2 pm September 17th Partners for Native Landscaping and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Missouri Native Trees and Shrubs for Urban Landscapes. Register

10 am to 2 pm September 22nd Bring Conservation Home Expo at Tower Grove Park. Missouri Wildflower Nursery and other vendors will be selling but you can also order plants for pick up at the event.

9 am to 2 pm Friday and 8 am to 2 pm Saturday, September 26th-27th, Flyleaf Market monthly pop up on 1st floor of Watson Terrace Christian Church, Watson @ Winnebago: Succulent & Tropical Plant Sale. This involves a very cool Citizen Growers program.

9 am to Noon September 27th Webster Groves Herb Society Display at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday morning, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

10 am to 3 pm September 27th Missouri Pollinator Network Pollinator Palooza at Weldon Spring Site Interpretive Center, St. Charles MO. Missouri Wildflowers Nursery and other native plant vendors will be selling there. Sorry for no link. If you know of a link that isn’t Facebook or Instagram (I don’t share either), please let me know.

4-7 pm September 27th Forest ReLeaf Fundraiser: Arbormeisters

18 Tickets available. 8:30 am September 28th St. Louis Audubon Society event at Tower Grove Park: Beginner Bird Walk. Register

2 pm October 1st Partners for Native Landscaping and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: St. Louis Native Plants in a Changing Climate. Register

October 3rd-5th Best of Missouri Market at Missouri Botanical Garden. Missouri Wildflowers Nursery is usually a vendor and this is last opportunity to purchase native plants in St. Louis City for the year. Admission Fee applies.

1 pm October 4th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: How Indigenous People Used Native Plants for Their Health and Well-Being

October 5th-6th Baker Creek Fall Harvest Festival in Mansfield, Wright County, MO, about a 3 1/2 hour drive from St. Louis or Kansas City

11 am October 11th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens September 13th

2 pm October 15th Partners for Native Landscaping and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Native Gardening Maintenance Tips, Tricks and Hacks. Register

9 am October 18th Seed St. Louis Garlic Sale at Carriage House, 3815 Bell

10 am to Noon October 18th Forest Releaf event at Scott Jopling House: Persimmon Festival and Tree Distribution

9 am to 2 pm Friday and 8 am to 2 pm Saturday, October 24th-25th, Flyleaf Market monthly pop up on 1st floor of Watson Terrace Christian Church, Watson @ Winnebago: Succulent & Tropical Plant Sale. This involves a very cool Citizen Growers program.

1 pm November 1st St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Decorating with Herbs

11 am November 8th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens October 11th

1 pm December 6th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Preventing Winter Plant Damage

9 am to 2 pm Friday and 8 am to 2 pm Saturday, December 12th-13th, Flyleaf Market monthly pop up on 1st floor of Watson Terrace Christian Church, Watson @ Winnebago: Succulent & Tropical Plant Sale. This involves a very cool Citizen Growers program.

11 am December 13th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens November 15th

Join us Sundays on Bluesky for #GardenSunday.

This Week in Gardening & Nature

puirple and green sprouting broccoli

Plant of the Week: Sprouting Broccoli, a great winter crop if you can provide protection for when the temperature drops

Visit a rainforest in St. Louis on a winter day: Climatron at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

If you are just looking for St. Louis Area Plant and Seed Swaps and Sales, they are here

Forest Park Bird Checklist

Now thru January 1st at Missouri Botanical Garden: Holiday Flower and Train Show. Garden admission is free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

Now thru January 4th Missouri Botanical Garden’s Garden Glow. Purchase Tickets.

Now thru April 15th On Line Ordering for Missouri Conservation Department annual Tree & Shrub Seedling Sale. They still have Redbud, Elderberry, Witchhazel, and lots more.

February 28th Deadline to apply for Missouri Coalition for the Environment’s High School Student Environmental Action Award

Plan your garden with  Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar

When to Plant in Illinois (University of Illinois Extension)

Find a Native Plant/Seed vendor in Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Kansas,… (Grow Native)

St. Louis Master Gardeners Horticulture Answer Service: Monday through Thursday from 9 am. to 2:30 pm

Good Reads/Views/Listens —

Wishing for Winter Habitat? Plant These Grasses this Spring (Wild Ones)

‘Bad for everything:’ Invasive aquatic plant hydrilla discovered in DuPage County, Illinois: Hydrilla,an aquatic plant native to Europe and Asia. (Gift article, Chicago Tribune)

How America Lost Control of the Bird Flu, Setting the Stage for Another Pandemic (KFF News)

Kansas county sues plastic companies over recycling, alleging ‘fraud and deception.’ Ford County claims in a lawsuit that plastic manufacturers knew recycling wasn’t viable but misled the public (Kansas Reflector)

Arkansas lawmakers consider suggestions to improve underfunded scrap tire recycling program (Arkansas Advocate)

Gov. Stitt to explore ‘unplugging’ Oklahoma from Southwest Power Pool grid, says he wanted to maintain the state’s sovereignty over its permitting rights and eminent domain. (Oklahoma Voice)

Huge majorities in Ohio oppose fracking our state parks, but state leaders just ignore all concerns. The short-term profit of massive companies are apparently far more important to our leaders than Ohioans’ concerns about clean water, air and land. (Ohio Capital Journal)

Seed St. Louis Videos: Variety Trials, Virtual Classes, Starting Seeds Indoors, Orchard Tips, Gardening Tips & How Tos, In the Community Garden, Youth Garden Activities & Tips, Teachers in the Garden Tutorials. I will continue promoting the online resources and activities of Seed St. Louis where appropriate. I will not, however, knowingly promote events at Maxine Clark’s school privatization campus named Delmar Divine. It is unfortunate that Seed St. Louis is now a tenant there.

Free Native Garden Designs @ Wild Ones. There’s one specific to St. Louis, one for Chicago, one for Denver, …

Native plant gardening in a pot. Missouri Botanical Garden has container designs for sun and shade.

Illinois Native Plants for the Home Landscape

Missouri Native Plant Top 10 Lists (Grow Native) Native Plants for Children, Poorly Drained Clay Soil, Sun, Shade, Half Sun & Half Shade, Under Utility Poles, Rain Gardens, Kitchen Gardens, Bees, Pollinators in Winter, Hummingbirds, Wildlife, Butterflies, More

2023 Plants of Merit – Annuals, Bulbs, Edibles, Perennials, Shrubs, Trees, Vines (Missouri Botanical Garden)

2023 Plants of Demerit – Bamboo, Big Leaf Hydrangea, Blueberry, Burning Bush, Chameleon Plant, Lavender, Pin Oak, Wintercreeper (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Gardening and Nature Events —

Volunteers Wanted. 10 am Saturday, December 28th, St. Louis Neighborhood Foresters Bevo Neighborhood Tree Care Blitz. Register

25 Tickets remaining. 1 pm December 31st Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Year End Hike. Register

8Tickets remaining. 4:30 pm December 31st Missouri Conservation Department event at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area: New Year’s Eve Stroll to the Confluence. Register

10 am January 1st Sierra Club Eastern Missouri New Year’s Day Walk at Forest Park. Register

10 am January 1st Piasa Palisades Sierra Club New Years Day Hike @ Pere Marquette State Park, Grafton, Illinois. Register

8 am January 4th St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk at Forest Park. Register

6 Tickets remaining. 9 am January 4th Missouri Conservation Department event at West Alton, Missouri: Dresser Island Hike. 5-7 mile hike along the Mississippi River. Register

20 Tickets remaining. Noon January 4th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Winter Walk with Naturalist. 2/3 mile. Register

1 pm January 4th St. Louis Public Library event at Central Library: Plants that Changed the Course of History-Volume 1, Missouri Botanical Garden Speakers Bureau.

7 Tickets remaining. 3 pm January 4th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Nature Photography with a Phone. Takes place on Tanglevine Trail, 1/3-mile-long flat loop. Register

6:30 pm January 6th Missouri River Bird Observatory Winter Learning Series on Zoom: Series Introduction & Towards Restoration Agriculture in Missouri, presented by Zach Miller, Preserve Engagement Manager, The Nature Conservancy. Register

21 Seats remaining. 6:30 pm January 9th St. Charles City-County Library event at Spencer Road Branch: Maintaining Native Plant Gardens. Register

4 Seats remaining. 8-10 am January 11th Missouri Conservation Department event at Forest Park Hatchery: Learn to Fish- All About Trout! Lessons 1 & 2. Register

10 am January 11th Missouri Conservation Department online class: Kestrel Nesting Boxes. Register

20 Seats remaining. 11 am January 11th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register

6 pm January 13th Missouri Conservation Department online class: Suet-Yourself, Homemade Bird Feeders. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am January 12th St. Louis Neighborhood Foresters Tower Grove East Neighborhood Tree Care Blitz. Register

6:30 pm January 13th Missouri River Bird Observatory Winter Learning Series on Zoom: What Can Climate Litigation Teach Us About Holding the Plastics Industry Responsible for Pollution Problems, presented by Bart Elmore, Professor of Environmental History, Ohio State University. Register

10:30 am January 14th Missouri River Bird Observatory event at Ethical Society of St. Louis: The Global Effect of Plastics on the Environment, presented by Dana Ripper, co-founder, MRBO.

