This Week in Gardening & Nature

Plant of the Week: Primrose

Gardening by Month: February Gardening Tips, Tasks, & Problems (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Plan your garden with  Seed St. Louis 2025 Planting Calendar. Start Indoors This Week: Cauliflower, Chard, Collards, Kale, Kohlrabi, Parsley. Still time to start Broccoli, Cabbage, Leeks, Onions indoors.

When to Plant in Illinois (University of Illinois Extension)

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

If you are just looking for St. Louis Area Plant and Seed Swaps and Sales, they are here. Added this week: Missouri Wildflowers Nursery Saturdays at Kirkwood Farmers Market, Piasa Palisades Sierra Club Seed Swaps in Alton IL, Bring Conservation Home Expo at Tower Grove Park

Sign up for Missouri Coalition for the Environment’s Legislative Bill Tracker

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

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

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

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

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

Good Reads/Views/Listens —

Winter Sowing Seeds (University of Missouri Extension)

Native Plant News (Wild Ones)

The Grasses of George Washington Carver (Missouri Botanical Garden)

We’re finally paying attention to PFAS, but Oklahomans are already feeling the impact (Oklahoma Voice)

Campaign cash flows from ethanol and corn sectors as Illinois lawmakers weigh carbon capture regulations (Capitol News Illinois)

Water advocates challenge DNR final decision on permit for cattle facility near Bloody Run Creek (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Nebraska lawmaker pitches state climate office to better respond to climate change (Nebraska Examiner)

Iowa osprey population continues to grow, DNR reports (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Shaw Nature Reserve Propagation Guide

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

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

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

Illinois Native Plants for the Home Landscape

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

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

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

Gardening and Nature Events —

6-8 pm Wednesdays, February 26th-April 2rd, Forest ReLeaf’s TreeKeepers Introductory Tree Course 2025. Register

6-8 pm Tuesdays March 11 to April 15 Heartlands Conservancy free six-week course in Belleville, Illinois: Tree Stewards Training. Classes in Tree Biology & Benefits, Tree Identification, Insects & Diseases, Pruning & Maintenance, Forest Ecology, Urban Tree Community Advocacy. Register

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

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

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

6:30 pm Monday, February 3rd, Missouri River Bird Observatory Webinar: Effects of Renewable Energy on Avian Populations presented by Tara Conkling, USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center. Register

9 am Wednesday, February 5th, Bellefontaine Cemetery event: Arboretum Tour with Horticulturist – Winter Shrub Walk. $5. Register

Noon Thursday, February 6th, Deep Roots Kansas City Zoom class: Pruning Shrubs & Trees presented by Taylor Neff, Urban Forester Missouri Department of Conservation. Register

6 pm Thursday, February 6th, Seed St. Louis, Table to Garden, Willoughby Farm and Good Dirt Composting Collective class at Collinsville, Illinois:  Food Too Good to Waste Series- Maximizing Freshness, Minimizing Food Waste. $15. Register

9 am Friday, February 7th, Heartlands Conservancy event in Belleville, Illinois or Zoom: Bluebird Monitoring Training Session. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am Friday, February 7th, Sierra Club Eastern Missouri event at Castlewood State Park, Ballwin: Service Project Day. Register

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

10 am Saturday, February 8th, Missouri Conservation Department Zoom class: Woodpeckers of Missouri. Register

10:30 am Saturday, February 8th, Piasa Palisades Sierra Club event at Watershed Nature Center in Edwardsville, Illinois: Watershed Trail Hike. Register

14 Seats remaining. 11 am Saturday, February 8th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register

1 pm Saturday, February 8th, St. Louis Public Library event at Central Library: Get Up & Grow.  Introduction to growing and using herbs presented by St. Louis Herb Society.

