Tag: Nature

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Plant of the Week: native Goldenrod

If you are only looking for St. Louis Area Plant Sales (plant sales & swaps- plants, native plants, tree & shrub seedings + seed swaps) here’s a page for them. No additions this week, just deleted past events.

Fall Color Reports. Missouri and Illinois

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 —

One of the rarest trees in the world- Karomia gigas – is on display at MoBot’s Arid House. Garden admission free to St. Louis City and St. Louis County residents mornings on Saturdays and Wednesdays. (KSDK)

Health and farmworker advocates urge ban of herbicide linked to Parkinson’s. EPA will determine next year if the herbicide, paraquat dichloride, should have its license renewed for another 15 years. (Missouri Independent)

Scientists just figured out how many chemicals enter our bodies from food packaging. A new study details the chemicals finding their way into human bodies from contact with food. (Gift article @ Washington Post)

Residents worry Ameren gas plant in St. Louis County will be expensive, dirty (paywall St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

Why ‘chaos wheat’ may be the future of bread. It’s time to look beyond all-purpose flour (Gift article @ Washington Post)

A turtle and its advocates could stand in the way of a huge Pearl River engineering project in Mississippi (Louisiana Illuminator)

Elon Musk’s New AI Data Center in Memphis Raises Alarms Over Pollution (Time)

Arctic Seed Vault Shows Flawed Logic of Climate Adaptation. The difficulties illustrate why we need to prevent climate disaster rather than plan for it. In 2017, the vault suffered a flood caused, ironically, by climate change. (Scientific American)

Some Sports v. Nature News. Once Again, a Lizard Interrupts Singapore Grand Prix Weekend. It appears Singapore’s monitor lizards are getting faster as this year’s party crasher is chased down the track by the marshals. (Road & Track)

Seed Saving Class available on YouTube (Seed St. Louis)

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)

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 —

Thursday, September 26th Order Deadline: Brightside St. Louis Blooming Spring Daffodil & Tulip Sale. 30 bulbs for $17. Carlton Daffodils; Midwest Mix Daffodils, 5 each Carlton, Barrett Browning, Pink Charm, Slim Whitman, Tahiti, Suada; Brightside Red Hybrid Darwin Tulips; Pink Impression Tulips. 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.

Going on Now- On Line Ordering for Missouri Conservation Department annual Tree & Shrub Seedling Sale. Don’t delay. Items are selling out fast, such as Beautyberry, Blackberry, Concordia Oak, Flowering Dogwood, Hazelnut, PawPaw, Spicebush.

For crafty gardeners. Virtual Class 1 of 12. 5 pm Monday, September 23rd, Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: 2024 Swamp Needlers, Wildflowers. Learn simple, but beautiful, embroidery techniques while exploring some iconic, as well as secretive wildflowers in Missouri. Complete 17 blocks, to create a large quilt with enough extras for pillows or wall art. Register

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

10 am to 5 pm Wednesday, September 25th, Missouri Botanical Garden event @ Little Shop Around the Corner (resell store), 4474 Castleman: Clearance Sale

2 pm Wednesday, September 25th, Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: Monarch Magic. Register

4 pm Wednesday, September 25th, Grow Native Webinar: Prairie Reconstruction at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. Register

3:30-6:30 pm Thursday, September 26th, Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale, Crestwood.

5:30 pm Thursday, September 26th, Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: The Marvels of Biomimicry – Part 2. Register

6 pm Thursday, September 26th, St. Louis Public Library class at Schlafly Library: Insights from Experts Nature Series with Jessica Ely, St. Louis Carnivorous Plant Society. Register

6:30 pm Thursday, September 27th, Mid-Continent Public Library (Kansas City) Zoom Class: Monarch Mania. Register

4 Seats remaining. 1 pm Friday, September 27th, Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: Hummingbirds. Register

3:30 pm Friday, September 27th, Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: Fall Maintenance for Your Native Garden. Register

5:30-7:30 pm Friday, September 27th, Bellefontaine Cemetery Fundraiser: Beer Barons 2024, Barons of Beer and Distilling Chapter IV. Tickets $30.

7 am to 3 pm Saturday, September 28th, Missouri Conservation Department Women’s Free Fishing Day at Bennett Spring Park. No license or tag required. Bennett Spring is in Laclede and Dallas Counties about a 3-hour drive from Kansas City or St. Louis.

Saturday-Sunday, September 28th-29th Tower Grove Pride at Tower Grove Park

Volunteers Wanted. 8 am Saturday, September 28th, Heartlands Conservancy Monarch Tagging & Stewardship @ at Arlington Wetlands, Granite City IL. Register

9 am to 5 pm Saturday, 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. Not a sale.

10 am Saturday, 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.

