Plant of the Week: Collards. Also see Collard greens lovers are using science and history to lift up the Southern staple (WBEZ Chicago)

Register for Missouri Invasive Plant Council’s Callery (Bradford) Pear Buyback Program in 17 cities

Seed St. Louis Raised Bed Plant Spacing Chart

Plan your garden with  Seed St. Louis 2025 Planting Calendar.
-> Start Indoors This Week: Basil, Peppers, Tomatillo, Tomato
-> Transplant This Week: Perennials, Trees, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Chard, Collards, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Onions
-> Sow Outdoors This Week: Arugula, Beets, Bok Choy, Carrots, Chard, Collards, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Parsley, Peas, Spinach, Turnips

When to Plant in Illinois (University of Illinois Extension)

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

Free Garden Planners, most require a computer, will not work on a cell phone

If you are just looking for St. Louis Area Plant and Seed Swaps and Sales, they are here. Added this week: Kimmswick Visitor Center’s 25th Annual Daylily Sale, more Flyleaf Market monthly pop up Succulent & Tropical Plant Sales, more St. Charles County Library Seed & Plant Swaps

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

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.

April 15th Deadine to Nominate for Missouri Invasive Plant Council’s Invasive Plant Action Award

Illinois School Teachers- March 2025 Application process begins for 2026 Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant Program

Good Reads/Views/Listens —

March is the time to plant hardy, heady, healthy cabbage and kale (University of Missouri Extension)

8 species gardening experts regret planting in their yards, so you can avoid learning the hard way. Save yourself aggravation and excess work by heeding the advice of the professionals and avoid planting these species in your garden (Homes & Gardens)

Is planting trees ‘DEI’? Trump administration cuts nationwide tree-planting effort (NPR)

The Beginner’s Guide To Vegetable Gardening In Chicago. Zone 6a (Block Club Chicago)

Spring gardening in Colorado: From sustainable lawn alternatives to pest control, how to make the most of your spring garden (Colorado Public Radio)

Iowa House advances bill to change school nutrition standards. Lawmakers decline amendments to fund Choose Iowa purchasing program for schools (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

How to Make a Hummingbird Feeder (P. Allen Smith)

Shaw Nature Reserve Propagation Guide

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.

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. Brightside St. Louis March Blitz events. Register your neighborhood clean up and/or beautification event and request bags/tools here.

Now thru March 31st St. Louis Public Library photography exhibit at Schlafly Library: Gaucha Berlin’s In Bloom III, nature throughout the seasons, photos taken in the Benton Park Neighborhood

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

March 31st to April 25th, except Wednesdays and Sundays, St. Louis Public Library event at Central Library: St. Louis Watercolor Society 25th Annual Juried Exhibition. Bound to be some gorgeous flowers and nature submissions.

Missouri Wildflowers Nursery returns to Kirkwood Farmers Market: 8 am to 4 pm Saturdays,  April 5th, April 12th, April 19th, April 26th, May 31st, June 7th. Order online for pick up at Market or purchase from what they bring that day.

6:30 pm Monday, March 24th, Missouri River Bird Observatory webinar: The Migratory Bird Treaty Act- history, applications, and current status presented by Sarah Kendrick, US Fish & Wildlife Service. Register

4 pm Tuesday, March 25th, Grow Native! webinar: Native Cool-Season Grasses & Sedges for Landscaping, Forage, and Wildlife Benefits. Register

20 Seats remaining. 1 pm Wednesday, March 26th, Missouri Conservation Department Orienteering and GPS event at Tower Grove Park: Geocaching- Amphibian Adventure! Register

6 pm Wednesday, March 26th, St. Louis County Library event at Daniel Boone Branch, Ellisville: Mad About Mushrooms, presented by St. Louis Herb Society. Learn about harvesting, cooking, and preserving mushrooms. Register

10 am Thursday, March 27th, Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum event: Spring Arboretum Trolley Tour with horticulturist. $5 Register

1 pm Thursday, March 27th, Missouri Conservation Department Zoom class: Ozark’s White Oak Baskets. Learn about the trees harvested, where they grow, and how to choose one to cut; and methods of processing the wood into weaving strips. Register

5 pm Thursday, March 27th St. Louis Public Library event at Julia Davis Library: Sowing Seeds of Justice, presented by Jennings farmer Julia Thompson. Learn about urban homesteading with an emphasis on chickens.