6:30 pm January 14th Piasa Palisades Sierra Club documentary screening at Old Bakery Beer, Belleville, Illinois: Water for Life. Register

4 pm January 15th Grow Native! and Missouri Prairie Foundation online Master Class: Seeded Tree Islands for Beauty, Shade, and Native Diversity presented by horticulturist Scott Woodbury. Free to MPF members and Grow Native! professional members. $15 non-members. Register

3 Seats remaining. 8-10 am January 18th Missouri Conservation Department event at Forest Park Hatchery: Learn to Fish- All About Trout! Lessons 1 & 2. Register

11 Seats remaining. Ages 16+. 10 am January 11th Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: Art in the Park, Canvas & Cocoa. Paint a deer. All materials provided. Register

6:30 pm January 20th Missouri River Bird Observatory Winter Learning Series on Zoom: What Can Climate Litigation Teach Us About Holding the Plastics Industry Responsible for Pollution Problems, presented by Bart Elmore, Professor of Environmental History, Ohio State University. Register

2 pm January 22nd St. Louis Public Library event at Central Library: Plants that Changed the Course of History-Volume 2, Missouri Botanical Garden Speakers Bureau.

6 pm January 23rd Collinsville Park & Rec, Illinois class: Food Too Good to Waste Series- Food for Thought- Smart Planning to Reduce Food Waste. $15. Register

January 25th thru March 4th event at Sachs Butterfly House, Faust Park, Chesterfield: Morpho Mardi Gras- Bugs, Rhythm, & Blues. Fee applies

11 am to 4 pm January 25th St. Louis Seeding Frenzy Seed Swap & Homesteading Showcase at Sunset Hills Community Center, 3915 S Lindbergh. Also, will be an unused equipment/tool/supply exchange. If you do not have seeds to share, please bring a donation of either non-perishable food items, hygiene products, new kids socks, underwear for local charity.

6:30 pm January 27th Missouri River Bird Observatory Winter Learning Series on Zoom: Climate Change Conversations, presented by Jamin Bray, Co-Director, Missouri Environmental Education Association. Register

6 pm January 30th Seed St. Louis Zoom class: Indoor Food Gardening. Register

8 am February 1st St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk at Forest Park. Register

February 1st thru March 9th at Missouri Botanical Garden: Orchid Show. Garden admission is free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

9 am to 5 pm February 1st-2nd Orchid Society of Greater St. Louis Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

11 Seats remaining. 9-11 am February 4th Missouri Conservation Department event at Forest Park Hatchery: Pond to Plate, All About Trout! Register

12 Seats remaining. 8-10 am February 8th Missouri Conservation Department event at Forest Park Hatchery: Pond to Plate, All About Trout! Register

9 am to 3 pm February 8th Eagle Days at Audubon Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary in West Alton, Missouri

11 am February 8th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens January11th

1 pm February 15th St. Louis Public Library event at Divoll Library: What’s All the Buzz About Natives? presented by Sue Leahy from Wild Ones.

2 pm February 15th St. Louis Public Library Seed Swap at Carpenter Library in partnership with Urban Harvest STL

7:30 am to Noon February 21st Grow Native! Southwest Illinois Workshop at Lewis & Clark Community College, Edwardsville, Illinois: Stormwater Challenges & Native Plant Solutions. $25 for MPF members and Grow Native! professional members, $15 for students with a valid student ID, and $30 for non-members. Includes breakfast. Register

March 1st St. Louis Public Library event at Central Library: Lore and Legend of Herbs with St. Louis Herb Society

11 am March 8th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens February 8th

9 am to Noon March 22nd Webster Groves Herb Society Display at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings.

1 pm March 22nd St. Louis Public Library event at Central Library: Critical for Gardening- Get the Dirt on Soil, Missouri Botanical Gardens Master Gardener Speakers Bureau

April 6th & 7th Baker Creek Tulip Festival in Mansfield, Wright County, MO, about a 3 1/2 hour drive from St. Louis or Kansas City

7 am to 5 pm April 12th Veterans Free Fishing Day at Bennett Spring State Park near Lebanon MO

9 am April 12th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual class: Learning to Hunt- Wild Edibles presented by Bo Brown. Register

9 am to Noon April 22nd Webster Groves Herb Society Display at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday morning, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

11 am April 12th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens March 15th

6 pm April 24th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual class: Learning to Hunt- Mushrooms. Register

9 am to 4 pm April 25th St. Louis Herb Society Herb Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden parking lot.

6 pm May 1st St. Louis Public Library event at Schlafly Library: Plant Predators- An Introduction to Carnivorous Plants with Carnivorous Plant Society. Register

20 seats remaining. 10 am May 3rd St. Louis Public Library event at Central Library: Tomatoes 101. Register

1 pm May 3rd St. Louis Public Library event at Buder Library: Meet the Pack: Animals of the Endangered Wolf Center

May 4th-5th Baker Creek Spring Planting Festival in Mansfield, Wright County, MO, about a 3 1/2 hour drive from St. Louis or Kansas City

9 am to Noon May 10th Webster Groves Herb Society Display at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday morning, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

9 am to 5 pm May 10th St. Louis Hosta Society Show & Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

11 am May 10th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens April 12th

9 am to 5 pm May 11th Greater St. Louis Iris Society Show at Missouri Botanical Garden. Included with Garden Admission Fee.

5 pm May 15th St. Louis Public Library event at Walnut Park Library: Wild Hearts- Understanding Animal Behavior in the Wild with St. Louis Zoo

9 am to 5 pm May 17th Metropolitan St. Louis African Violet Council Show and Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

9 am to 5 pm May 24th-25th Rose Society of Greater St. Louis Show at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

9 am to Noon June 21st Webster Groves Herb Society Display at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday morning, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

9 am to 5 pm June 21st Carnivorous Plant Society Show and Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

June 21-22 St. Louis Water Garden Society Pond-A-Rama tour. Tickets

9 am to 5 pm August 2nd-3rd Greater St. Louis Iris Society Plant Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

Noon to 5 pm August 10th Orchid Society of Greater St. Louis Auction at Missouri Botanical Garden. Admission Fee applies. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

9 am to Noon August 16 Webster Groves Herb Society Display at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday morning, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

9 am to 5 pm August 16th Missouri Botanical Garden Daylily Association Plant Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

9 am to 5 pm September 6th Gateway West Gesneriad Society Show and Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

9 am to Noon September 27th Webster Groves Herb Society Display at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission Free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Saturday and Wednesday morning, otherwise Admission Fee applies.

October 3rd-5th Best of Missouri Market at Missouri Botanical Garden. Missouri Wildflowers Nursery is usually a vendor and this is last opportunity to purchase native plants in St. Louis City for the year. Admission Fee applies.

October 5th-6th Baker Creek Fall Harvest Festival in Mansfield, Wright County, MO, about a 3 1/2 hour drive from St. Louis or Kansas City

Join us Sundays on Bluesky for #GardenSunday. No longer on Twitter thanks to Elon Musk turning it into a dumpster fire.

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Plant of the Week: Coral Bells, Heuchera, some varieties provide great Fall and Winter leaf color

Now thru January 1st at Missouri Botanical Garden: Holiday Flower and Train Show. Garden admission is free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

Now thru January 4th Missouri Botanical Garden’s Garden Glow. Purchase Tickets.

Now thru April 15th On Line Ordering for Missouri Conservation Department annual Tree & Shrub Seedling Sale. They still have Redbud, Elderberry, Witchhazel, and lots more.