10 am to 3 pm Saturday, September 28th, Missouri Botanical Garden and Missouri Conservation Department Wild about Nature Festival at Shaw Nature Reserve, Gray Summit, Franklin County MO. Fee: MoBot Members- $5 Adults, Free for Children; Nonmembers $7 Adults, $3 for children. Tickets

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

1:30 pm Saturday, September 28th, Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Tour with Master Guide: Fall Tour. Register

4-7 pm Saturday, 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.

9 am to 1 pm Sunday, September 29th, Metropolitan Parks & Rec Tax District (dba Great Rivers Greenway) Bridge Boogie at Chain of Rocks Park

1:30 pm October 1st, Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Tour with Master Guide: Fall Tour. Register

6 pm October 2nd St. Louis Public Library event at Schlafly Library: Insights from Experts Nature Series- Mark Glenshaw of Forest Park Owls. 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.

6 pm October 4th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: WildHeart Concert and Scout/Family Event

9 am October 5th Seed St. Louis Garlic Sale

12 Seats remaining. 10 am October 5th Missouri Conservation Department event at Howard Wood Urban Outreach Office, Southwest Garden: Nature Crocheters Fall Fun! Register

6:30-9 pm October 5th The Garden Shop’s Sip & Soil, Fall Edition. Tickets $45 includes houseplant of your choosing, 6″ planter, supplies to paint, and at least two Fall themed cocktails

Noon October 8th University of Illinois Extension Webinar, Thriving Communities series: Current Funding Opportunities for Energy and the Environment Explore grants available for community environmental projects. Register

10 am October 8th Bellefontaine Cemetery History and Horticulture Tour with Master Guide: Trolley Tour. $5. Register

6:30 pm October 8th Piasa Palisades Sierra Club event at Old Bakery Beer, Alton IL: Missouri Stream Team program. Register

9 am October 9th Bellefontaine Cemetery tour with Horticulturist: Fall Tree Walk. Register

1:30 pm October 9th Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Tour with Master Guide: Fall Tour. Register

4 pm October 9th Grow Native Zoom Class: Native Ferns in Missouri and their Potential as Specialty Crops. Register

5 pm October 9th Missouri Conservation Department Online Class: Native Yards, Getting Started. Register

October 10th-12th University of Missouri @ St. Louis Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainability Event Series, The Buffalo Treaty

6 pm October 10th Seed St. Louis event at DIG Annuals and Perennials, Benton Park West: Food for Years- Best Perennial Vegetables for a Fall & Winter Harvest. Register

9 am October 10th Heartlands Conservancy event in Belleville IL: Volunteer Training- Native Seed Collection. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am October 11th Heartlands Conservancy event in Edwardsville IL: Poag Sand Prairie Restoration Volunteer Day. Register

9 am to 1 pm October 12th Seed St. Louis, Forrest Keeling Nursery, Greenscape Gardens event in Manchester: Tree Sale & Fall Festival

10 am October 12th Bellefontaine Cemetery History and Horticulture Tour with Master Guide: Trolley Tour. $5. Register

11 am to 1 pm October 12th, St. Charles Public Library event at Spencer Road Branch, St. Peter’s: Plant & Seed Swap

2 pm October 12th Missouri Botanical Garden event: Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainability, The Buffalo Treaty collaborative event series, two presentations. 1) Keystone Species & Sovereignty = Rejuvenation, Innovation and Wonder, presented by Jonny BearCub Stiffarm, JD (Assinaboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Montana). 2) The Ecological Buffalo: On the Trail of a Keystone Species, a talk and book-signing with author Wes Olson and photographer Johane Janelle. Garden Admission fee required. Event is free with Garden Admission but Registration required by October 10th.

6:30 pm October 15th St. Louis County Public Library Virtual Class: Houseplants 101. Register

6 pm October 17th St. Louis County Public Library event at Prairie Commons Branch, Hazelwood: Succulent Swap. Register

10 am October 19th St. Louis County Public Library event at Meramec Valley Branch, Fenton: Houseplant Swap. Register

Noon to 4 pm October 19th Benton Park Neighborhood Association’s Benton Park Tunes on Tap – A Musical Garden Tour. Tickets $35-$65

Noon October 20th Missouri Prairie Foundation event in Lincoln County MO: Friends of Cuivre River State Park Grasslands Work Day. Register

6 pm October 21st St. Louis Public Library event at Machacek Library: Carnivorous Plants presentedby Shaw Cactus & Succulent Society. Register

28 Seats remaining. 5:30 pm October 28th St. Louis Public Library event at Central Library: Cacti & Succulents- A Beginner’s Guide to Thriving Plants. Register

4 pm November 6th Missouri Invasive Plant Council Webinar: Common General Use Herbicides & How They Relate to Aquatic Use Sites. Register

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

Many stems of Blue Sage growing in outdoor garden.

Plant of the Week: native Blue Sage. These will grow tall to compete for sun. They look great next to Goldenrod and Sunflowers.

