This Week in Gardening & Nature

Plant of the Week: Coral Honeysuckle

Sow Outdoors This Week: Basil, Beans, Cucumber, Edamame, Melons, Okra, Squash, Tomatillo
Transplant This Week: Basil, Eggplant, Melons, Peppers, Tomatillo, Tomato, Squash, Sweet Potato
Plan your garden with NEW 2024 Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Garden Contest

Check out the Butterfly Gardens at St. Louis Public Library branches

If you are only looking for St. Louis Area (Missouri and Illinois) Plant Sales & Swaps, here’s a page for them.

Want to buy food in St. Louis Area grown with environmentally responsible and ethical practices? Check out Missouri Coalition for the Environment Known & Grown Farm Directory

June 20th Deadline for your community organization to apply for Brightside St. Louis Neighbors Naturescaping Program to beautify a public or not-for-profit space, restore Missouri native plant communities, attract beneficial wildlife (butterflies, bees, birds), reduce stormwater runoff and protect drinking water

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

Good Reads/Listens —

Gardening by Month: June. Gardening Tips, Tasks, & Problems from Missouri Botanical Garden

Summer Rose Care Tips from P. Allen Smith

Let Your Garden Grow Wild (TED Talk by Rebecca McMackin)

Do Nothing For Three Minutes. Turn up the volume and be surrounded by spring wildflowers at the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri (CBS News)

This south St. Louis farm helps foreign-born people connect to their homelands. The farmers are Congolese, Tanzanian, Moroccan, Nepali, Burmese and Afghan. (St. Louis Public Radio)

Mexico City’s water ‘Day Zero’ may come even for the wealthiest residents. The metropolitan area of 22 million gets about a quarter of its water from a system that is running dry. Some say it could be unable to provide water by June 26. Gifted article (Washington Post)

Maryland diner turns leftover bacon grease into soap to save money. He makes his great-grandmother’s Great Depression soap recipe using bacon grease from his diner. Gifted 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

Day Trip for Lavender: It’s You Pick season at Missouri’s largest lavender farm- Battlefield Lavender in Centralia, Boone County

4 pm Monday, June 3rd, St. Louis County Library Plant & Seed Swap @ Thornhill Branch- Register

4 pm Tuesday, June 4th, Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Introduction to Butterflies of Missouri. Register

5:30 pm Tuesday, June 4th, Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Sunset Stroll with Master Guide. Register.

10 am Wednesday, June 5th, Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Trolley Tour with Master Guide. $5. Register

3 pm Wednesday, June 5th, St. Louis County Library Outdoor Plant & Blub Swap @ Prairie Commons Branch- Register

4 pm Wednesday, June 5th, Missouri Prairie Foundation Webinar: Documenting Multiple Types of Pollinators Through Photography. Register

For Ages 6-12 with caretakers. 10:30 am Thursday, June 6th, St. Louis City Public Library event at Carondelet Branch: Fledge Wings with World Bird Sanctuary

6 pm Thursday, June 6th, St. Louis City Public Library event at Buder Library: Urban Homesteading- Canning and Preservation 101

2 pm Friday, June 7th, St. Louis City Public Library event at Buder Library: Urban Homesteading- Bring the Natives Home – Gardening with Native Species

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am Friday, June 7th, Eastern Missouri Sierra Club Volunteer Day at Castlewood State Park, Ballwin: trail maintenance, invasive species removal, social trail closing. Register

10 am Saturday, June 8th, How to Trellis Tomatoes Class at Heru Farms, Florissant. Register

1 pm Saturday, June 8th, Grow Native! Gardens of Excellence Open House: South Grand Business District

14 Seats remaining. 2 pm Saturday, June 8th, Missouri Conservation Department event at Howard Wood Urban Outreach Office, Southwest Garden: Art in the Park- Fireflies. Register

1:30 pm Sunday, June 9th, Piasa Palisades Sierra Club Hike at The Gardens at SIUE, Edwardsville, IL. Register

5:30-7:30 June 11th Missouri Coalition for the Environment Chats for Change at MCE office, University City. Sounds like a happy hour for environmentalists and conservationists. Register

6:30 pm June 11th Piasa Palisades Sierra Club June Speaker at Old Bakery Beer, Alton IL: Our  Wetlands Cooperative in Metroeast presented by Dr. Jenny Mullikin, National Great Rivers Research and Education Center. Register

For Ages 4-12. 2 pm June 12th St. Louis County Library event at Samuel C. Sachs Branch: Garden Adventure- decorate a pot and plant a flower or vegetable to take home. Register

5:30 pm June 12th Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Sunset Stroll with Master Guide. Register.