February 28th Deadline to apply for Missouri Coalition for the Environment’s High School Student Environmental Action Award

Missouri 4-H Independent members program for 8-18 years olds living some distance from a 4-H club (University of Missouri Extension)

If you are just looking for St. Louis Area Plant and Seed Swaps and Sales, they are here

When to Plant in Illinois (University of Illinois Extension)

Find a Native Plant/Seed vendor in Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Kansas,… (Grow Native)

St. Louis Master Gardeners Horticulture Answer Service: Monday through Thursday from 9 am. to 2:30 pm

Plan your garden with  Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar

Good Reads/Views —

Monarch Butterfly Proposed for Endangered Species Act Protection (US Fish & Wildlife Service)

Missouri Conservation Department finds likely bird flu cases among snow geese. Tests show probable infections in birds recovered in Henry and Vernon counties, prompting advisory asking for reports of dead waterfowl and warning against contact (Missouri Independent)

Supreme Court weighs limits on key federal environmental law (Colorado Newsline)

How a state sales tax helps Missouri farmers resist droughts (Columbia Missourian)

Native Plants at Noon Series on YouTube (Deep Roots Kansas City)

Container Gardening with Keystone Species. Find your Ecoregion. Missouri is a part of four regions- Southeastern Plains, Ozark Ouachita Appalachian Forest, Mississippi Alluvial, Temperate Prairies. Illinois is a part of Central Plains and Southeast Plains. (Homegrown National Park)

Fall/Winter edition of Meanderings (Heartlands Conservancy, Belleville IL)

Seed St. Louis Videos: Variety Trials, Virtual Classes, Starting Seeds Indoors, Orchard Tips, Gardening Tips & How Tos, In the Community Garden, Youth Garden Activities & Tips, Teachers in the Garden Tutorials. I will continue promoting the online resources and activities of Seed St. Louis where appropriate. I will not, however, knowingly promote events at Maxine Clark’s school privatization campus named Delmar Divine. It is unfortunate that Seed St. Louis is now a tenant there.

Free Native Garden Designs @ Wild Ones. There’s one specific to St. Louis, one for Chicago, one for Denver, …

Native plant gardening in a pot. Missouri Botanical Garden has container designs for sun and shade.

Illinois Native Plants for the Home Landscape

Missouri Native Plant Top 10 Lists (Grow Native) Native Plants for Children, Poorly Drained Clay Soil, Sun, Shade, Half Sun & Half Shade, Under Utility Poles, Rain Gardens, Kitchen Gardens, Bees, Pollinators in Winter, Hummingbirds, Wildlife, Butterflies, More

2023 Plants of Merit – Annuals, Bulbs, Edibles, Perennials, Shrubs, Trees, Vines (Missouri Botanical Garden)

2023 Plants of Demerit – Bamboo, Big Leaf Hydrangea, Blueberry, Burning Bush, Chameleon Plant, Lavender, Pin Oak, Wintercreeper (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Gardening and Nature Events —

8:30 am Tuesday, December 17th, Missouri Conservation Department Zoom class: Winter Backyard Bird Watching. Register

4 Tickets remaining. 6:30 pm Tuesday, December 17th, Missouri Conservation Department Zoom class: The Science and Art of Soap Making Pt. 1. Register

2 pm Wednesday, December 18th, Missouri Conservation Department Zoom class: Missouri Foxes. Register

4 pm Wednesday, December 18th, Missouri Prairie Foundation webinar: Prairie Planting Establishment & Stewardship, includes Q & A with Jerod Huebner. Register

33 Tickets remaining. 6 pm Wednesday, December 18th, Missouri Conservation Department Zoom class: Outdoor Survival- Useful Knots for the Outdoors. Register

9 am Friday, December 20th, Missouri Sierra Club’s Eastern Missouri Group Service Day at Castlewood State Park, Ballwin. Register

3 pm Friday, December 20th, Missouri Conservation Department virtual class: Owls of Missouri. Register

3 Seats remaining. 10 am Saturday December 21st Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: The Science and Art of Soap Making Pt. 2. Requires online #1 class. Register

1 pm Saturday, December 21st Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Conservation Matinee- Flight of the Snow Geese

Volunteers Wanted. 10 am December 28th St. Louis Neighborhood Foresters Bevo Neighborhood Tree Care Blitz. Register

25 Tickets remaining. 1 pm December 31st Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Year End Hike. Register

4 Tickets remaining. 4:30 pm December 31st Missouri Conservation Department event at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area: New Year’s Eve Stroll to the Confluence. Register

8 am January 4th St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk at Forest Park. Register

18 Tickets remaining. 9 am January 4th Missouri Conservation Department event at West Alton, Missouri: Dresser Island Hike. 5-7 mile hike along the Mississippi River. Register

1 pm January 4th St. Louis Public Library event at Central Library: Plants that Changed the Course of History-Volume 1, Missouri Botanical Garden Speakers Bureau.

6:30 pm January 6th Missouri River Bird Observatory Winter Learning Series on Zoom: Series Introduction & Towards Restoration Agriculture in Missouri, presented by Zach Miller, Preserve Engagement Manager, The Nature Conservancy. Register

25 Seats remaining. 6:30 pm January 9th St. Charles City-County Library event at Spencer Road Branch: Maintaining Native Plant Gardens

5 Seats remaining. 8-10 am January 11th Missouri Conservation Department event at Forest Park Hatchery: Learn to Fish- All About Trout! Lessons 1 & 2. Register

10 am January 11th Missouri Conservation Department online class: Kestrel Nesting Boxes. Register

20 Seats remaining. 11 am January 11th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register

6 pm January 13th Missouri Conservation Department online class: Suet-Yourself, Homemade Bird Feeders. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am January 12th St. Louis Neighborhood Foresters Tower Grove East Neighborhood Tree Care Blitz. Register

6:30 pm January 13th Missouri River Bird Observatory Winter Learning Series on Zoom: What Can Climate Litigation Teach Us About Holding the Plastics Industry Responsible for Pollution Problems, presented by Bart Elmore, Professor of Environmental History, Ohio State University. Register

10:30 am January 14th Missouri River Bird Observatory event at Ethical Society of St. Louis: The Global Effect of Plastics on the Environment, presented by Dana Ripper, co-founder, MRBO.

4 pm January 15th Grow Native! and Missouri Prairie Foundation online Master Class: Seeded Tree Islands for Beauty, Shade, and Native Diversity presented by horticulturist Scott Woodbury. Free to MPF members and Grow Native! professional members. $15 non-members. Register

6 Seats remaining. 8-10 am January 18th Missouri Conservation Department event at Forest Park Hatchery: Learn to Fish- All About Trout! Lessons 1 & 2. Register

19 Seats remaining. Ages 16+. 10 am January 11th Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: Art in the Park, Canvas & Cocoa. Paint a deer. All materials provided. Register

6:30 pm January 20th Missouri River Bird Observatory Winter Learning Series on Zoom: What Can Climate Litigation Teach Us About Holding the Plastics Industry Responsible for Pollution Problems, presented by Bart Elmore, Professor of Environmental History, Ohio State University. Register

2 pm January 22nd St. Louis Public Library event at Central Library: Plants that Changed the Course of History-Volume 2, Missouri Botanical Garden Speakers Bureau.

6 pm January 23rd Collinsville Park & Rec, Illinois class: Food Too Good to Waste Series- Food for Thought- Smart Planning to Reduce Food Waste. $15. Register

January 25th thru March 4th event at Sachs Butterfly House, Faust Park, Chesterfield: Morpho Mardi Gras- Bugs, Rhythm, & Blues. Fee applies

11 am to 4 pm January 25th St. Louis Seeding Frenzy Seed Swap & Homesteading Showcase at Sunset Hills Community Center, 3915 S Lindbergh. Also, will be an unused equipment/tool/supply exchange. If you do not have seeds to share, please bring a donation of either non-perishable food items, hygiene products, new kids socks, underwear for local charity.

6:30 pm January 27th Missouri River Bird Observatory Winter Learning Series on Zoom: Climate Change Conversations, presented by Jamin Bray, Co-Director, Missouri Environmental Education Association. Register

6 pm January 30th Seed St. Louis Zoom class: Indoor Food Gardening. Register

8 am February 1st St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk at Forest Park. Register

February 1st thru March 9th at Missouri Botanical Garden: Orchid Show. Garden admission is free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

12 Seats remaining. 9-11 am February 4th Missouri Conservation Department event at Forest Park Hatchery: Pond to Plate, All About Trout! Register

12 Seats remaining. 8-10 am February 8th Missouri Conservation Department event at Forest Park Hatchery: Pond to Plate, All About Trout! Register

9 am to 3 pm February 8th Eagle Days at Audubon Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary in West Alton, Missouri

11 am February 8th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens January11th

1 pm February 15th St. Louis Public Library event at Divoll Library: What’s All the Buzz About Natives? presented by Sue Leahy from Wild Ones.