If you are only looking for St. Louis Area Plant Sales (plant sales & swaps- plants, native plants, tree & shrub seedings + seed swaps) here’s a page for them. No additions this week, just deleted past events.

Fall Color Reports. Missouri and Illinois

It’s PawPaw Season. + In St. Louis area, buy your PawPaw and Bourbon PawPaw Jams from Larder Cupboard at a local farmer’s market. + Missouri Conservation Department is now Sold Out on PawPaw seedlings but get in on the wait list if you want to try that.

We talked about Pokeweed and Eastern Hog-Nosed Snakes on Twitter #GardenSunday. check out that link for information.

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 —

Pawpaw craze hits Missouri as festivals and farmers embrace the custardy native fruit. (St. Louis Public Radio)

In celebration of being a terrible gardener. There are as many ways to fail in the garden as there are plant varieties. (Gift Article @ Washington Post)

Foraging Tips. The woods: Missouri’s other place to shop for food (University of Missouri Extension)

Giant crop art portrait of Kamala Harris in Lawrence, Kansas, now complete with Tim Walz (KMUW)

St. Louis water lily reigns victorious in social media weigh-off competition (St. Louis Public Radio)

As climate change and other threats destroy the habitats of living things, biologists are beginning to think of doing the once unthinkable: finding new homes for species outside their native ranges. (Gift Article @ Washington Post)

Seed Saving Class available on YouTube (Seed St. Louis)

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)

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 for Brightside St. Louis September Blitz events

Order Online Now thru September 26th: Brightside St. Louis Blooming Spring Daffodil & Tulip Sale. 30 bulbs for $17. Carlton Daffodils; Midwest Mix Daffodils, 5 each Carlton, Barrett Browning, Pink Charm, Slim Whitman, Tahiti, Suada; Brightside Red Hybrid Darwin Tulips; Pink Impression Tulips. 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.

Going on Now- On Line Ordering for Missouri Conservation Department annual Tree & Shrub Seedling Sale. Don’t delay. Items are selling out fast, such as Beautyberry, Blackberry, Concordia Oak, Flowering Dogwood, Hazelnut, Paw Paw, Spicebush.

10 am Tuesday, September 17th, Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Trolley Tour with Master Guide. $5. Register

3:30 pm Tuesday, September 17th, Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: Native Plants- Be the Host with the Most. Register 

1:30 pm Wednesday, September 18th, Bellefontaine Cemetery Fall History & Horticulture Tour with Master Guide. Register

6 pm Wednesday, 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

For ages 0-7. 5 Seats remaining. 10:30 am Thursday, September 19th, Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: You and Me under the Canopy: Almost Fall Y’all! Register

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

6 pm Thursday, September 19th, Wild Ones Webinar: The Beauty and Benefits of Hedgerows with Heather McCargo, founder of Wild Seed Project (Wabanaki territory now called Maine). Register

Volunteers Wanted. 8 am Friday, September 20th, Heartlands Conservancy Monarch Tagging & Stewardship @ at Signal Hill Outdoor Classroom, Belleville IL. Register

For ages 7-17, parents also welcome. 4 pm Friday, September 20th, St. Louis Public Library event at Tower Grove Park: Bird Nerds Birding Club. Register

9 am to Noon Saturday, September 21st, St. Louis Community College Horticulture Program Native Plant Sale @ Meramec Campus

9 am Saturday, September 21st, Bellefontaine Cemetery Wildwood Valley Gardens Walk with Horticulturist. Register

9:30 am Saturday, September 21st, Forest ReLeaf Treesilience (free trees, maybe free tree removal) Orientation at O’Fallon Park for homeowners in O’Fallon Park, Fairgrounds, Kingsway East, Ville, Greater Ville neighborhoods.  Register

10 am to 5 pm Saturday, September 21st, Old North St. Louis Restoration Group’s Old North House Tour: Tour of homes, gardens, murals + Arts Festival @ Crown Square + New art installation at Griot Museum. Tickets $10-$20

Ages 4th Grade to Adult. 11 am Saturday, September 21st, St. Louis Public Library arts & craft event at Schlafly Library: Plant A Plant, make and take decorate a pot and plant in it.

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

10 am to 2 pm Sunday, September 22nd, Bring Conservation Home Native Plant Expo at Tower Grove Park. Missouri Wildflowers Nursery is a vendor. 

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

4 pm September 25th Grow Native Webinar: Prairie Reconstruction at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. Register

3:30-6:30 pm September 26th Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale, Crestwood.

6 pm September 26th St. Louis Public Library class at Schlafly Library: Insights from Experts Nature Series with Jessica Ely, St. Louis Carnivorous Plant Society. Register

5:30-7:30 pm September 27th Bellefontaine Cemetery Fundraiser: Beer Barons 2024, Barons of Beer and Distilling Chapter IV. Tickets $30.