6 pm June 13th St. Louis City Publiuc Library event at Buder Library: Urban HomesteadingComposting 101

6:30 pm June 14th event at The Garden Shop on Hampton: Sip & Soil, an evening of painting, planting, cocktail making. $35. Register

9 am to 5 pm June 15th Carnivorous Plant Society Show and Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

10 am June 15th Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Trolley Tour with Master Guide. $5. Register

10 am and 11:30 am June 15th Missouri Botanical Garden event: Sentimental Symbols of the Garden Tour. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

7:30 pm June 15th St. Louis Astronomical Society Stargazing at Tower Grove Park

Noon June 17th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: Folklore of Birds. Register

9 am to 5 pm June 19th Missouri Botanical Garden Juneteenth at the Garden: Ethiopian Book Binding presentation, Pot-A-Plant, “In the Garden with Dr. Carver,” more. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

10 am June 20th Seed St. Louis and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Water for the Garden. Register

For Kids 0-7 years. 10:30 am June 20th Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: You and Me under the Canopy- Twinkle Firefly. Register

For Kids 7-14 years. 2 pm June 20th St. Louis County Library event at Oak Bend Branch: Summer Science- Explore the science of plants with guided, hands-on activities and experiments. Register

10 am June 20th Seed St. Louis and St. Louis County Library Virtual Class: Water for the Garden. Register

6 pm June 20th Willoughby Farm, Table to Garden, Seed St. Louis In Person Composting Series, Collinsville IL: Vermicomposting, aka Worm Composting. $12. Register

7 pm June 20th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: Folklore of Birds Part 2. Register

9 am to 5 pm June 22nd Kimmswick Visitor Center Daylily Sale, Jefferson County Mo

9 am to to 5 pm June 22-23 St. Louis Water Garden Society Pond-O-Rama Tour

1 pm June 22nd St. Louis City Publiuc Library event at Buder Library: Urban HomesteadingChicken Tending 101

12 Seats remaining. 8 pm June 22nd Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Nature Conservation Area, Kirkwood: Owl Prowl. Register

11 am to 1 pm June 23rd Piasa Sierra Club event at La Vista Park, Godfrey, IL: Pollinator Party. Register

6:30 June 28th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Nature Conservation Center: Planting Native, presented by horticulturist Scott Woodbury + tour of the native plant gardens at the nature center. Register

June 30th Greater St. Louis Sustainable Backyard Tour

6 pm July 2nd St. Louis County Library Indoor Plant Swap at Prairie Commons Branch

2 pm July 6th St Louis County Library In-Person Class at Mid-County Branch: Planning Your Tea Garden. Register

July 20st-22nd Shaw Cactus & Succulent Society Cactus & Succulent Sale, St. Louis County

1 pm June 29th St. Louis City Publiuc Library event at Buder Library: Urban Homesteading- Advanced Chicken Tending

7:30 pm July 13th St. Louis Astronomical Society Stargazing at Tower Grove Park

6 pm July 18th Willoughby Farm, Table to Garden, Seed St. Louis In Person Composting Series, Collinsville IL: Compost Tumblers. $12. Register

7 Tickets remaining. 10 am to 2 pm July 20th Missouri Department of Conservation Camp Hellbender, Summer Camp for Adults at Tower Grove Park: learn tree ID and put new skills to the test on a tree ID geocaching adventure. After lunch, learn about native plants and insects and do a flower pounding craft. 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 at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and County residents on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

August 10th Seed St. Louis Fall Seedling Sale

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.