2 pm February 15th St. Louis Public Library Seed Swap at Carpenter Library in partnership with Urban Harvest STL

7:30 am to Noon February 21st Grow Native! Southwest Illinois Workshop at Lewis & Clark Community College, Edwardsville, Illinois: Stormwater Challenges & Native Plant Solutions. $25 for MPF members and Grow Native! professional members, $15 for students with a valid student ID, and $30 for non-members. Includes breakfast. Register

March 1st St. Louis Public Library event at Central Library: Lore and Legend of Herbs with St. Louis Herb Society

11 am March 8th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens February 8th

1 pm March 22nd St. Louis Public Library event at Central Library: Critical for Gardening- Get the Dirt on Soil, Missouri Botanical Gardens Master Gardener Speakers Bureau

April 6th & 7th Baker Creek Tulip Festival in Mansfield, Wright County, MO, about a 3 1/2 hour drive from St. Louis or Kansas City

7 am to 5 pm April 12th Veterans Free Fishing Day at Bennett Spring State Park near Lebanon MO

9 am April 12th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual class: Learning to Hunt- Wild Edibles presented by Bo Brown. Register

11 am April 12th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens March 15th

6 pm April 24th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual class: Learning to Hunt- Mushrooms. Register

9 am to 4 pm April 25th St. Louis Herb Society Herb Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden parking lot.

6 pm May 1st St. Louis Public Library event at Schlafly Library: Plant Predators- An Introduction to Carnivorous Plants with Carnivorous Plant Society. Register

20 seats remaining. 10 am May 3rd St. Louis Public Library event at Central Library: Tomatoes 101. Register

1 pm May 3rd St. Louis Public Library event at Buder Library: Meet the Pack: Animals of the Endangered Wolf Center

May 4th-5th Baker Creek Spring Planting Festival in Mansfield, Wright County, MO, about a 3 1/2 hour drive from St. Louis or Kansas City

11 am May 10th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens April 12th

5 pm May 15th St. Louis Public Library event at Walnut Park Library: Wild Hearts- Understanding Animal Behavior in the Wild with St. Louis Zoo

June 21-22 St. Louis Water Garden Society Pond-A-Rama tour. Tickets

October 5th-6th Baker Creek Fall Harvest Festival in Mansfield, Wright County, MO, about a 3 1/2 hour drive from St. Louis or Kansas City

Join us Sundays on Bluesky for #GardenSunday. No longer on Twitter thanks to Elon Musk turning it into a dumpster fire.

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Plant of the Week: native and very tall Curly Top Ironweed

St. Louis Gardeners: Growing more veggies than you can eat? Drop off by Noon Mondays-Tuesdays at The Garden Shop on Hampton. There’s a table for donated produce. Donated veggies go to Growing Food, Growing People. Say Hi to the new Shop Cat: Astilbe, aka Queen Bebe, Bee.

Volunteers Wanted. St. Louis City Forestry Dept needs help watering trees

Volunteers Wanted. Brightside St. Louis August Blitz events in Fountain Park and Penrose Neighborhoods

If you are only looking for St. Louis Area Plant Sales, here’s a page for them. Updated this week with Plant & Seed Swaps @ STL County Libraries, Missouri Wildflowers Nursery returns to Kirkwood Farmers Market, Plant Vendors @ Weldon Spring Pollinator Festival, More

A good resource for starting and maintaining a Seed Library (Seed Library Network) Some Seed Libraries in Missouri

August 11th to December 23rd University of Missouri Extension Online Master Gardener Core Training. $200

August 30th Deadline to Enter Wild Ones Native Flora & Fauna Photography Contest: categories- Living Things, Landscapes, Winter, Events

August 31st Deadline to Enter Missouri Conservation Department’s Busch Conservation Area (St. Charles Mo) Wildlife Photography Contest. Submit photos of native Mo wildlife, trees, plants at Busch Conservation Area or Weldon Spring Conservation Area.

September 1st Deadline to Enter Missouri Department of Natural Resources Photography Contest. Submit photos of Natural Resources, Unique Places (state parks, historic sites), People Enjoying Outdoors

November 15th Deadline for Grade Schools to High Schools, Youth Groups, Community Groups with youth programs, to apply for Wild Ones’ Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Program Grants: native plant use in pollinator gardens, rain gardens to improve water quality, tallgrass prairies, Monarch waystations featuring community science activities, and sensory and natural playgrounds.

Plan your garden with  Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar

Good Reads —

Gardening By Month: August Tips, Tasks, and Problems (Missouri Botanical Garden)

August Gardening Tips on Outdoor Flowering Plants & Ornamentals, Vegetable Gardening, Fruits and Nuts, Lawns (University of Missouri Extension)

July Native Plant News from around the country (Wild Ones)

The lawyer who fights for people’s right to grow ‘weeds.’ She used to enforce local weed ordinances. Now she helps native plant enthusiasts combat them. Gift article (Washington Post)

Winter Cover Crops for St. Louis Area. Cover crops are any plant that you grow not to harvest but for some other benefit like weed suppression, mulch production, soil improvement, beneficial insect support, etc. (Seed St. Louis)

It’s grain country now, but western Kansas used to be awash in watermelons. (KMUW)

River Otters Were Once Nearly Extinct In Illinois — But Now They Roam Chicago Waterways. River otters have made a remarkable comeback in Chicago’s waterways, signaling improved water quality, showcasing successful conservation efforts (Block Club Chicago)

Who would win gold in the bird Olympics? We simulated a race between the fastest fliers to find out. Gift article (Washington Post)

One idea to curb the invasive Asian carp: Eat them. Anyone in St. Louis region serving Asian carp? (Louisianna Illuninator)

Illinois Native Plants for the Home Landscape

Missouri Native Plant Top 10 Lists (Grow Native) Native Plants for Children, Poorly Drained Clay Soil, Sun, Shade, Half Sun & Half Shade, Under Utility Poles, Rain Gardens, Kitchen Gardens, Bees, Pollinators in Winter, Hummingbirds, Wildlife, Butterflies, More

2023 Plants of Merit – Annuals, Bulbs, Edibles, Perennials, Shrubs, Trees, Vines (Missouri Botanical Garden)

2023 Plants of Demerit – Bamboo, Big Leaf Hydrangea, Blueberry, Burning Bush, Chameleon Plant, Lavender, Pin Oak, Wintercreeper (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Gardening and Nature Events —

Go see the Sunflowers Fields at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area

Going on now. Order Online: Brightside St. Louis Blooming Spring Daffodil & Tulip Sale. Carlton Daffodils- 30 bulbs $17. Midwest Mix Daffodils 30 for $17, 5 each Carlton, Barrett Browning, Pink Charm, Slim Whitman, Tahiti, Suada. Brightside Red Hybrid Darwin Tulip- 30 bulbs $17. Pink Impression Tulips- 30 bulbs $17. Pick up 11 am to 4 pm October 11th and 9 am to Noon October 12th at Forest Park Greenhouse. Orders to be shipped will be sent the week of October 7th.

Shakespeare in the Park this Week, The Tempest: Free performances 6:30 pm Tuesday @ Tower Grove Park, Roman Pavilion and 6:30 pm Saturday @ Crown Square, Old North, 1400 St. Louis Ave

6 pm Tuesday, August 6th, St. Louis Public Library and Seed St. Louis class at Buder Library: Urban Homesteading- Winter Gardening and Overwintering Crops.

Noon Wednesday, August 7th, Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Cooking and Cleaning Catfish. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 8 am Thursday, August 8th Heartland Conservancy event at Clinton Hills Conservation Park in Swansea, IL: Exploration Garden Volunteer Day. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 8 am Friday, August 9th, Heartland Conservancy event at Edwardsville, IL: Poag Sand Prairie Restoration Volunteer Day. Register

9 am Friday, August 9th, Online Ordering Begins for Pick Up at 3 am to 7 pm Friday, September 6th, Shaw Nature Reserve Fall Wildflower Market in Gray Summit, Franklin County.

9:30 am Friday, August 9th, St. Louis County Public Library event at Sachs Branch: Bird Walk. Register

1 pm Friday, August 9th, St. Louis City Public Library class at Buder Library: Urban Homesteading- Best Gardening Practices

2 pm Friday, August 9th, St. Louis County Library class at Mid-County Branch: Homesteading- Windowsill Herbs. Register

2 pm Friday, August 9th, St. Louis City Public Library class at Buder Library: Urban Homesteading- Canning and Preservation 101

9 am Saturday, August 10th, Seed St. Louis Fall Seedling Sale: 4-packs for $3.50 each- Bok Choy, Broccoli (purple & green), Cabbage (red & green), Cauliflower, Collards, Lettuce (red & green), Misome (Tatsoi Hybrid). Edible, perennial Hosta $6.