September 28th-29th Tower Grove Pride at Tower Grove Park

Volunteers Wanted. 8 am September 28th, Heartlands Conservancy Monarch Tagging & Stewardship @ at Arlington Wetlands, Granite City IL. 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.

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 Glaize Branch, Manchester.

4-7 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.

9 am to 1 pm September Metropolitan Parks & Rec Tax District (dba Great Rivers Greenway) Bridge Boogie at Chain of Rocks Park

6 pm October 2nd St. Louis Public Library event at Schlafly Library: Insights from Experts Nature Series- Mark Glenshaw of Forest Park Owls. 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

6:30-9 pm October The Garden Shop’s Sip & Soil, Fall Edition. Tickets $45 includes houseplant of your choosing, 6″ planter, supplies to paint, and at least two Fall themed cocktails

9 am to 1 pm October 12th Seed St. Louis, Forrest Keeling Nursery, Greenscape Gardens event in Manchester: Tree Sale & Fall Festival

11 am to 1 pm October 12th, St. Charles Public Library event at Spencer Road Branch, St. Peter’s: Plant & Seed Swap

6:30 pm October 15th St. Louis County Public Library Virtual Class: Houseplants 101. Register

6 pm October 17th St. Louis County Public Library event at Prairie Commons Branch, Hazelwood: Succulent Swap. Register

10 am October 19th St. Louis County Public Library event at Meramec Valley Branch, Fenton: Houseplant Swap. Register

4 pm November 7th Missouri Invasive Plant Council Webinar: Common General Use Herbicides & How They Relate to Aquatic Use Sites. Register

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 Rough Blazing Star

If you are only looking for St. Louis Area Plant Sales (plant sales & swaps- plants, native plants, tree & shrub seedings + seed swaps) here’s a page for them. Added this week: STL County Library Succulent & Houseplant Swaps + St. Louis Community College Native Plant Sale

Wild Ones Reading List: Back-to-School Reads on Botanical Pioneers

Fall Color Reports. Missouri and Illinois

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 —

Seed Saving Class available on YouTube (Seed St. Louis)

Five Fall Veggie Garden Basics (P Allen Smith)

Gardening by Month: September Gardening Tips, Tasks, and Problems (Missouri Botanical Garden)

How to Divide & Transplant Perennials Now (P Allen Smith)

Colorado Rattlecam. Livestream of a Prairie Rattlesnake rookery (MegaDen) at an undisclosed location in Colorado (Project RattleCam)

As crews chainsaw Joshua trees, Mojave Desert community protests solar energy project (use https://12ft.io/ to get past paywall) (Los Angeles Times)

Mr Greedy, the penguin progenitor of more than 200 chicks, dies aged 33 – 141 years old in human years per the penguin to human age calculator (The Guardian)

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)

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 for Brightside St. Louis September Blitz events, opportunites in Dutchtown, Hodiamont Tracks, North Grand, St. Louis Place near New Roots Urban Farm

Order Online Now thru September 26th: Brightside St. Louis Blooming Spring Daffodil & Tulip Sale. 30 bulbs for $17. Carlton Daffodils; Midwest Mix Daffodils, 5 each Carlton, Barrett Browning, Pink Charm, Slim Whitman, Tahiti, Suada; Brightside Red Hybrid Darwin Tulips; Pink Impression Tulips. 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.

Going on Now- On Line Ordering for Missouri Conservation Department annual Tree & Shrub Seedling Sale

5-7 pm Tuesday, September 10th Mallinckrodt School Garden Party

9 am Wednesday, September 11th, Bellefontaine Cemetery Wildwood Valley Gardens Walk with Horticulturist. Register

4 pm Wednesday, September 11th, Missouri Prairie Foundation Webinar: Take a (Virtual) Hike on the Prairie (Friendly Prairie, Pettis County)– Fall Edition. Register

Volunteers wanted. 8 am Thursday, September 12th, Heartland Conservancy event at Clinton Hills Conservation Park, Swansea IL: Monarch Tagging & Stewardship at the Exploration Garden. Register

5:30 pm Thursday, September 12th, Seed St. Louis Fair on the Farm at International Farm and Botanical Heights Community Garden, 4060 Folsom. Music by Beth Bombara. State Fair theme Games. Free but food (Grace Meats & Three food truck) and drink available for purchase. Order you Seed St. Louis pint glass for $10 and get two beers at event.

Volunteers wanted. 8 am Friday, September 13th Heartland Conservancy event in Edwardsville IL: Poag Sand Prairie Restoration Volunteer Day. Register

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

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

10 am to 3 pm Saturday, 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.