1 pm Sunday, February 9th, Willoughby Farm event in Collinsville, Illinois: Sustainability Series- Pruning and Tree ID. $15. Register

6:30 pm February 10th Missouri River Bird Observatory Webinar: Toxicity of Lead Ammunition, a need for regulatory change presented by Jeff Meshach, World Bird Sanctuary. Register

6:30 am February 11th Piasa Palisades Sierra Club Speaker Series at Old Bakery Beer in Alton, Illinois: Paddling the Grand Canyon. Register

1 pm February 11th Bellefontaine Cemetery Horticulture Class: Pruning Trees and Shrubsclass. $20. Register

1:30 pm February 11th University of Illinois Extension webinar: Tips and Tricks for Winter Sowing Annuals. Register

12 Seats remaining. 6 pm February 11th St. Louis Public Library adult craft night at Buder Library: Plant Picks. Register

10 am February 12th Missouri Botanical Garden Black History Month program: Black Farmers and Progress in the Field of Agriculture/Farming presented by Tyrean “Heru” Lewis 

4 pm February 12th Grow Native! webinar: Resilient Yards, Keys for Successful Water Management and Pollinator Conservation presented by Dan Shaw, ecological restoration specialist. Register

7 pm February 12th Forest ReLeaf event at Webster Groves Public Library: Building Community Canopy Talk with Webster Groves Nature Study Society.

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am February 13th, Sierra Club Eastern Missouri event at Don Robinson State Park, Cedar Hill, Jefferson County: Stewardship Day. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am February 13th Heartlands Conservancy volunteer event in Edwardsville, Illinois: Poag Sand Prairie Restoration Stewardship Day. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am February 14th Heartlands Conservancy volunteer event at Clinton Hills Conservation Park, Swansea, Illinois: Exploration Garden Stewardship Day. Register

1 pm February 14th Forest ReLeaf skills building class at North Riverfront Park: Valentine’s Day Advanced Tree Pruning. Register

2 pm February 14th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom class: Hawk Talk. Learn how to identify Missouri’s hawks. Register

11 Seats remaining. 2 pm February 14th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Nature Art- Jewelry-Making with Acorns. Register

9 Seats remaining. 7 pm February 14th Missouri Conservation Department event at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area: Listening for Little Prairie Wolves. Register

9 am February 15th Bellefontaine Cemetery event: Arboretum Tour with Horticulturist – Winter Shrub Walk. $5. Register

12 Tickets remaining. 9 am February 15th Missouri Conservation Department event at Dresser Island Conservation Area, West Alton, Missouri: Dresser Island Hike. 5 miles or for 2 miles along Mississippi River participating in Great Backyard Bird Count. Register

28 Tickets remaining. 9:30 am February 15th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center: The Great Backyard Bird Count. Register

10 am February 15th Sierra Club Eastern Missouri Hike at Mastodon State Park, Imperial MO. Register

Noon February 15th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom virtual class: Homemade Soaps and Salves from Native Plants. Register

6 Seat remaining. 12:30 pm February 15th Missouri Conservation Department family event at Howard Wood Urban Outreach Office, Southwest Garden: Owl Be There for You! Register

3 Seats remaining. 1:15 pm February 15th Missouri Conservation Department class at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Paper Making. Register

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

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

Noon to 2 pm February 16th Piasa Palisades Sierra Club Seed Swap at YWCA, Alton, Illinois. Bring your quality seeds, seedlings, cuttings, and bulbs to swap with fellow farmers and gardeners. Nothing to swap, not a problem.

6:30 pm February 17th Missouri River Bird Observatory webinar: Everything’s Connected- A closer look at the importance of predators and scavengers in their ecosystems presented by Jennifer Rader, Kansas Department of Parks and Wildlife. Register

2 pm February 19th Partners for Native Landscaping and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Front Yard Raingardens. Register

2 pm February 20th St. Louis County Library Black History Month event at Meramec Valley Branch: Fannie Lou Hamer: Seeds of Change. Learn about Fannie Lou Hamer and her work for food justice and start some seeds for your garden. Register

6 pm February 20th Seed St. Louis, Table to Garden, Willoughby Farm and Good Dirt Composting Collective class at Collinsville, Illinois:  Food Too Good to Waste Series- Eating Away at Food Waste. $15. Register

6 pm February 20th Wild Ones virtual event: Bees Beyond Honey- Understanding Native and Managed Pollinators. Register

6:30 pm February 20th Missouri Conservation Department virtual class: Identifying Tracks in the Snow. Register