11 am and 1 pm Saturday, August 10th, Missouri Botanical Garden event: Sachs Museum Performance Series- “A Corn-Fed Musical Comedy Performance” by Opera Bell Band. Seating first come, first served. Garden Admission is free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents Saturday and Wednesday mornings.

2 pm Saturday, August 10th, St. Louis City Public Library class at Buder Library: Urban Homesteading: Intro & Advanced Chicken Tending

1:30 pm August 13th University of Illinois Extension Webinar: Foodscaping- Creating Snacks Among the Flower Beds. Register

2 pm August 13th Seed St. Louis and St. Louis County Public Library Zoom Class: Winter Gardening and Overwintering Crops. Register

4 pm August 14th Missouri Prairie Foundation Webinar: Monarch Conservation: Opportunities and Challenges. Register

9 am August 15th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center: Guided Nature Walk with Naturalist. Register

6 pm August 15th Willoughby Farm, Table to Garden, Seed St. Louis In Person Composting Series, Collinsville IL: Bokashi. $12. Register

11 Tickets remaining. 6 pm August 15th Missouri Conservation Department event at Forest Park Hatchery: Fishing Lesson 1- Equipment, Casting, & Proper Fish Handling. Register

8 am August 16th Eastern Missouri Sierra Club event at Greensfelder Park, St. Louis County: Phenology Walk with Adam Rembert. Litzsinger Road Ecology Center. Register

9 am to 1 pm August 16th Missouri Conservation Department event at Lincoln University’s Carver Farm, Jefferson City: Pollinator Workshop. Register

For Kids Ages 7-16, parents also welcome. 4 pm August 16th St. Louis Public Library and Tower Grove Park event at Tower Grove Park: Bird Nerds Birding Club. Register

9 am to 5 pm August 17th Missouri Botanical Garden Daylily Association Plant Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

9 am to 4 pm August 18th Sachs Butterfly House event: Bee Jubilee. Fee required. Sachs Butterfly House provides Free Admission to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents only 9-11 am Tuesdays.

Noon to 5 pm August 18th Orchid Society of Greater St. Louis Auction at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission fee required.

21 Tickets available. 5 pm August 22nd Missouri Conservation Department event at Forest Park Hatchery: Fishing Lesson 2- How to Tie a Knot & Bait a Hook. Register

6 pm August 22nd Wild Ones Webinar: Combating the Biodiversity Crisis with Native Plants presented by Sarah Gray and Coralie Palmer from the Indiana Native Plant Society. Register

August 24th Soulard’s Art in the Garden Tour fundraiser for Beautification Committee, Soulard Restoration Group

8:30 am August 31st Eastern Missouri Sierra Club event in Hillsboro, Jefferson County: Kress Farm Garden Preserve Talk, Tour, Hike. Register

3-7 pm September 6th Shaw Nature Reserve Fall Wildflower Market, Gray Summit, Franklin County. Online Ordering Begins August 9th for Pick Up event day.

9 am to 5 pm September 7th Gateway West Gesneriad Society Show and Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

September 13th, 14th, 15th Kirkwood Greentree Festival at Kirkwood Park. Greater St. Louis Daffodil Society sells Daffodil bulbs at this event.

10 am to 3 pm September 14th Monarch Madness Pollinator Festival at Weldon Spring Site Interpretive Center, St. Charles. Missouri Wildflowers Nursery is a vendor. Order native plants from them online by Monday prior for pick up at event.

2 pm August 19th St. Louis City Public Library class at Central Library: Missouri Botanical Garden Speaker Series- Plants, Pollen and Allergies. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 8 am August 24th Heartland Conservancy event at Pontoon Beach, IL: Arlington Wetlands Work Day. Register

8 am to 4 pm Saturdays. September 7th & 14th. Missouri Wildflowers Nursery returns to Kirkwood Farmers Market. Order your native plants online by Monday prior to Saturday pick up at Market or purchase from what they bring.

8 am September 7th St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk at Forest Park. Register

5 pm September 7th Heartlands Conservancy Fundraiser at Rock Springs Park, O’Fallon, IL: Farm to Fork. Tickets $100.

8 am September 14th St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk at Meramec River Greenway, Greentree Park, Kirkwood. Register

2 pm September 14th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Missouri Botanical Garden Speaker Series- Winter Damage. Learn how to prevent winter garden damage. Register

6 pm September 18th St. Louis City Public Library class at Schlafly Library: Insights from Experts Nature Series- What’s the Buzz About Natives presented by Susan Leahy, Wild Ones. Register

6 pm September 19th Willoughby Farm, Table to Garden, Seed St. Louis In Person Composting Series, Collinsville IL: Static Systems. $12. Register

8:30 am September 22nd St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk at Tower Grove Park. Register

September 22nd Bring Conservation Home Native Plant Expo at Tower Grove Park. Missouri Wildflowers Nursery is a vendor. Order native plants from them online by Monday prior for pick up at event.

6 pm September 23rd St. Louis County Public Library craft event at Bridgeton Trails Branch: Paint Night- DIY “Welcome” Garden Flag. Register

3:30-6:30 pm September 26th Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale at World Bird Sanctuary, Valley Park, St. Louis County. Entry Fee $12 per car.

9 am to 5 pm September 28th Rose Society of Greater St. Louis Show at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

10 am September 28th St. Louis County Public Library Autumn Plants & More Swap at Oak Bend Branch. Bring plants, seeds, bulbs, tools, books, gardening supplies to swap with fellow gardeners. Plants should be divided, brought in containers, and labeled.

1 pm September 28th St. Louis County Public Library Plant Swap at Grand Graize Branch, Manchester.

4 pm September 28th Forest ReLeaf Fundraiser at their Nursery and Arboretum in Creve Coeur Park, St. Louis County: 10th Annual ArborMeisters Homebrew + Craft Beer Festival. Tickets start at $40.

October 4-6 Best of Missouri Market at Missouri Botanical Garden: Missouri Wildflowers Nursery is a vendor. Buy from what the bring or order online for pick up at event. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings.

9 am October 5th Seed St. Louis Garlic Sale

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

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Plant of the Week: Texas Green Eyes, Berlandiera texana

Volunteers Wanted. St. Louis City Forestry Dept needs help watering trees

Volunteers Wanted. Brightside St. Louis August Blitz events in Fountain Park and Penrose Neighborhoods

If you are only looking for St. Louis Area Plant Sales, here’s a page for them.

A good resource for starting and maintaining a Seed Library (Seed Library Network) Some Seed Libraries in Missouri

August 11th to December 23rd University of Missouri Extension Online Master Gardener Core Training. $200

August 30th Deadline to Enter Wild Ones Native Flora & Fauna Photography Contest: categories- Living Things, Landscapes, Winter, Events

August 31st Deadline to Enter Missouri Conservation Department’s Busch Conservation Area (St. Charles Mo) Wildlife Photography Contest. Submit photos of native Mo wildlife, trees, plants at Busch Conservation Area or Weldon Spring Conservation Area.

September 1st Deadline to Enter Missouri Department of Natural Resources Photography Contest. Submit photos of Natural Resources, Unique Places (state parks, historic sites), People Enjoying Outdoors

November 15th Deadline for Grade Schools to High Schools, Youth Groups, Community Groups with youth programs, to apply for Wild Ones’ Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Program Grants: native plant use in pollinator gardens, rain gardens to improve water quality, tallgrass prairies, Monarch waystations featuring community science activities, and sensory and natural playgrounds.

Plan your garden with  Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar

Good Reads/Views —

Pollinator gardens – going beyond the plant lists to create a robust habitat. (Wild Ones)

Having Japanese Beetle problems? A good article on To Trap or Not to Trap- The Ever Controversial Japanese Beetle Trap (Seed St. Louis and Giving Grove)

Refrigerating produce in jars looks great, but it can breed bacteria. Fresh produce has various needs, including air circulation, that a sealed jar won’t provide. Gift article (Washington Post)

The Great Salt Lake isn’t just drying out. It’s warming the planet. The lake released 4.1M tons of carbon dioxide & other greenhouse gases in 2020… more evidence that dried-out lakes are a significant source of emissions. Gift article (Washington Post)

Hilarious. ‘Mystic Veg’ psychic who uses asparagus to predict the future reveals who she thinks will win the US Presidential Election in November (Daily Mail, UK)

Raising & Harvesting Okra (University of Illinois Extension)

Illinois Native Plants for the Home Landscape

Missouri Native Plant Top 10 Lists (Grow Native) Native Plants for Children, Poorly Drained Clay Soil, Sun, Shade, Half Sun & Half Shade, Under Utility Poles, Rain Gardens, Kitchen Gardens, Bees, Pollinators in Winter, Hummingbirds, Wildlife, Butterflies, More

2023 Plants of Merit – Annuals, Bulbs, Edibles, Perennials, Shrubs, Trees, Vines (Missouri Botanical Garden)

2023 Plants of Demerit – Bamboo, Big Leaf Hydrangea, Blueberry, Burning Bush, Chameleon Plant, Lavender, Pin Oak, Wintercreeper (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Gardening and Nature Events —

Go see the Sunflowers Fields at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area

Going on now. Order Online: Brightside St. Louis Blooming Spring Daffodil & Tulip Sale. Carlton Daffodils- 30 bulbs $17. Midwest Mix Daffodils 30 for $17, 5 each Carlton, Barrett Browning, Pink Charm, Slim Whitman, Tahiti, Suada. Brightside Red Hybrid Darwin Tulip- 30 bulbs $17. Pink Impression Tulips- 30 bulbs $17. Pick up 11 am to 4 pm October 11th and 9 am to Noon October 12th at Forest Park Greenhouse. Orders to be shipped will be sent the week of October 7th.