10 am Saturday, September 14th, Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Trolley Tour. $5. Register

11 am to 1 pm Saturday, September 14th, St. Charles Public Library event at Spencer Road Branch, St. Peter’s: Plant & Seed Swap

31 seats remaining. 2 pm Saturday, 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

6:30 pm Saturday, September 14th, Stargazing at Tower Grove Park with St. Louis Astronomical Society

3:30 pm September 17th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: Native Plants- Be the Host with the Most. 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

For ages 0-7. 11 Seats remaining. 10:30 am September 19th Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: You and Me under the Canopy: Almost Fall Y’all! Register

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

6 pm September 19th Wild Ones Webinar: The Beauty and Benefits of Hedgerows with Heather McCargo, founder of Wild Seed Project (Wabanaki territory now called Maine). Register

For ages 7-17, parents also welcome. 4 pm September 20th St. Louis Public Library event at Tower Grove Park: Bird Nerds Birding Club. Register

9 am to Noon September 21st St. Louis Community College Horticulture Program Native Plant Sale @ Meramac Campus

9:30 am September 21st Forest ReLeaf Treesilience (free trees, maybe free tree removal) Orientation at O’Fallon Park for homeowners in O’Fallon Park, Fairgrounds, Kingsway East, Ville, Greater Ville neighborhoods.  Register

Ages 4th Grade to Adult. 11 am September 21st St. Louis Public Library arts & craft event at Schlafly Library: Plant A Plant, make and take decorate a pot and plant in it.

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

4 pm September 25th Grow Native Webinar: Prairie Reconstruction at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. Register

3:30-6:30 pm September 26th Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale, Crestwood.

6 pm September 26th St. Louis Public Library class at Schlafly Library: Insights from Experts Nature Series with Jessica Ely, St. Louis Carnivorous Plant Society. Register

September 28th-29th Tower Grove Pride at Tower Grove Park

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 Glaize Branch, Manchester.

4-7 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.

9 am to 1 pm September Metropolitan Parks & Rec Tax District (dba Great Rivers Greenway) Bridge Boogie at Chain of Rocks Park

6 pm October 2nd St. Louis Public Library event at Schlafly Library: Insights from Experts Nature Series- Mark Glenshaw of Forest Park Owls. 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

9 am to 1 pm October 12th Seed St. Louis, Forrest Keeling Nursery, Greenscape Gardens event in Manchester: Tree Sale & Fall Festival

11 am to 1 pm October 12th, St. Charles Public Library event at Spencer Road Branch, St. Peter’s: Plant & Seed Swap

6:30 pm October 15th St. Louis County Public Library Virtual Class: Houseplants 101. Register

6 pm October 17th St. Louis County Public Library event at Prairie Commons Branch, Hazelwood: Succulent Swap. Register

10 am October 19th St. Louis County Public Library event at Meramec Valley Branch, Fenton: Houseplant Swap. Register

4 pm November 7th Missouri Invasive Plant Council Webinar: Common General Use Herbicides & How They Relate to Aquatic Use Sites. Register

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: very tall perennial sunflower, Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’

If you are only looking for St. Louis Area Plant Sales (plant sales & swaps- plants, native plants, seeding + seed swaps + local discounts) 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 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 —

Beekeeping 101 (P. Allen Smith)

Many homeowners associations don’t let people raise chickens in their backyards. But a new Missouri law going into effect this month says HOAs must allow it. (KCUR)

St. Louis University claiming it can’t afford the deal is absurd. Community garden uprooted in north St. Louis after SLPS, SLU deal gone wrong. Food equity non-profit UJIMA was one of several nonprofits sent an eviction notice by the school district (KSDK)

National Black Farmers Group Says Supporting GOP Ticket Is “Off the Table” After JD Vance’s Attack. “He owes us an apology.” (Mother Jones)

USDA to take ‘additional step’ in testing beef from former dairy cattle for bird flu (Missouri Independent)

Kids drink contaminated water at schools, but testing for lead isn’t required in most states (required in Missouri and Illinois). Despite aging pipes and vulnerable children, schools face no national requirement to test for lead. Gift article (Washington Post)

Invasive zebra mussels detected on aquarium Marimo moss balls. If established in local waters, zebra mussels would be capable of causing significant infrastructure and environmental damage. (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife)

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)

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 —

Going on now: August Artists at the Gallery, Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Photographer Steve Springmeyer’s Portraits of the Southwest and watercolor artist Wylie Longmire‘s scenes of forests and rivers of St. Louis and rural eastern Missouri.

Going on now. Online Ordering for 3 am to 7 pm Friday, September 6th, Shaw Nature Reserve Fall Wildflower Market in Gray Summit, Franklin County.