7 Seats remaining. Family-friendly. 6 pm Thursday, March 27th, Missouri Conservation Department event at Forest Park Hatchery: Fishing Lesson 1- Equipment, Casting, & Proper Fish Handling. Gear provided. Register

6 pm Thursday, March 27th, Seed St. Louis Zoom class: Container Gardening. Register

1 pm Friday, March 28th, Missouri Conservation Department Virtual class: Hummingbirds of Missouri. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am Saturday, March 29th, Forest ReLeaf event at CommuniTree Gardens Nursery, Maryland Heights: March Open Nursery Potting Day. Help pot up 20,000 bare root tree seedlings. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am Saturday, March 29th, Sierra Club Eastern Missouri Service Day (Trash Pick Up) on Centennial Greenway, Olive to Shaw Park, St. Louis County. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am Saturday, March 29th, Heartland Conservancy Stewardship Day (honeysuckle removal) at Trout Hollow Hill Prairie, Monroe County/Waterloo Area, Illinois. Register

18 Seats remaining. 9 am Saturday, March 29th, Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center: Wonderful Wildflowers Hike with naturalist. Hickory Ridge Trail, 1.2 miles of paved but hilly oak-hickory forest. Register

17 Seats remaining. 11 am Saturday, March 29th, Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center: Wonderful Wildflowers Hike with naturalist. Hickory Ridge Trail, 1.2 miles of paved but hilly oak-hickory forest. Register

7 pm Saturday, March 29th, Heartlands Conservancy event at Poag Sand Prairie, Edwardsville, Illinois: Frog Walk. Register

1 Ticket remaining. 8:30 am Sunday, March 30th, St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk at Tower Grove Park. Register

1 pm Sunday, March 30th, Willoughby Farm event in Collinsville, Illinois: Sustainability Series- Knowing & Growing the Native Garden. $15. Register

1-4:30 pm Sunday, March 30th, Wild & Scenic Film Festival at The Blue Note, Columbia MO

6:30 pm April 1st Piasa Palisades Sierra Club Virtual event: America’s Great Coal Catastrophe. Presented by Jared Sullivan, the author of Valley So Low. Also, learn about the connections between the TVA and Illinois coal mines. Register

2 pm April 2nd Partners for Native Landscaping and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Transforming Vacant Lots into Neighborhood Greenspaces. Register

7 pm April 2nd St. Louis County Library and Left Bank Books author event at Clark Family Branch: Paleontologist and Science Writer Riley Black, “When the Earth Was Green: Plants, Animals, and Evolution’s Greatest Romance.” Register

6 pm April 3rd Willoughby Farm event in Collinsville, Illinois: Composting Series- Indoor Compostin- Vermicomposting and Bokashi. $15. Register

6:30 pm April 3rd Missouri Conservation Department Zoom class: Native Plants- Missouri’s Spring Blooms (Kansas City focus). Register

9 am to 3 pm April 4th Missouri Botanical Garden Arbor Day Native Tree Seedling Giveaway. Garden Admission required.

10:30 am April 4th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom class: Wildflower ID. Register

8 am to 4 pm April 5th Missouri Wildflowers Nursery returns to Kirkwood Farmers Market. Order online for pick up at Market or purchase from what they bring that day.

8 am April 5th St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk at Forest Park. Register

9 am April 5th Seed St. Louis Spring Seedling Sale at Carriage House, 3815 Bell: bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, misome

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am April 5th Forest ReLeaf event at Old St. Marcus Cemetery: Christy Greenway Tree Planting. Register

10:30 am April 5th Seed St. Louis workshop at Bell Garden, 3841 Bell: Community Engagement for the School Garden. Register

Noon April 5th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center: Spring Ephemeral Hike with a naturalist. Hickory Ridge trail on the long loop, 1.25 miles. Register

1 pm April 6th Willoughby Farm event in Collinsville, Illinois: Composting Series- Container Gardening. $15. Register

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

8:30 am April 7th Missouri Conservation Department at Carondelet Park: 2 Mile Hike. Register

4 pm April 8th Missouri Conservation Department at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Flowering Trees Hike. Broken Ridge Trail, 2/3-mile, paved. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am April 10th Heartland Conservancy event at Edwardsville, Illinois: Poag Sand Prairie Restoration Stewardship Day. Register

6 pm April 10th St. Louis County Library Plant Swap at Thornhill Branch

6 pm April 10th St. Louis County Library event at Grant’s View Branch: Introduction to Landscape Design. Register

2 pm April 11th St. Louis County Library event at Mid-County Branch, Clayton: Homesteading- Gardens for Small Spaces. Register

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

8 am to 4 pm April 12th Missouri Wildflowers Nursery selling at Kirkwood Farmers Market. Order online for pick up at Market or purchase from what they bring that day.

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

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am April 12th Forest ReLeaf event at CommuniTree Gardens Nursery, Maryland Heights: March Open Nursery Potting Day. Help pot up 20,000 bare root tree seedlings. Register

10 am April 12th Grow Native! Native Plant Sale at World Bird Sanctuary, Valley Park Mo. $12 entry fee

10 am April 12th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom class: Hummingbirds 101- Creating Spaces for Natures Jewels. Register

11 am April 12th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: For the Birds. Learn about planting beautiful, bird-friendly plants, and providing supplemental food, water, and shelter.