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

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am February 21st Heartlands Conservancy volunteer event at Belleville, Illinois: Signal Hill Outdoor Classroom Stewardship Day. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am February 22nd Heartlands Conservancy volunteer event at Edwardsville, Illinois: Knoll Family Wildlife Sanctuary Stewardship Day. Register

1 pm February 23rd Willoughby Farm event in Collinsville, Illinois: Sustainability Series- Rainscaping. $15. Register

6:30 pm February 24th Missouri River Bird Observatory webinar: Plastics, Petrochemicals, and Communities on the Frontlines presented by Shiv Srivastana, Fenceline Watch. Register

February 26-28 Missouri Community Forestry Council’s ISA Certified Arborist Exam Preparation Class at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood. $75. Register

9:30 am to 2 pm February 26th Missouri Coalition for the Environment Advocacy Day in Jefferson City. Register

11 am February 26th Missouri Conservation Department virtual class: Owls of Missouri. Register

4 pm February 26th Missouri Prairie Foundation webinar: Horizon II- One Part Wildlife, One Part Ecosystem Services, and One Part Renewable Energy. Register

6:30 pm February 26th Mid- Continent Library Kansas City Zoom class: Sap to Syrup. Learn the basics of tree selection, collection, and processing as the equipment needed to turn watery sap into delicious syrup. Register 

6 pm February 28th Missouri Conservation Department class at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Nature at Night, How Lights Affect Ecosystems. Register

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

9 am to Noon March 1st Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum Annual Garage Sale

10 am March 1st Missouri Conservation Department virtual class: Reflections vs Reality- Mitigating Bird Collisions. Learn why window collisions happen, the best strategies to prevent them. Register

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

3 pm March 1st St. Louis County Library event at Thornhill Branch: Grow Together: Gardening Tips & Techniques

9 Seats remaining. 5 pm March 3rd St. Louis Public Library event at Central Library: Worms at Work & DIY Composting Bins. Supplies provided. Register

6:30 pm March 3rd Missouri River Bird Observatory webinar: Effects of Oil Spills on Birds presented by Ben West, USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center. Register

1:30 pm March 4th University of Illinois Extension webinar: Root Awakening- Spring Tree Tips. Register

March 5th University of Illinois Extension’s Gateway Green Conference at Collinsville, Illinois: Building Sustainable Landscapes, Conservation Stewardship, Tree Care. Fee applies.

9 am March 5th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum event: Spring Bulb Walk with horticulturist. $5. Register

10 am March 5th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum event: History & Horticulture Trolley Tour with Master Guide. $5. Register

2 pm March 5th St. Louis County Library Virtual Workshop: Native Garden Design Panel Discussion. Register

2 pm March 5th Partners for Native Landscaping and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Native Garden Design Panel Discussion. Register

March 7th-8th Midwestern Herb & Garden Show in Mount Vernon, Illinois. Plant & Merch Sales, Speakers/Workshops. 1 1/2 hour from St. Louis.

9 am March 8th Seed St. Louis March Plant Sale at Carriage House, 3815 Bell: Potatoes, Onions, Strawberries, Asparagus, more

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am March 8th Great Rivers Greenway North Riverfront Park Mulching Day. Register

Noon to 2 pm March 8th Piasa Palisades Sierra Club Seed Swap at Hayner Public Library, Alton, Illinois. Bring your quality seeds, seedlings, cuttings, and bulbs to swap with fellow farmers and gardeners. Nothing to swap, not a problem.

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

6:30 pm March 10th Missouri River Bird Observatory webinar: Plastics and Public Health: the unsettling latest in medical research presented by Megan Wolff, Beyond Plastics. Register

1- 4 pm March 11th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum horticulture class: Formal and Natural Garden Design Class. Register

9 am March 12th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum event: Spring Bulb Walk with horticulturist. $5. Register

6 pm March 12th St. Louis Public Library event at Carpenter Library:  Welcoming Native Species into Your Garden. Registration opens 10 am February 12th.