Going on now. Online Ordering Deadline September 26th,: Brightside St. Louis Blooming Spring Daffodil & Tulip Sale. 30 bulbs for $17. Carlton Daffodils; Midwest Mix Daffodils, 5 each Carlton, Barrett Browning, Pink Charm, Slim Whitman, Tahiti, Suada; Brightside Red Hybrid Darwin Tulips; Pink Impression Tulips. 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, The Tempest: 6:30 pm Wednesday, August 21st at Fairground Park, Fairground Neighborhood; 6:30 pm Friday, August 23rd at Love Bank Park, Cherokee Neighborhood;

10 am Tuesday, August 20th, Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Tour with Master Guide: Trolley Tour. $5. Register

8 Tickets remaining. 10 am Tuesday, August 20th, Tower Grove Park Nee Kee Nee (East Stream) Tour. Register

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

6 pm Thursday, 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

6 pm Thursday, August 22nd, Missouri Botanical Garden event: Nature Speaks…Through Art History. Learn about Robert Duncanson and Edward Bannister, two 19th-century Black artists known for their nature landscapes. Garden admission fee required.

Saturday-Sunday, August 24th-25th Festival of Nations at Tower Grove Park

9 am Saturday Missouri Conservation Department online class: Preparing for Monarchs. Register

2-5 pm Saturday, August 24th, Soulard Art and Floral Auction at Soulard Station, fundraiser for Beautification Committee, Soulard Restoration Group.

5:30 pm Saturday, August 24th, Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture tour with Master Guide: Sunset Stroll. Register

8 am Sunday, August 25th, Southwest Garden Neighborhood Tree Care Blitz. Register

4 pm August 28th Grow Native Webinar: Collecting Native Seeds and Winter Sowing. Register

6:30 pm August 28th Mid-Continent Public Library (Kansas City) Zoom Class: Native Plants for Pollinators. Register

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

September 1st On Line Ordering begins for Missouri Conservation Department annual Tree & Shrub Seedling Sale

2 pm September 3rd Missouri Conservation Department online class: Missouri Waterfowl Identification. Register

10:30 am September 4th Missouri Conservation Department online class: Magnificent Monarchs. Register

For Adults and Kids with Adults. 17 Seats remaining. 6 pm September 6th Missouri Conservation Department class at Forest Park Hatchery: Fishing Lesson 1- Equipment, Casting, & Proper Fish Handling. Register

3-7 pm September 6th Shaw Nature Reserve Fall Wildflower Market, Gray Summit, Franklin County. Order online for pick up event day or purchase onsite. Missouri Botanical Garden Members- Free. Non-members: $5 each or $10 per car

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

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.

9 am to 1 pm September 7th Fox Park Neighborhood Garden Tour. Register

10 am September 7th Body N Soul Urban Farm event, Old North Neighborhood: Pot Party- Paint Your Own Containers. Register

3:30-6:30 pm September 7th Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale at World Bird Sanctuary, Valley Park, St. Louis County. Entry Fee $12 per car.

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

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

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

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.

11 am to 1 pm September 14th, St. Charles Public Library event at Spencer Road Branch, St. Peter’s: Plant & Seed Swap

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

6:30 pm September 14th Stargazing at Tower Grove Park with St. Louis Astronomical Society

9 am September 17th

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

For ages 0-7. 11 Seats remaining. 10:30 am September 19th Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: You and Me under the Canopy: Almost Fall Y’all! Register

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

10 am to 2 pm September 20th Urban Harvest STL and Perennial Class at Grandel Square Center for Urban Agriculture demonstration farm: Building a Garden Bed-Mini Greenhouse Edition. Free. Register

For ages 7-17, parents also welcome. 4 pm September 20th St. Louis Public Library event at Tower Grove Park: Bird Nerds Birding Club. Register

9:30 pm September 21st Forest ReLeaf Treesilience (free trees, maybe free tree removal) Orientation at O’Fallon Park for homeowners in O’Fallon Park, Fairgrounds, Kingsway East, Ville, Greater Ville neighborhoods.  Register

Ages 4th Grade to Adult. 11 am September 21st St. Louis Public Library arts & craft event at Schlafly Library: Plant A Plant, make and take decorate a pot and plant in it.

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, Crestwood.

6 pm September 26th St. Louis Public Library class at Schlafly Library: Insights from Experts Nature Series with Jessica Ely, St. Louis Carnivorous Plant Society. Register

September 28th-29th Tower Grove Pride at Tower Grove Park

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 Glaize 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.

6 pm October 2nd St. Louis Public Library event at Schlafly Library: Insights from Experts Nature Series- Mark Glenshaw of Forest Park Owls. 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

9 am to 1 pm October 12th Seed St. Louis, Forrest Keeling Nursery, Greenscape Gardens event in Manchester: Tree Sale & Fall Festival

11 am to 1 pm October 12th, St. Charles Public Library event at Spencer Road Branch, St. Peter’s: Plant & Seed Swap

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

Pale violet flowers on Obedient Plant

Plant of the Week: native False Dragonhead, Obedient Plant

If you missed the Seed St. Louis Fall Seedling Sale, The Garden Shop on Hampton has got you covered. They are selling seedlings: arugula, cabbage, lettuce, peas, Swiss chard, more. Friday, August 16th through August 31st at The Garden Shop, Deep Discounts on select annuals and perennials: $2 for 4-inch pot, $4 for a quart-sized pot, $6 for 1/2-gallon pots. Say hi to new shop cat- Ms. Astilbe, aka Bebe

If you are only looking for St. Louis Area Plant Sales, here’s a page for them. Updated this week with Plant & Seed Swaps @ St. Charles County Library and new Tree & Shrub Sales category

Native Plant Gardeners: Have you joined Wild Ones? Three St. Louis Area, MO & IL Area chapters. A chapter in Southeast Missouri. A Midwest Missouri chapter in Columbia.