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

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

Photo of green onions growing in raised wood garden been, January 2024, Missouri

Plant of the Week: Onions. You can start seeds indoor now or buy sets from Seed St. Louis Sale on March 9th and plant

Start Indoors This Week: Broccoli, Cabbage, Leeks, Onions (if not already)
Start Indoors First Week February: Cauliflower, Collards, Chard, Kale, Kohlrabi, Parsley
Plan your garden with NEW 2024 Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar

Garden Tasks to do indoors this week (paywall, St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

Want a tropical getaway this week? How about the 85°, lush, green tropical rainforest environment at Missouri Botanical Garden’s Climatron? Free admission to City and County residents Wednesday and Saturday mornings

Missouri Wildflowers Nursery returns to Kirkwood Market Saturdays 8 am – 4 pm April 6, 13, 20, 27 May 25 June 1 Order in advance for pick up at Market or select from what they bring

Order your Grow Native! Free Resource Guide to Native Plants in Missouri– products, services, institutions

Keep Up To Date on Missouri Environmental Legislation at Missouri Coalition for the Environment’s Bill Tracker

Monarch Watch Free Milkweeds for Schools and Nonprofits Program

January 31st Deadline to apply for Missouri Native Plant Society Stan Hudson Research Grant for college student researching Missouri native plants (plant biology, including conservation, ecology, physiology, systematics and evolution, etc)

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

Good Reads & Views —

The Bird That Lives in St. Louis — and Pretty Much Only St. Louis. Germans brought the Eurasian Tree Sparrow to Lafayette Park and it never left (Riverfront Times)

Controlled Burning in Forest Park, St. Louis City. Enjoy a front seat to see the park deploy this natural land management tool. (Channel 9 PBS YouTube channel)

Seed St. Louis YouTube Channel, lots of helpful videos on gardening

Wild Ones Native Garden Designs

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

4 pm Wednesday, January 17th, Grow Native! Webinar: Native Plants & Public Art, A Conversation with Kansas City Artist Julie Farstad. Register

Noon Thursday, January 18th, Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Native Plants- Winter Wonderland. Learn about some beautiful showy winter native plants, how to plant them effectively, and winter garden care. Register

9 am Friday, January 19th, Eastern Missouri Sierra Club Volunteer Day at Castlewood State Park, Ballwin. Register

1 pm Sunday, January 21st, Eastern Missouri Sierra Club Forest Park Park Hike #2. Register

Noon January 24th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Missouri Oak. Learn about the 21 Oak species found in various habitats across Missouri. Register

1 pm January 24th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Cavity Nesters and Nesting Boxes. Register

6 pm January 25th St. Charles Chapter Wild Ones Webinar: Cultivating Change with author and activist Lorraine Johnson. Register

7 pm January 26th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Nature Conservation Center, Kirkwood: An Evening with Raptors. Register

10 am January 27th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Winter Tree ID. Learn how to identify trees by their twigs, fruits, and bark. Register

January 27th thru February 25th Orchid Show at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission is free to residents of St. Louis City and St. Louis County on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

Noon to 5 pm January 28th gardening event at Steampunk Brew Works, Town & Country: STL Seeding Frenzy. Lots of companies have donated seeds. Bring seeds to share and/or donate non-perishable food, hygiene products. Mushroom growing class. Raffles.

February-March Partners for Native Landscaping 2024 Spring Series Workshops

For Ages 5+. 10:30 am February 2nd Missouri Conservation Department Class at Tower Grove Park, Stupp Center: Missouri’s Furbearers and the Fur Trade. 19 Seats remaining. Register.

10 am February 3rd Missouri Conservation Department event at Howard Wood Urban Outreach Office, Brightside Building, Southwest Gardens: Eagle Power. 19 Seats available. Register

1-4:30 pm February 4th Missouri Coalition for the Environment Wild and Scenic Film Festival at The Blue Note, Columbia MO. MCE members 20% Discount. $50 VIP, $20 General Admission, $10 16 and under. Register.

9 am to 3 pm February 10th Eagle Days at Audubon Center @ Riverlands (West Alton, Missouri). Register

1 pm February 10th St. Louis Public Library Class @ Central Library: Top 10 Orchids for Home. 35 Seats remaining. Register.