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am March 13th Heartlands Conservancy volunteer event in Edwardsville, Illinois: Poag Sand Prairie Restoration Stewardship Day. Register

Noon March 13th Missouri Conservation Department virtual class: Organic Gardening. Register

6 pm March 13th Seed St. Louis, Table to Garden, Willoughby Farm and Good Dirt Composting Collectiveclass at Collinsville, Illinois:  Food Too Good To Waste Series- Composting 101. $15. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am March 14th Heartlands Conservancy volunteer event at Clinton Hills Conservation Park, Swansea, Illinois: Exploration Garden Stewardship Day. Register

7 pm March 14th Heartlands Conservancy Full Moon Hike at Bohm Woods State Nature Preserve in Edwardsville, Illinois. Register

2 pm March 15th St. Louis Public Library event at Divoll Library: Seed Swap

1 pm March 16th Willoughby Farm event in Collinsville, Illinois: Sustainability Series- Urban Gardening. $15. Register

6:30 pm March 17th Missouri River Bird Observatory webinar: Missouri Water Policy- history and current legislation presented by Mary Culler, Missouri Stream Teams United. Register

10 am March 19th Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum event: History & Horticulture Trolley Tour. $5. Register

2 pm March 19th Partners for Native Landscaping and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Monarchs and Mosquitoes – Control the Pests, Protect the Pollinators. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am March 21st Heartlands Conservancy volunteer event at Belleville, Illinois: Signal Hill Outdoor Classroom Stewardship Day. Register

March 22nd Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum Fox Trot 5K and Kit Crawl 10K Run/Walk Fundraiser. Register

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

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am March 22nd Heartlands Conservancy volunteer event at Pontoon Beach, Illinois: Arlington Wetlands Volunteer Stewardship Day. Register

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

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

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

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

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

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

6 pm Thursday, February 6th, Seed St. Louis, Table to Garden, Willoughby Farm and Good Dirt Composting Collective class at Collinsville, Illinois:  Food Too Good to Waste Series- Indoor Composting with Vermicomposting and Bokashi. $15. Register

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

9 am April 5th Seed St. Louis Spring Seedling Sale at Carriage House, 3815 Bell

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

April 26th Heartlands Conservancy Native Plant Sale

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Join us Sundays on Bluesky for #GardenSunday.

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Amaryllis Minerva. December 2023 photo of two orange red with white throats trumpet-like flowers on stems on windowsill

Plant of the Week: Brighten up your home or office this winter with Amaryllis and learn to care for it year round.

Upcoming Illinois Educator Nature Workshops offered by Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Missouri Master Naturalist Program

The perfect holiday or birthday gift for the person who has everything: Adopt a Regal Fritillary Butterfly via Missouri Prairie Foundation

Only 5 weeks until time to start leeks and onions by seed indoors. It’s never too early to start planning your 2024 Garden: Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar

Want a front yard native landscape makeover? Enter Grow Native! and Wild Ones St. Louis Chapter 2024 Landscape Challenge

Gardening by Month- Tips, Tasks, Problems: December (Missouri Botanical Garden)

December Garden To Do List (P. Allen Smith)

Small Meat processors say USDA measures don’t address consolidated industry’s root problems (Missouri Independent)

Good Reads & Views—

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

If you’re in 6a-7a zones, there is a ton of useful gardening information available on Seed St. Louis YouTube channel

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

Thru December 31st Sachs Butterfly House: Winter Jewels- An Enchanted Celebration, Chesterfield, St. Louis County. Tickets

Thru January 6th Garden Glow at Missouri Botanical Garden. Tickets

Thru January 31st at Powder Valley Nature Conservation Center, Kirkwood: Agents of Discovery: Migration or Hibernation. Show off your nature knowledge to win prizes!

4 pm Wednesday, December 6th, Missouri Prairie Foundation Webinar: Honduras- A Natural Haven for Migratory Birds. Register.

10 am Thursday, December 7th, Seed, St. Louis and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Tree Saps & Syrups. Register

6-8:30 pm Thursday, December 7th, Missouri Coalition for the Environment Holiday Party, University City, St. Louis County. Register

8 am Saturday, December 9th, Missouri Conservation Department In Person Class @ Forest Park Hatchery: Learn to Fish, All About Trout, Lesson 1. 3 Seats remaining. Register

1 pm Saturday, December 9th, St. Louis Public Library In Person Event @ Carpenter Library: All About Eagles with World Bird Sanctuary. Register.