I wonder if St. Louis City’s Forest Park Golf Course knows there’s a program called Monarchs in the Rough, for golf courses west of Mississippi, to help restore pollinator habitat in out-of-play areas.

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.

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

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 —

Fertilizer from human waste faces scrutiny but remains a profitable industry. Oklahoma lawmakers and environmental officials attempted to take steps this year to protect cities & corps from liability if new health problems are found (Investigate Midwest via Missouri Independent)

EPA takes emergency action to stop use of dangerous pesticide used on broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, onion. DCPA is known to harm fetuses and “needs to be removed from the market immediately” Gift article (Washington Post)

For our crafty gardeners- Make a basket with iris leaves (Fairegarden blog)

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)

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)

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 August Blitz events in Fountain Park, Grand Center, Penrose Neighborhoods

Go see the Sunflowers Fields at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area

Going on now: August Artists at the Gallery, Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Photographer Steve Springmeyer’s Portraits of the Southwest and watercolor artist Wylie Longmire‘s scenes of forests and rivers of St. Louis and rural eastern Missouri.

Going on now. Online Ordering for 3 am to 7 pm Friday, September 6th, Shaw Nature Reserve Fall Wildflower Market in Gray Summit, Franklin County.

Going on now. Online Ordering: 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 Thursday at Ivory Perry Park, Visitation Park Neighborhood; 6:30 pm Friday at City Park, 101 S Buchanan
Edwardsville IL; 6:30 pm Saturday at January-Wabash Park, Ferguson; 6:30 pm Sunday at Bellevue Park, Belleville IL

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

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

6:30 pm Tuesday, August 13th Piasa Sierra Club event at Old Bakery Beer, Alton IL: “Back to the Basics: Madison County’s Approach to Waste Management.” Register

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

5 pm Wednesday, August 14th Metro-East Green Cities Gathering at The Mill, Granite City IL. Register

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

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

6 pm Thursday, August 15th, Missouri Botanical Garden event: Nature Speaks…Through History—The Influencers with Abra Lee, storyteller and author of the forthcoming book, Conquer The Soil: Black America and the Untold Stories of Our Country’s Gardeners, Farmers, and Growers. Garden admission fee required.

6 pm Thursday, August 15th, Piasa Sierra Club event: Bike Outing, 10-mile ride thru the woods on the Madison County IL Transit bike trail system. Register

6 pm Thursday, August 15th, Piasa Sierra Club Bike Outing, 10-mile ride thru the woods on the Madison County IL Transit bike trail system. Register

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

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

5:30 pm Friday, August 16th, Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture tour with Master Guide: Sunset Stroll. Register

8 am Friday, August 16th, Eastern Missouri Sierra Club event at Greensfelder Park, St. Louis County: Phenology Walk with Adam Rembert. Litzsinger Road Ecology Center. $1 cash event day appreciated. Register

9 am to 5 pm Saturday, 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 Sunday, 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 Sunday, August 18th. Orchid Society of Greater St. Louis Auction at Missouri Botanical Garden. Garden admission fee required.

10 am August 20th Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Tour with Master Guide: Trolley Tour. $5. Register

13 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

6 pm August 22nd Missouri Botanical Garden event: Nature Speaks…Through Art History. Learn about Robert Duncanson and Edward Bannister, two 19th-century Black artists known for their nature landscapes. Garden admission fee required.

6 pm August 23rd Urban Harvest fundraiser: Harvest Dinner featuring Chef David Kirkland. Tickets $125

2-5 pm August 24th Soulard Art and Floral Auction at Soulard Station, fundraiser for Beautification Committee, Soulard Restoration Group.

5:30 pm August 24th Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture tour with Master Guide: Sunset Stroll. Register

8 am August 25th Southwest Garden Neighborhood Tree Care Blitz. Register

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.

9 am to 1 pm September 7th Fox Park Neighborhood Garden Tour. Register

10 am September 7th Body N Soul Urban Farm event, Old North Neighborhood: Pot Party- Paint Your Own Containers. Register

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

10 an to 2 pm September 20thUrban Harvest STL and Perennial Class at Grandel Square Center for Urban Agriculture demonstration farm: Building a Garden Bed-Mini Greenhouse Edition. Free. 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: 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

Orange Butterfly Weed without aphids

Plant of the Week: native Butterfly Weed, Asclepias tuberosa

Go see the Sunflowers Fields at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area

Highly recommend visiting Prairie State Park, Missouri’s tall grass prairie home to a bison herd. It’s 4 1/2 Hours drive from St. Louis, 2 Hours from KC. There’s campground w/ vault toilet. Also, primitive camping at nearby Shawnee Trail Conservation. For hotel, Joplin is 30 minutes away.