16 Seats remaining. 11 am April 12th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register

1 pm April 12th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Pest Control with Herbs. Register

10 am to 2 pm April 13th Riverlands Native Plant Festival at West Alton, Missouri: Speakers, workshops, native plant giveaway for attendees volunteering for sand prairie planting at event

6 pm April 17th St. Louis County Public Library Spring Gardening Swap at Prairie Commons Branch, Hazelwood. Bring plants, seeds, bulbs, gardening tools, gardening books to swap

8 am to 4 pm April 19th Missouri Wildflowers Nursery selling at Kirkwood Farmers Market. Order online for pick up at Market or purchase from what they bring that day.

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

2 pm April 16th Partners for Native Landscaping and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Pollinator Powerhouses and Keystone Plant Species. Register

6 pm April 17th St. Louis County Library event at Jamestown Bluff Branch, Florissant: Make It, Take It- Plant Pot. Register

For Ages 3-6 years. 10 am April 19th St. Louis County Library event at Grand Glaize Branch, Manchester: Preschool STEAM- Plants and Flowers. Dress for the mess. Register

4 pm April 21st St. Louis County Library event at Jamestown Bluffs Branch, Florissant: Pollinator Party. Register

6 pm April 23rd St. Louis County Library event at Rock Road Branch, St. Ann:
Spring Seed Bombs. Register

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

6 pm April 24th Seed St. Louis, Table to Garden, Willoughby Farm and Good Dirt Composting Collective class at Collinsville, Illinois:  Food Too Good to Waste Series- Outdoor Composting: Bins and Tumblers. $15. Register

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

5 pm April 25th U City in Bloom Opening Night Party and Plant Sale. $25

9 am to 2 pm Friday and 8 am to 2 pm Saturday, April 25th-26th, 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.

8 am to 4 pm April 26th Missouri Wildflowers Nursery selling at Kirkwood Farmers Market. Order online for pick up at Market or purchase from what they bring that day.

9 am to 1 pm Saturday and 11 am to 1 pm Sunday, April 26th-27th, U City in Bloom Pant Sale

10 am April 26th St. Louis County Library event at Daniel Boone Branch, Ellisville: Seed & Plant Swap

April 26th-27th Project Pollinator Native Plant Sale at Sachs Butterfly House, Chesterfield  

Noon to 3 pm April 26th Heartlands Conservancy Native Plant Sale & Order Pick Up at Clinton Hills Conservation Park Pavilion, Swansea, Illinois. Online Pre-Ordering March 20th to April 9th.

10 am to 4 pm April 26th Missouri River Bird Observatory Birds, Bees & Blooms Festival at Arrow Rock, Missouri. This is a 2 1/2 hour drive from St. Louis and a 1 1/2 hour drive from Kansas City.

1:30 pm April 29th University of Illinois Extension Webinar: Nature’s Uninvited Guests: The Impact of Invasive Plants. Properly dealing with invasive plants can lessen environmental impact. Register

2 pm April 30th Partners for Native Landscaping and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Oh, Deer – Dealing with Unwanted Guests in Your Landscape. Register

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

19 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

1 pm May 3rd St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Growing Herbs in Containers.

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

May 8th-9th Jeanette Goldfarb Plant Growth Facility Spring Plant Sale at Washington University

3 pm May 8th St. Louis Public Library event at Baden Library: Mocktails and Garden Party. enjoy refreshing mocktails while crafting your own potted plant to take home.

9 am May 10th Seed St. Louis Summer Seedling & Sweet Potato Slip Sale at Carriage House, 3815 Bell

May 10th Flora Conservancy Plant Sale @ Greenhouse, Forest Park – no link yet

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.

9 am to Noon May 10th Illinois Native Plant Society’s Native Plant Sale at Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield. It’s only an hour and a half drive or train ride from St. Louis.

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.

1:30 pm May 20th University of Illinois Extension Webinar: Managing Common Squash and Pumpkin Pests. Register

2 pm May 21st Partners for Native Landscaping and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Cultivating Native Seeds in the Landscape. Register

9 am to 2 pm Friday and 8 am to 2 pm Saturday, May 23rd-24th, 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.

8 am to 4 pm May 24th Missouri Wildflowers Nursery selling at Kirkwood Farmers Market. Order online for pick up at Market or purchase from what they bring that day.

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.

May 31st Urban Gardening Symposium at Brightside St. Louis Demonstration Garden. $10. Register

8 am to 4 pm May 31st Missouri Wildflowers Nursery selling at Kirkwood Farmers Market. Order online for pick up at Market or purchase from what they bring that day.

11 am June 14th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens May 17th

1 pm June 14th St. Louis Public Library class at Central Library: Herbs in the Civil War!

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 June 25th Kimmswick Visitor Center 25th Annual Daylily Sale. 35 Minute drive from St. Louis. Go early for best selection.

9 am to 2 pm Friday and 8 am to 2 pm Saturday, June 27th-28th, 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 July 12th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register, registration opens June 14th

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.

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

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

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.

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 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.

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.

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

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

Join us Sundays on Bluesky for #GardenSunday.