2 pm February 13th Seed St. Louis and St. Louis County Public Library Virtual Class: Starting Seedlings. Register

7 am to Noon February 14th Missouri Conservation Department class at Forest Park Hatchery: All About Trout, Lesson #1 and #2. 4 Seats remaining. Register

February 15-16th Deep Roots Kansas City 2024 Plan It Native Landscapes Conference

February 17th Seed St. Louis Community Agriculture Conference. In-Person or Virtual. $10. Register

7:30 am to Noon February 23rd Southwest Illinois Grow Native! Workshop with breakfast @ Lewis and Clark Community College, Edwardsville IL: Southwest Illinois Landscape Challenges & Native Plant Solutions. $25 Grow Native! Members, $15 Students, $30 Non-members

3:30 pm February 23rd Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Native Plants- Planning and Prepping Your Garden. Register

Ages 12+. 10 am February 24th Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park, Stupp Center: Wildlife CSI- Conservation Scene Investigation. Register

6-8 pm Wednesdays, February 28th-April 3rd Forest ReLeaf 6 Week TreeKeepers Introductory Course at Renewable Energy Center, Maryland Hts. Register

10 am March 1st Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Walking Tour. Register

9 am to Noon March 2nd Bellefontaine Cemetery Garage Sale

10 am March 5th Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Trolley Tour. $5. Register

10 am March 6th Bellefontaine Cemetery Springtime History & Horticulture Walking Tour. Register

1 pm March 6th St. Louis Public Library In Person Class @ Central Library: Alien Invasion! Plants with Betsy Alexander, Master Gardener from the Missouri Botanical Gardens Master Gardener Program. 35 Seats remaining. Register.

2 pm March 6th Partners for Native Landscaping Series with Seed St. Louis and St. Louis County Public Library- Virtual Event: Native Plant Food Gardening Panel. Register

March 8th-9th Midwestern Herb & Garden Show in Mount Vernon, Illinois (little over an hour drive from St. Louis City)

9 am to Noon March 9th Seed St. Louis Plant Sale: Potatoes, Strawberries, Asparagus, Mushroom Spawn, Onions.

Noon March 12th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Native Plants- The Mints- Fresh Breath for Pollinators. Register

10 am March 13th Bellefontaine Cemetery Springtime History & Horticulture Walking Tour. Register

Noon March 13th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom event: Native Plants- Planting for Hummingbirds. Register

2 pm April 8th St. Louis Public Library program at Central Library: Plants, Pollen, and Allergies. 35 Seats remaining. Register.

9 am to 5 pm April 26th St. Louis Herb Society Herb Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden, parking lot

9 am to 1 pm May 4th Shaw Nature Reserve Wildflower Market

May 18th Wild Ones Illinois Prairie Chapter Native Plant Sale at Carlock, McLean County IL

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

Photo of bicolor Primrose in pot, a houseplant with mauve and white petals with gold centers

Plant of the Week: Primrose (Primula x polyantha)

Plan your garden with NEW 2024 Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar

Order your Grow Native! Free Resource Guide to Native Plants in Missouri– products, services, institutions

Friday, January 12th, Registration Deadline for Online Master Gardener Training via University of Missouri Extension. $200

Have you been to the Missouri Conservation Department’s Howard Wood Urban Outreach Office @ Brightside Building, Southwest Garden? Opened a year ago.

Keep Up To Date on Missouri Environmental Legislation at Missouri Coalition for the Environment’s Bill Tracker

January Gardening Tips from University of Missouri Extension: Outdoor Flowering Plants & Ornamentals, Vegetable Gardening, Fruits and Nuts, Indoor Plants Lawns, More

Gardening by Month: January. Tips, Tasks, Problems (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Monarch Watch Free Milkweeds for Schools and Nonprofits Program

January 15th Deadline for Missouri community gardens, conservation groups, parks, schools to apply for Missouri Prairie Foundation Prairie Garden Grants

January 31st Deadline to apply for Missouri Native Plant Society Stan Hudson Research Grant for college student researching Missouri native plants (plant biology, including conservation, ecology, physiology, systematics and evolution, etc)

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

Good Reads & Views —

Don’t throw those holiday plants away.
Orchid Care Advice from P. Allen Smith
Poinsettia Care Advice from University of Missouri Extension
Amaryllis Care Advice from University of Illinois Extension

Have you ever seen a Missouri native Orchid? (Missouri Native Plant Society)

Seed St. Louis YouTube Channel, lots of helpful videos on gardening

Wild Ones Native Garden Designs

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

6:30 pm Tuesday, January 9th, Piasa Sierra Club Program  at Old Bakery Beer, Alton: Hike to the US Eastern Mountains. Register

6 pm Thursday, January 11th, First Seed St. Louis Zoom Class of 2024: Seed Starting. Register

Friday, January 12th, Registration Deadline for Online Master Gardener Training via University of Missouri Extension. $200

How well do you know Missouri wildlife? 6 pm Friday, January 12th, Missouri Conservation Department Trivia Night at Powder Valley Nature Conservation Center. 26 Seats remaining. Register

2 pm Saturday, January 13th, St. Louis Public Library In Person Class @ Carpenter Library: Intro to Plant-spotting- Common St. Louis Flowers & Weeds.