St. Louis Gardeners: Growing more veggies than you can eat? Drop off by Noon Mondays-Tuesdays at The Garden Shop on Hampton. There’s a table for donated produce. Donated veggies go to Growing Food, Growing People

6 pm Monday, July 29th, St. Louis County Library & Left Banks Book author event at Clark Family Branch: Nature Writer Amy Stewart, Author of “The Tree Collectors: Tales of Arboreal Obsession.” More Info on event

10 am Tuesday, July 30th, Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Trolley Tour with Master Guide. $5. Register

1 pm Tuesday, July 30th, Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Snakes of Missouri. Register

6 pm Tuesday, July 30th, St. Louis Public Library event at Buder Library: Urban Homesteading- Carnivorous Plants 101

4 pm Wednesday, July 31st, Missouri Prairie Foundation Webinar: Dark Sky as a Natural Resource presented by Dr. Vayujeet Gokhale. Learn about the problem and solutions to light pollution. Register

5:30 pm Wednesday, July 31st, Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Sunset Stroll with Master Guide. Register

9 Tickets remaining. 9 am Thursday, August 1st, Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center: Guided Nature Walk with Naturalist. Register

3 pm Thursday, August 1st, Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Missouri Bees. Register

7:30-10:30 am Friday, August 2nd, Missouri Conservation Department and Wild Bird Sanctuary event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Bird-Banding Demo

8 am Saturday, August 3rd, St. Louis Audubon Society event at Forest Park: Beginner Bird Walk. Register

9 am to 5 pm Saturday, August 3rd, Greater St. Louis Iris Society Iris Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

10 am Saturday, August 3rd, Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Trolley Tour with Master Guide. $5. Register

For K-3rd Grade Kids. 10:30 am Saturday, August 3rd, St. Louis Public Library event at Carpenter Library: Creatures of the Night with Missouri State Parks.

10 am Sunday, August 4th Heartlands Conservancy event at Clinton Hills Conservation Park, Swansea, St. Clair County, Illinois: Bee Walk @ Exploration Garden.

6 pm August 6th St. Louis Public Library and Seed St. Louis class at Buder Library: Urban Homesteading- Winter Gardening and Overwintering Crops.

2 Seats remaining. For Kids ages 0-7. 10:30 am August 8th Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: You and Me under the Canopy- Splish, Splash. Register

9 am August 9th Online Ordering Begins for Pick Up at September 6th Shaw Nature Reserve Fall Wildflower Market

9:30 am August 9th St. Louis County Public Library event at Sachs Branch: Bird Walk. Register

1 pm August 9th St. Louis City Public Library class at Buder Library: Urban Homesteading- Best Gardening Practices

2 pm August 9th St. Louis County Library class at Mid-County Branch: Homesteading- Windowsill Herbs. Register

2 pm August 9th St. Louis City Public Library class at Buder Library: Urban Homesteading- Canning and Preservation 101

9 am August 10th Seed St. Louis Fall Seedling Sale: 4-packs for $3.50 each- Bok Choy, Broccoli (purple & green), Cabbage (red & green), Cauliflower, Collards, Edible Hosta, Lettuce (red & green), Misome (Tatsoi Hybrid)

11 am and 1 pm August 10th Missouri Botanical Garden event: Sachs Museum Performance Series- “A Corn-Fed Musical Comedy Performance” by Opera Bell Band. Seating first come, first served. Garden Admission is free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents Saturday and Wednesday mornings.

2 pm August 10th St. Louis City Public Library class at Buder Library: Urban Homesteading: Intro & Advanced Chicken Tending

1:30 pm August 13th University of Illinois Extension Webinar: Foodscaping- Creating Snacks Among the Flower Beds. Register

2 pm August 13th Seed St. Louis and St. Louis County Public Library Zoom Class: Winter Gardening and Overwintering Crops. Register

9 am August 15th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center: Guided Nature Walk with Naturalist. Register

6 pm August 15th Willoughby Farm, Table to Garden, Seed St. Louis In Person Composting Series, Collinsville IL: Bokashi. $12. Register

14 Tickets remaining. 6 pm August 15th Missouri Conservation Department event at Forest Park Hatchery: Fishing Lesson 1- Equipment, Casting, & Proper Fish Handling. Register

9 am to 1 pm August 16th Missouri Conservation Department event at Lincoln University’s Carver Farm, Jefferson City: Pollinator Workshop. Register

For Kids Ages 7-16, parents also welcome. 4 pm August 16th St. Louis Public Library and Tower Grove Park event at Tower Grove Park: Bird Nerds Birding Club. Register

9 am to 5 pm August 17th Missouri Botanical Garden Daylily Association Plant Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

9 am to 4 pm August 18th Sachs Butterfly House event: Bee Jubilee. Fee required. Sachs Butterfly House provides Free Admission to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents only 9-11 am Tuesdays.

Noon to 5 pm August 18th Orchid Society of Greater St. Louis Auction at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission fee required.

21 Tickets available. 5 pm August 22nd Missouri Conservation Department event at Forest Park Hatchery: Fishing Lesson 2- How to Tie a Knot & Bait a Hook. Register

6 pm August 22nd Wild Ones Webinar: Combating the Biodiversity Crisis with Native Plants presented by Sarah Gray and Coralie Palmer from the Indiana Native Plant Society. Register

August 24th Soulard’s Art in the Garden Tour fundraiser for Beautification Committee, Soulard Restoration Group

3-7 pm September 6th Shaw Nature Reserve Fall Wildflower Market

9 am to 5 pm September 7th Gateway West Gesneriad Society Show and Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

September 13th, 14th, 15th Kirkwood Greentree Festival at Kirkwood Park. Greater St. Louis Daffodil Society sells Daffodil bulbs at this event.

2 pm August 19th St. Louis City Public Library class at Central Library: Missouri Botanical Garden Speaker Series- Plants, Pollen and Allergies. Register

2 pm September 14th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Missouri Botanical Garden Speaker Series- Winter Damage. Learn how to prevent winter garden damage. Register

6 pm September 18th St. Louis City Public Library class at Schlafly Library: Insights from Experts Nature Series- What’s the Buzz About Natives presented by Susan Leahy, Wild Ones. Register

6 pm September 19th Willoughby Farm, Table to Garden, Seed St. Louis In Person Composting Series, Collinsville IL: Static Systems. $12. Register

9 am to 5 pm September 28th Rose Society of Greater St. Louis Show at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

September 22nd Bring Conservation Home Native Plant Expo at Tower Grove Park

6 pm September 23rd St. Louis County Public Library craft event at Bridgeton Trails Branch: Paint Night- DIY “Welcome” Garden Flag. Register

October 4-6 Best of Missouri Market at Missouri Botanical Garden: Missouri Wildflowers Nursery is a vendor. Buy from what the bring or order online for pick up at event. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Saturday and Wednesday mornings.

9 am October 5th Seed St. Louis Garlic Sale

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

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Plant of the Week: Native, very tall Compass Plant. Native Americans used it for chewing gum, tea, and ceremonies.

Missouri Conservation Department says planting was a little later, so wait until mid-July to come out to Columbia Bottom to see the Sunflower fields (yes, plural this year).

If you are only looking for St. Louis Area Plant Sales, here’s a page for them. Updated this week with local and online plant/seed discounts.