If you are only looking for St. Louis Area Plant Sales, here’s a page for them. Updated this week with Aug 9th Online Ordering Begins for Shaw Nature Reserve Fall Wildflower Market and Missouri Wildflowers Nursery will be selling at Oct 4-6 Best of Missouri Market at MoBot

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 —

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

Raising & Harvesting Okra (University of Illinois Extension)

This Long-Dead Scientist’s Collection of Rare Seeds Could Help Keep Us Alive. “Essentially we have uncovered a goldmine.” (Mother Jones)

This butterfly went extinct. That’s not the end of the story. The Xerces blue butterfly vanished from San Francisco in the 1940s. Scientists just released dozens of butterflies from a related species to take its place. Gift article (Washington Post)

A House Cat Was Brought to A Remote Island In 1894—A Year Later a Species Was Extinct (Forbes)

(Paywall) First Place Winner of St. Louis Post-Dispatch Garden Contest is Soulardian Steve Kotsines on S 12th. Well done!

Missouri Governor Mike Parson vetoed the near $500,000 that would reimburse the Missouri Ag Department’s meat inspection program for unexpected costs and Missouri’s ag director says the agency will go back to the drawing board. (Brownfield Ag News)

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 —

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

1:30 pm Tuesday, July 23rd, University of Illinois Extension Webinar: Companion Planting- Bountiful and Beautiful Together. Register

6 pm Tuesday, July 23rd, St. Louis Public Library event at Buder Library: Urban Homesteading: ABC’s of Honey Bees

5:30 pm Wednesday, July 24th, Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Sunset Stroll with Master Guide. Register

5 Tickets remaining. For Kids 0-7 years. 10:30 am Thursday, July 25th, Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: Conservation Kids- You and Me under the Canopy, Tales and Tails. Register

Volunteers Wanted in Madison County IL. 8 am Saturday, July 27th, Heartlands Conservancy event: Arlington Wetlands Volunteer Workday. Register. More on Arlington Wetlands

Volunteers Wanted. 8 am Saturday, July 27th: clean-ups and beautification in Penrose Neighborhood and at Peace Park, College Hill Neighborhood

1 pm Saturday, 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

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

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

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

4 pm 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 July 31st Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Sunset Stroll with Master Guide. Register

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

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

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

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

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

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: 4-packs for $3.50 each- Bok Choy, Broccoli (purple & green), Cabbage (red & green), Cauliflower, Collards, Edible Hosta, Lettuce (red & green), Misome (Tatsoi Hybrid)

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

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

19 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

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.

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 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: Mexican Sunflowers, Tithonia rotundifolia. These will grow to 5 feet tall and 3 feet wide with many flowers that attract pollinators.

If you are only looking for St. Louis Area Plant Sales, here’s a page for them. Updated this week with Brightside Daffodil & Tulip Sale and more info on next weekend’s Shaw Cactus & Succulent Society

Missouri Conservation Department invites public in St. Louis region to collect seed this summer for native tree propagation

Monday, 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 —

Watering on the Garden (Seed St. Louis)

Forest ReLeaf developing City Tree Farm on the lot adjacent to the Scott Joplin House, Midtown 

Can You Compost Bread? The Great Debate, Solved! Yes, you can compost bread, BUT there are some general rules of thumb to follow for best results. (Bob Vila)

Spongy moth caterpillars are very hungry and very invasive and may be on their way to Missouri (KSDK)

From burn scar to wetland. After wildfires destroyed Lahaina (Maui County, Hawaii), the battle to restore an ancient ecosystem will shape the town’s future. Gifted article (Washington Post)

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 —

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

5:30 pm Tuesday, July 16th, Bellefontaine Cemetery History & Horticulture Sunset Stroll with Master Guide. Register

4 pm Wednesday, July 17th, Missouri Prairie Foundation Online Master Class: The Magic of Swallowtails. Free to MPF members & Grow Native professional members. $15 nonmembers. Register

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

6 pm Thursday, July 18th, Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Common Caterpillars of Missouri. Register

7:30-10:30 am Friday, July 19th, Missouri Conservation Department and Wild Bird Sanctuary event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Bird-Banding Demo. Also see Banding Together for Birds.

38 Seats remaining. 6 pm Friday, July 19th, Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Conservation Trivia Night. Register

9 am-4 pm Saturday-Sunday, July 20th-21st, Shaw Cactus & Succulent Society Cactus & Succulent Sale at Jost Event Center, St. Louis County

10 am Saturday, 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

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

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

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.

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: 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.