11 am January 16th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Event: Attracting Winter Birds. Register

6 pm January 16th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Event: Bald Eagles in Missouri. Register

10 am January 17th Missouri Conservation Department Wildlife of Powder Valley Hike @ Powder Valley Nature Conservation Area, Kirkwood. 30 Tickets available. Register

4 pm January 17th Grow Native! Webinar: Native Plants & Public Art, A Conversation with Kansas City Artist Julie Farstad. Register

Noon January 18th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Native Plants- Winter Wonderland. Learn about some beautiful showy winter native plants, how to plant them effectively, and winter garden care. Register

9 am January 19th Eastern Missouri Sierra Club Volunteer Day at Castlewood State Park, Ballwin. Register

1 pm January 21st Eastern Missouri Sierra Club Forest Park Park Hike #2. Register

Noon January 24th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Missouri Oak. Learn about the 21 Oak species found in various habitats across Missouri. Register

1 pm January 24th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Cavity Nesters and Nesting Boxes. Register

6 pm January 25th St. Charles Chapter Wild Ones Webinar: Cultivating Change with author and activist Lorraine Johnson. Register

7 pm January 26th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Nature Conservation Center, Kirkwood: An Evening with Raptors. Register

10 am January 27th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Winter Tree ID. Learn how to identify trees by their twigs, fruits, and bark. Register

January 27th thru February 25th Orchid Show at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission is free to residents of St. Louis City and St. Louis County on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

February-March Partners for Native Landscaping 2024 Spring Series Workshops

10 am February 3rd Missouri Conservation Department event at Howard Wood Urban Outreach Office, Brightside Building, Southwest Gardens: Eagle Power. 19 Seats available. Register

1-4:30 pm February 4th Missouri Coalition for the Environment Wild and Scenic Film Festival at The Blue Note, Columbia MO. MCE members 20% Discount. $50 VIP, $20 General Admission, $10 16 and under. Register.

9 am to 3 pm February 10th Eagle Days at Audubon Center @ Riverlands (West Alton, Missouri). Register

1 pm February 10th St. Louis Public Library Class @ Central Library: Top 10 Orchids for Home. 35 Seats remaining. Register.

2 pm February 13th Seed St. Louis and St. Louis County Public Library Virtual Class: Starting Seedlings. Register

7 am to Noon February 14th Missouri Conservation Department class at Forest Park Hatchery: All About Trout, Lesson #1 and #2. 5 Seats remaining. Register

February 15-16th Deep Roots Kansas City 2024 Plan It Native Landscapes Conference

February 17th Seed St. Louis Community Agriculture Conference

7:30 am to Noon February 23rd Southwest Illinois Grow Native! Workshop with breakfast @ Lewis and Clark Community College, Edwardsville IL: Southwest Illinois Landscape Challenges & Native Plant Solutions. $25 Grow Native! Members, $15 Students, $30 Non-members

3:30 pm February 23rd Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Native Plants- Planning and Prepping Your Garden. Register

10 am March 1st Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Walking Tour. Register

9 am to Noon March 2nd Bellefontaine Cemetery Garage Sale

10 am March 5th Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Trolley Tour. $5. Register

10 am March 6th Bellefontaine Cemetery Springtime History & Horticulture Walking Tour. Register

2 pm March 6th Partners for Native Landscaping Series with Seed St. Louis and St. Louis County Public Library Virtual event: Native Plant Food Gardening Panel. Register

1 pm March 6th St. Louis Public Library In Person Class @ Central Library: Alien Invasion! Plants with Betsy Alexander, Master Gardener from the Missouri Botanical Gardens Master Gardener Program. 35 Seats remaining. Register.

2 pm March 6th Partners for Native Landscaping Series with Seed St. Louis and St. Louis County Public Library- Virtual Event: Native Plant Food Gardening Panel. Register

March 8th-9th Midwestern Herb & Garden Show in Mount Vernon, Illinois (little over an hour drive from St. Louis City)

9 am to Noon March 9th Seed St. Louis Plant Sale: Potatoes, Strawberries, Asparagus, Mushroom Spawn, Onions.