8 am Sunday, December 10th, Missouri Conservation Department In Person Class @ Forest Park Hatchery: Learn to Fish, All About Trout, Lesson 2. 10 Seats remaining. Register

8:30 am December 13th Piasa Sierra Club event @ La Vista Trail, Godfrey, Illinois: Invasive Species Management Training & Work Day. Register.

Noon December 13th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Winter Woodpeckers. Register

6 pm December 14th Seed St. Louis In Person Class: Growing Fruit from Winter Cuttings. Registration Not Required.

9 am December 15th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Backyard Bird Watching. Register.

8 am December 16th Missouri Conservation Department In Person Class @ Forest Park Hatchery: Learn to Fish, All About Trout, Lesson 1. 5 Seats remaining. Register

10 am December 16th Piasa Sierra Club event: Treehouse Wildlife Center Tour, Jersey County, Illinois. $5. Register.

8 am December 17th Missouri Conservation Department In Person Class @ Forest Park Hatchery: Learn to Fish, All About Trout, Lesson 2. 3 Seats remaining. Register

9 am December 19th Missouri Conservation Department Guided Walk: The Sights & Sounds of Powder Valley Nature Conservation Area, Kirkwood

2 pm December 19th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Creature Feature- River Otter. Register

4 pm December 20th Missouri Prairie Foundation Webinar: Challenges and Opportunities for Conserving Rare Grassland Plants. Register.

8 am December 24th Missouri Conservation Department In Person Class @ Forest Park Hatchery: Learn to Fish, All About Trout, Lessons 1 & 2. 7 Seats remaining. Register

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

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

4:30 pm December 31st Missouri Conservation Department New Year’s Eve Stroll to the Confluence, Columbia Bottom Conservation Area. 15 Tickets remaining. Register.

8 am January 1st Missouri Conservation Department In Person Class @ Forest Park Hatchery: Learn to Fish, All About Trout, Lesson 1. 10 Seats remaining. Register

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

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

8 am January 7th Missouri Conservation Department In Person Class @ Forest Park Hatchery: Learn to Fish, All About Trout, Lesson 2. 10 Seats remaining. Register

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

8 am January 13th Missouri Conservation Department In Person Class @ Forest Park Hatchery: Learn to Fish, All About Trout, Lesson 1. 10 Seats remaining. Register

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

8 am January 14th Missouri Conservation Department In Person Class @ Forest Park Hatchery: Learn to Fish, All About Trout, Lesson 2. 10 Seats remaining. Register

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Photo of two weeks growth on Swiss Chard plant. Leaves are maroon and green with red veins and stem.

Plant of the Week: Swiss Chard. This beautiful, nutritious, easy to grow, vegetable is still producing in Zone 6b after a “last” harvest cutting two weeks ago and hard freezes. Cover these plants to extend the season thru winter.

The perfect holiday or birthday gift for the person who has everything: Adopt a Regal Fritillary Butterfly via Missouri Prairie Foundation

It’s never too early to start planning your 2024 Garden: Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar

Thru December 31st Sachs Butterfly House event: Winter Jewels- An Enchanted Celebration, Chesterfield, St. Louis County. Tickets

Thru January 6th Garden Glow at Missouri Botanical Garden. Tickets

Want a front yard native landscape makeover? Enter Grow Native! and Wild Ones St. Louis Chapter 2024 Landscape Challenge

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

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

Good Reads & Views—

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

If you’re in 6a-7a zones, there is a ton of useful gardening information available on Seed St. Louis YouTube channel

A lovers’ tale of romance, fidelity and aviary netting keeping them apart. Julieta, a wild bird, has been coming to see Romeo, who lives in a Rio de Janeiro zoo aviary, every day for 20 years. (Free read via my Washington Post subscription)

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

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

Gardening and Nature Events

10 am Tuesday, November 28th, Bellefontaine Cemetery Trolley Tour: 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. $5. Register.