If you’re going to can food, do it properly, don’t endanger your health and the health of others. Educate yourself, take the Food Preservation Online Course by University of Missouri Extension. This self-paced course provides research based information needed to safely and successfully preserve food at home. $30

July 15th Deadline to nominate a tree steward for Missouri Conservation Department Arbor Award of Excellence

August 11th to December 23rd University of Missouri Extension Online Master Gardener Core Training. $200

August 30th Deadline to Enter Wild Ones Native Flora & Fauna Photography Contest: categories- Living Things, Landscapes, Winter, Events

August 31st Deadline to Enter Missouri Conservation Department’s Busch Conservation Area (St. Charles Mo) Wildlife Photography Contest. Submit photos of native Mo wildlife, trees, plants at Busch Conservation Area or Weldon Spring Conservation Area.

September 1st Deadline to Enter Missouri Department of Natural Resources Photography Contest. Submit photos of Natural Resources, Unique Places (state parks, historic sites), People Enjoying Outdoors

Plan your garden with  Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar

Good Reads/Views —

July Gardening Tips: Outdoor Flowering Plants & Ornamentals, Vegetable Gardening, Fruits & Nuts, Lawns (University of Missouri Extension)

Gardening By Month: July Gardening Tips, Tasks, & Problems (Missouri Botanical Garden)

17 Plants to Control Pests (P. Allen Smith)

Inside America’s billion-dollar quest to squeeze more trees into cities. Gift article (Washington Post)

Bark beetle attack prompts Louisiana lawmakers to convene emergency panel. Beetles ravaging pine trees across state, putting residents at risk of falling limbs. (Lousiana Illuminator)

Plans to fix Oklahoma state parks scaled back. The legislature appropriated 10% of the $350 million ask. When brought to the legislature, examples of a water treatment plant failing and an unfixed cave-in were presented. (Oklahoma Voice)

Potatoes Are the Perfect Vegetable—but You’re Eating Them Wrong. The humble potato is a miraculous vegetable, but Americans are eating less of them than ever before and have ditched fresh potatoes for frozen. (Wired)

Illinois Native Plants for the Home Landscape

Missouri Native Plant Top 10 Lists (Grow Native) Native Plants for Children, Poorly Drained Clay Soil, Sun, Shade, Half Sun & Half Shade, Under Utility Poles, Rain Gardens, Kitchen Gardens, Bees,  Pollinators in Winter, Hummingbirds, Wildlife, Butterflies, More

2023 Plants of Merit – Annuals, Bulbs, Edibles, Perennials, Shrubs, Trees, Vines (Missouri Botanical Garden)

2023 Plants of Demerit – Bamboo, Big Leaf Hydrangea, Blueberry, Burning Bush, Chameleon Plant,  Lavender, Pin Oak, Wintercreeper (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Gardening and Nature Events —

St. Louis Gardeners: Growing more veggies than you can eat? Drop off by Noon Mondays-Tuesdays at The Garden Shop on Hampton. There’s a table for donated produce. Donated veggies go to Growing Food, Growing People

10 am Tuesday, July 9th, Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Trolley Tour with Master Guide. $5. Register

6:30 pm Tuesday, July 9th, Learning About the Great River Sturgeon at Old Bakery Bear, Alton IL. Presented by Travis Moore, Fisheries Management Biologist, Missouri Conservation Department.

8:30 am Wednesday, July10th, Heartlands Conservancy event at Exploration Garden, Clinton Hills Conservation Park, Swansea, St. Clair County IL: Morning Meadow Walk with Land Conservation Team member. Register

8 am Thursday, July 11th, Heartlands Conservancy Volunteer Day at Exploration Garden, Clinton Hills Conservation Park, Swansea, St. Clair County IL. Register

2 pm Thursday, July 11th, Seed St. Louis and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Fall Gardening. Register

8 am Friday, July 12th, Heartlands Conservancy Volunteer Day at Poag Sand Prairie Restoration, Edwardsville, Madison County IL. Register

11 Tickets remaining. 8:30 am to 1:30 pm Friday, July 12th, Missouri Department of Conservation Camp Hellbender, Summer Camp for Adults at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area, St. Louis County: fish on the big river, help with the Bumblebee Survey in the iconic Sunflower field, then cool off indoors in the afternoon with lunch in the classroom and then an Owl Pellet Dissection activity. Register

7 Tickets remaining. 6 pm Friday, July 12th, Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: Crayfish Craze! Session 1. Learn about native vs. invasive crayfish and trap setting. Register

8 Tickets remaining. 9 am Saturday, July 13th, Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: Crayfish Craze! Session 2. Learn about trap recovery and some citizen science. Register

For Kids ages 5-12. 10:30 am Saturday, July 13th, St. Louis Public Library event at Schlafly Library: Creatures of Myth and Legend with World Bird Sanctuary

2 pm Saturday, July 13th, St. Louis Public Library event at Central Library: A Dark Side to Your Garden- Plants that Prickle or Poison. Register

5:30 pm Saturday, July 13th, Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Sunset Stroll with Master Guide. Register

7:30 pm Saturday, July 13th, St. Louis Astronomical Society Stargazing at Tower Grove Park

5:30 pm July 16th, Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Sunset Stroll with Master Guide. Register

4 pm July 17th Missouri Prairie Foundation Online Master Class: The Magic of Swallowtails. Free to MPF members & Grow Native professional members. $15 nonmembers. Register

5 pm July 17th Seed St. Louis event at Bell Garden: Summer School Gardener Meet-Up and Natural Art Class. Register

6 pm July 18th Willoughby Farm, Table to Garden, Seed St. Louis In Person Composting Series, Collinsville IL: Compost Tumblers. $12. Register

6 pm July 18th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Common Caterpillars of Missouri. Register

7:30-10:30 am July 19th Missouri Conservation Department and Wild Bird Sanctuary event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Bird-Banding Demo

6 pm July 19th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Conservation Trivia Night. Register

July 20th-22nd Shaw Cactus & Succulent Society Cactus & Succulent Sale, St. Louis County

10 am July 20th Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Trolley Tour with Master Guide. $5. Register

1:30 pm July 23rd University of Illinois Extension Webinar: Companion Planting- Bountiful and Beautiful Together. Register

14 Seats available. 2 pm July 23rd Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Missouri’s Signature Root Beer Floats (sassafras root beer and chanterelle ice cream). Register

6 pm July 23rd St. Louis Public Library event at Buder Library: Urban Homesteading: ABC’s of Honey Bees

5:30 pm July 24th, Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Sunset Stroll with Master Guide. Register

3 Tickets remaining. 8:30 am to 1:30 pm Friday, July 27th, Missouri Department of Conservation Camp Hellbender, Summer Camp for Adults at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area, St. Louis County: fish on the big river, help with the Bumblebee Survey in the iconic Sunflower field, then cool off indoors in the afternoon with lunch in the classroom and then an Owl Pellet Dissection activity. Register

1 pm July 27th St. Louis Public Library event with River City Natives at Buder Library: Urban Homesteading- Using Native Plants in Your Urban Yard.

6 pm July 29th St. Louis County Library & Left Banks Book author event at Clark Family Branch: Nature Writer Amy Stewart, Author of “The Tree Collectors: Tales of Arboreal Obsession.” Register

6 pm July 30th St. Louis Public Library event at Buder Library: Urban Homesteading- Carnivorous Plants 101

3 pm August 1st Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Missouri Bees. Register

7:30-10:30 am August 2nd Missouri Conservation Department and Wild Bird Sanctuary event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Bird-Banding Demo

9 am to 5 pm August 3rd Greater St. Louis Iris Society Iris Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

For Kids ages 0-7. 10:30 am August 8th Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: You and Me under the Canopy- Splish, Splash. Register

2 pm August 9th St. Louis County Library class at Mid-County Branch: Homesteading- Windowsill Herbs. Register

9 am August 10th Seed St. Louis Fall Seedling Sale

8 Seats remaining. 10 am August 10th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Nature Art, Watercolor Painting: Summer Meadows. No experience necessary, all supplies provided. Register

11 am and 1 pm August 10th Missouri Botanical Garden event: Sachs Museum Performance Series- “A Corn-Fed Musical Comedy Performance” by Opera Bell Band. Seating first come, first served. Garden Admission is free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents Saturday and Wednesday mornings.

1:30 pm August 13th University of Illinois Extension Webinar: Foodscaping- Creating Snacks Among the Flower Beds. Register

6 pm August 15th Willoughby Farm, Table to Garden, Seed St. Louis In Person Composting Series, Collinsville IL: Bokashi . $12. Register

22 Tickets remaining. 6 pm August 15th Missouri Conservation Department event at Forest Park Hatchery: Fishing Lesson 1- Equipment, Casting, & Proper Fish Handling. Register

9 am to 1 pm August 16th Missouri Conservation Department event at Lincoln University’s Carver Farm, Jefferson City: Pollinator Workshop. Register

9 am to 5 pm August 17th Missouri Botanical Garden Daylily Association Plant Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

10-11:30 am August 17th Homegrown Hot Sauce Class with Urban Harvest’s Chef Queenie at Rung, Fox Park. Register

Noon to 5 pm August 18th Orchid Society of Greater St. Louis Auction at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission fee required.