Noon March 12th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Native Plants- The Mints- Fresh Breath for Pollinators. Register

10 am March 13th Bellefontaine Cemetery Springtime History & Horticulture Walking Tour. Register

Noon March 13th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom event: Native Plants- Planting for Hummingbirds. Register

2 pm April 8th St. Louis Public Library program at Central Library: Plants, Pollen, and Allergies. 35 Seats remaining. Register.

9 am to 5 pm April 26th St. Louis Herb Society Herb Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden, parking lot

9 am to 1 pm May 4th Shaw Nature Reserve Wildflower Market

May 18th Wild Ones Illinois Prairie Chapter Native Plant Sale at Carlock, McLean County IL

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: Schlumbergera truncata, Holiday Cactus, False Christmas Cactus, Crab Cactus, Thanksgiving Cactus

Don’t throw those holiday plants away.
Poinsettia Care Advice from University of Missouri Extension
Amaryllis Care Advice from University of Illinois Extension

Monarch Watch Free Milkweeds for Schools and Nonprofits Program

Now thru December 31st Winter Jewels: An Enchanted Celebration at Sachs Butterfly House, Chesterfield

Now thru January 6th Garden Glow at Missouri Botanical Garden

January 15th Deadline for Missouri community gardens, conservation groups, parks, schools to apply for Missouri Prairie Foundation Prairie Garden Grants

January 31st Deadline to apply for Missouri Native Plant Society Stan Hudson Research Grant for college student researching Missouri native plants (plant biology, including conservation, ecology, physiology, systematics and evolution, etc)

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

Litzsinger Road Ecology Center Grants: for undergraduate or graduate students, faculty, or professional researchers conducting research at LREC on any topic related to ecology, conservation, or environmental science 

Only 1 more week until we start Leeks & Onions indoors by seed. Plan your 2024 garden with Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar

Top 10 Veggies to grow in Containers (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Good Reads —

November-December Issue of Petal Pusher (Missouri Native Plant Society)

2023 The Nature Conservancy’s work in Missouri

Gifted article. Genetic engineering was meant to save chestnut trees. Then there was a mistake. A potential labelling error was the latest in a series of concerns for the American Chestnut Foundation, driving the nonprofit to pull support for a genetically engineered tree meant resurrect an iconic American species. (Washington Post)

Wild Ones Native Garden Designs

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

10 am Wednesday, December 27th, Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Birds in Winter. Register

9:45 am Thursday, December 28th, Eastern Missouri Sierra Club Day Hike to Green Cave in Meramec State Park, Sullivan, Franklin County. Register

10 am Friday, December 29th,  Missouri Conservation Department Class at Powder Valley Nature Conservation Center, Kirkwood: The Snakes of Powder Valley. 3 Seats remaining. Register

9 am Saturday, December 30th, Missouri Conservation Department family event at Powder Valley Nature Conservation Center:  Ask a Naturalist

8:30 am January 1st Piasa Sierra Club event: New Years Day Hike @ Pere Marquette State Park, Grafton, Illinois. Register.

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

10:30 am January 3rd Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Nature Conservation Area, Kirkwood: Scavenger Hunt Hike

4 pm January 3rd Missouri Prairie Foundation Webinar: Braided Streams of Thought: Meandering Through Groundwater Discharge, Wetland Plants, and Beaver Complexes. Register

9 am to 5 pm January 4th Missouri Conservation Department Craft Event at  Powder Valley Nature Conservation Center, Kirkwood: Make & Take Pine Cone Bird Feeder. Registration not required. Just drop anytime during the day.

3 pm January 5th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Mammals of MO- Extirpated and Naturalized. 20 Tickets remaining. Register

9 am January 6th Missouri Conservation Department Dresser Island Hike, West Alton, Missouri. 15 Tickets available. Register

9 am to Noon January 6th Audubon Center at Riverlands First Saturday Fun Day: Nature Art at Little Creek Nature Area, Florissant.

10 am to 2 pm January 6th Alton Audubon Eagle Ice Fest at Audubon Center at Riverlands, West Alton, Missouri

10 am to 2:30 pm January 7th Audubon Center at Riverlands (West Alton, Missouri): Eagle Sunday. Register

6:30 pm January 9th Piasa Sierra Club Program  at Old Bakery Beer, Alton: Hike to the US Eastern Mountains. Register

10 am January 11th Missouri Conservation Department Winter Tree ID for the Amateur Naturalist at Powder Valley Nature Conservation Area, Kirkwood. 7 Seats remaining. Register

6 pm January 11th First Seed St. Louis Zoom Class of 2024: Seed Starting. Register

How well do you know Missouri wildlife? 6 pm January 12th Missouri Conservation Department Trivia Night at Powder Valley Nature Conservation Center. 43 Seats remaining. Register

8 am January 13th Missouri Conservation Department In Person Class @ Forest Park Hatchery: Learn to Fish, All About Trout, Lesson 1. 5 Seats remaining. Register

9 am January 13th Missouri Conservation Department Hiking event at Columbia Bottom Nature Conservation Area: Looking for Treasures in the Winter Woods. 7 Tickets remaining. Register

10 am January 13th Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park, Stupp Center: Art in the Park- Canvas & Cocoa. 6 Seats remaining. Register

2 pm January 13th St. Louis Public Library In Person Class @ Carpenter Library: Intro to Plant-spotting- Common St. Louis Flowers & Weeds.

8 am January 14th Missouri Conservation Department In Person Class @ Forest Park Hatchery: Learn to Fish, All About Trout, Lesson 2. 5 Seats remaining. Register

11 am January 16th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Event: Attracting Winter Birds. Register

6 pm January 16th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Event: Bald Eagles in Missouri. Register

4 pm January 17th Grow Native! Webinar: Native Plants & Public Art, A Conversation with Kansas City Artist Julie Farstad. Register

Noon January 18th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Native Plants- Winter Wonderland. Learn about some beautiful showy winter native plants, how to plant them effectively, and winter garden care. Register

Noon January 24th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Missouri Oak. Learn about the 21 Oak species found in various habitats across Missouri. Register

6 pm January 25th St. Charles Chapter Wild Ones Webinar: Cultivating Change with author and activist Lorraine Johnson. Register

7 pm January 26th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Nature Conservation Center, Kirkwood: An Evening with Raptors. Register

10 am January 27th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Winter Tree ID. Learn how to identify trees by their twigs, fruits, and bark. Register

January 27th thru February 25th Orchid Show at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden Admission is free to residents of St. Louis City and St. Louis County on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

February-March Partners for Native Landscaping 2024 Spring Series Workshops

1-4:30 pm February 4th Missouri Coalition for the Environment Wild and Scenic Film Festival at The Blue Note, Columbia MO. MCE members 20% Discount. $50 VIP, $20 General Admission, $10 16 and under. Register.

9 am to 3 pm February 10th Eagle Days at Audubon Center @ Riverlands (West Alton, Missouri). Register

1 pm February 10th St. Louis Public Library Class @ Central Library: Top 10 Orchids for Home. 35 Seats remaining. Register.

February 15-16th Deep Roots Kansas City 2024 Plan It Native Landscapes Conference

February 17th Seed St. Louis Community Agriculture Conference

7:30 am to Noon February 23rd Southwest Illinois Grow Native! Workshop with breakfast @ Lewis and Clark Community College, Edwardsville IL: Southwest Illinois Landscape Challenges & Native Plant Solutions. $25 Grow Native! Members, $15 Students, $30 Non-members

1 pm March 6th St. Louis Public Library In Person Class @ Central Library: Alien Invasion! Plants with Betsy Alexander, Master Gardener from the Missouri Botanical Gardens Master Gardener Program. 35 Seats remaining. Register.

March 8th-9th Midwestern Herb & Garden Show in Mount Vernon, Illinois (little over an hour drive from St. Louis City)

9 am to Noon March 9th Seed St. Louis Plant Sale: Potatoes, Strawberries, Asparagus, Mushroom Spawn, Onions.

2 pm April 8th St. Louis Public Library program at Central Library: Plants, Pollen, and Allergies. 35 Seats remaining. Register.

9 am to 1 pm May 4th Shaw Nature Reserve Wildflower Market

May 18th Wild Ones Illinois Prairie Chapter Native Plant Sale at Carlock, McLean County IL

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