21 Tickets available. 5 pm August 22nd Missouri Conservation Department event at Forest Park Hatchery: Fishing Lesson 2- How to Tie a Knot & Bait a Hook. Register

August 24th Soulard’s Art in the Garden Tour fundraiser for Beautification Committee, Soulard Restoration Group

3-7 pm September 6th Shaw Nature Reserve Fall Wildflower Market

9 am to 5 pm September 7th Gateway West Gesneriad Society Show and Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

September 13th, 14th, 15th Kirkwood Greentree Festival at Kirkwood Park. Greater St. Louis Daffodil Society sells Daffodil bulbs at this event.

6 pm September 19th Willoughby Farm, Table to Garden, Seed St. Louis In Person Composting Series, Collinsville IL: Static Systems. $12. Register

9 am to 5 pm September 28th Rose Society of Greater St. Louis Show at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

September 22nd Bring Conservation Home Native Plant Expo at Tower Grove Park

9 am October 5th Seed St. Louis Garlic Sale

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

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Plant of the Week: Monarda, Bee Balm, 2021 Perennial of the Year steeped in patriotism. Left Photo- Native Wild Bergamot. Right Photo: Monarda Raspberry Wine.

If you’re going to can food, do it properly, don’t endanger your health and the health of others. Educate yourself, take the Food Preservation Online Course by University of Missouri Extension. This self-paced course provides research based information needed to safely and successfully preserve food at home. $30

St. Louis Gardeners: Growing more veggies than you can eat? Drop off weekly by Noon Monday-Tuesday at The Garden Shop on Hampton. There’s a table for donated produce. Donated veggies go to Growing Food, Growing People

If you are only looking for St. Louis Area Plant Sales & Swaps, here’s a page for them

Recently saw Malabar Spinach vining on an arbor. Might add to garden next year. More info on growing Malabar Spinach.

July 15th Deadline to nominate a tree steward for Missouri Conservation Department Arbor Award of Excellence

August 11th to December 23rd University of Missouri Extension Online Master Gardener Core Training. $200

August 31st Deadline to Enter Missouri Conservation Department’s Busch Conservation Area (St. Charles Mo) Wildlife Photography Contest. Submit photos of native Mo wildlife, trees, plants at Busch Conservation Area or Weldon Spring Conservation Area.

September 1st Deadline to Enter Missouri Department of Natural Resources Photography Contest. Submit photos of Natural Resources, Unique Places (state parks, historic sites), People Enjoying Outdoors

Plan your garden with  Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar

Check out the Butterfly Gardens at St. Louis Public Library branches

Good Reads/Views —

Gardening By Month: July Gardening Tips, Tasks, & Problems (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Is this front-yard forest too tall? How a project to bring back Toronto’s oaks fell afoul of city bylaws. An urban ecosystem in Little Italy was threatened when the city delivered a citation for having vegetation over 0.85 metres. (Toronto Star)

A US Court Found Chiquita Guilty of Murder in Colombia. What Does the Ruling Mean for Other U.S. Food Corporations Abroad? (Civil Eats)

A European wild cat was nearly extinct. Now, it’s making a comeback. The Iberian lynx is no longer classified as endangered, a group calling it the “greatest recovery of a cat species ever achieved through conservation.” Gift article (Washington Post)

Container Gardening Tips
Native Plants: Grow Native!
Veggies: Missouri Botanical Garden
5 Tips For Successfully Growing Plants In Containers: P. Allen Smith

Illinois Native Plants for the Home Landscape

Missouri Native Plant Top 10 Lists (Grow Native) Native Plants for Children, Poorly Drained Clay Soil, Sun, Shade, Half Sun & Half Shade, Under Utility Poles, Rain Gardens, Kitchen Gardens, Bees,  Pollinators in Winter, Hummingbirds, Wildlife, Butterflies, More

2023 Plants of Merit – Annuals, Bulbs, Edibles, Perennials, Shrubs, Trees, Vines (Missouri Botanical Garden)

2023 Plants of Demerit – Bamboo, Big Leaf Hydrangea, Blueberry, Burning Bush, Chameleon Plant,  Lavender, Pin Oak, Wintercreeper (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Gardening and Nature Events —

6 pm Tuesday, July 2nd, St. Louis County Library Indoor Plant Swap at Prairie Commons Branch

4 pm Wednesday, July 3rd, Missouri Prairie Foundation Webinar: Native Bees of Missouri’s Ozark Woodlands and Glades. Register

5:30 pm Friday, July 5th, Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Sunset Stroll with Master Guide. Register

2 pm Saturday, July 6th, St Louis County Library In-Person Class at Mid-County Branch: Planning Your Tea Garden. Register

10 am July 9th Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Trolley Tour with Master Guide. $5. Register

6:30 pm July 9th Learning About the Great River Sturgeon at Old Bakery Bear, Alton IL. Presented by Travis Moore, Fisheries Management Biologist, Missouri Conservation Department.

2 pm July 11th Seed St. Louis and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Fall Gardening. Register

11 Tickets remaining. 8:30 am to 1:30 pm July 12th Missouri Department of Conservation Camp Hellbender, Summer Camp for Adults at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area, St. Louis County: fish on the big river, help with the Bumblebee Survey in the iconic Sunflower field, then cool off indoors in the afternoon with lunch in the classroom and then an Owl Pellet Dissection activity. Register

6 pm July 12th Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: Crayfish Craze! Session 1. Learn about native vs. invasive crayfish and trap setting. Register

9 am July 13th Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: Crayfish Craze! Session 2. Learn about trap recovery and some citizen science. Register

5:30 pm July 13th Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Sunset Stroll with Master Guide. Register

7:30 pm July 13th St. Louis Astronomical Society Stargazing at Tower Grove Park

5 pm July 17th Seed St. Louis event at Bell Garden: Summer School Gardener Meet-Up and Natural Art Class. Register

6 pm July 18th Willoughby Farm, Table to Garden, Seed St. Louis In Person Composting Series, Collinsville IL: Compost Tumblers. $12. Register

6 pm July 18th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Common Caterpillars of Missouri. Register

July 20th-22nd Shaw Cactus & Succulent Society Cactus & Succulent Sale, St. Louis County

1:30 pm July 23rd University of Illinois Extension Webinar: Companion Planting- Bountiful and Beautiful Together. Register

6 pm July 29th St. Louis County Library & Left Banks Book author event at Clark Family Branch: Nature Writer Amy Stewart, Author of “The Tree Collectors: Tales of Arboreal Obsession.” Register

9 am to 5 pm August 3rd Greater St. Louis Iris Society Iris Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

2 pm August 9th St. Louis County Library class at Mid-County Branch: Homesteading- Windowsill Herbs. Register

9 am August 10th Seed St. Louis Fall Seedling Sale

11 am and 1 pm August 10th Missouri Botanical Garden event: Sachs Museum Performance Series- “A Corn-Fed Musical Comedy Performance” by Opera Bell Band. Seating first come, first served. Garden Admission is free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents Saturday and Wednesday mornings.

1:30 pm August 13th University of Illinois Extension Webinar: Foodscaping- Creating Snacks Among the Flower Beds. Register

6 pm August 15th Willoughby Farm, Table to Garden, Seed St. Louis In Person Composting Series, Collinsville IL: Bokashi . $12. Register

9 am to 5 pm August 17th Missouri Botanical Garden Daylily Association Plant Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

10-11:30 am August 17th Homegrown Hot Sauce Class with Urban Harvest’s Chef Queenie at Rung, Fox Park. Register

Noon to 5 pm August 18th Orchid Society of Greater St. Louis Auction at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission fee required.

August 24th Soulard’s Art in the Garden Tour fundraiser for Beautification Committee, Soulard Restoration Group

3-7 pm September 6th Shaw Nature Reserve Fall Wildflower Market

9 am to 5 pm September 7th Gateway West Gesneriad Society Show and Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

September 13th, 14th, 15th Kirkwood Greentree Festival at Kirkwood Park. Greater St. Louis Daffodil Society sells Daffodil bulbs at this event.

6 pm September 19th Willoughby Farm, Table to Garden, Seed St. Louis In Person Composting Series, Collinsville IL: Static Systems. $12. Register

9 am to 5 pm September 28th Rose Society of Greater St. Louis Show at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

September 22nd Bring Conservation Home Native Plant Expo at Tower Grove Park

9 am October 5th Seed St. Louis Garlic Sale

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