6 pm Wednesday, November 29th, Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Whacky Woodpeckers. Register

1 pm Thursday, November 30th, Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Black Bears of Missouri. Register

1:30 pm Thursday, November 30th, Bellefontaine Cemetery Leaf Walk. 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. Register

6 pm Thursday, November 30th, Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: Tree Saps & Syrups. Register

6:30 pm Thursday, November 30th, Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Attracting Backyard Birds. Register

8 am Saturday, December 2nd, St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk at Forest Park. Register

8 am Saturday, December 2nd, Missouri Conservation Department In Person Class @ Forest Park Hatchery: Learn to Fish, All About Trout, Lesson 1. 4 Seats remaining. Register

9 am Saturday, December 2nd, Forest ReLeaf Christy Greenway Tree Planting, Old St. Marcus Cemetery Park. Register

8 am Sunday, December 3rd, Missouri Conservation Department In Person Class @ Forest Park Hatchery: Learn to Fish, All About Trout, Lesson 2. 10 Seats remaining. Register

4 pm December 6th Missouri Prairie Foundation Webinar: Honduras- A Natural Haven for Migratory Birds. Register.

10 am December 7th Seed St. Louis and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Tree Saps & Syrups. Register

6-8:30 pm December 7th Missouri Coalition for the Environment Holiday Party, University City, St. Louis County. Register

8 am Saturday, December 9th, Missouri Conservation Department In Person Class @ Forest Park Hatchery: Learn to Fish, All About Trout, Lesson 1. 10 Seats remaining. Register

1 pm December 9th St. Louis Public Library In Person Event @ Carpenter Library: All About Eagles with World Bird Sanctuary. Register.

8 am December 10th Missouri Conservation Department In Person Class @ Forest Park Hatchery: Learn to Fish, All About Trout, Lesson 2. 10 Seats remaining. Register

8:30 am December 13th Piasa Sierra Club event @ La Vista Trail, Godfrey, Illinois: Invasive Species Management Training & Work Day. Register.

Noon December 13th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Winter Woodpeckers. Register

6 pm December 14th Seed St. Louis In Person Class: Growing Fruit from Winter Cuttings. Registration Not Required.

9 am December 15th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Backyard Bird Watching. Register.

8 am December 16th Missouri Conservation Department In Person Class @ Forest Park Hatchery: Learn to Fish, All About Trout, Lesson 1. 7 Seats remaining. Register

10 am December 16th Piasa Sierra Club event: Treehouse Wildlife Center Tour, Jersey County, Illinois. $5. Register.

8 am December 17th Missouri Conservation Department In Person Class @ Forest Park Hatchery: Learn to Fish, All About Trout, Lesson 2. 3 Seats remaining. Register

2 pm December 19th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Creature Feature- River Otter. Register

10 am December 20-29th Missouri Botanical Garden holiday break fun for kids: Budding Scientist- Celebrate Urban Birds.  $3 each child. Register

1 pm December 20-29th Missouri Botanical Garden holiday break fun for kids: Budding Scientist- Celebrate Urban Birds.  $3 each child. Register

4 pm December 20th Missouri Prairie Foundation Webinar: Challenges and Opportunities for Conserving Rare Grassland Plants. Register.

8 am December 24th Missouri Conservation Department In Person Class @ Forest Park Hatchery: Learn to Fish, All About Trout, Lessons 1 & 2. 7 Seats remaining. Register

4:30 pm December 31st Missouri Conservation Department New Year’s Eve Stroll to the Confluence, Columbia Bottom Conservation Area. 16 Tickets remaining. Register.

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

This Week In Gardening & Nature

Photo of American Beautyberry in Fall/Winter splendor- hot pink berries on leafless stems waiting for birds and wildlife to enjoy.

Plant of the Week: American Beautyberry

Walk off your Thanksgiving dinner. Take a drive and hike at one of Missouri Prairie Foundation’s Prairies.

Want a front yard native landscape makeover? Enter Grow Native! and Wild Ones St. Louis Chapter 2024 Landscape Challenge

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

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

The perfect holiday or birthday gift for the person who has everything: Adopt a Regal Fritillary Butterfly via Missouri Prairie Foundation

It’s never too early to start planning your 2024 Garden: Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar

Good Reads & Views—

November Gardening Tips: Outdoor Flowing Plants & Ornamentals, Vegetable Gardening, Fruits & Nuts, Indoor Plants, Turfgrass (University of Missouri Extension)

10 Fall Gardening Tips & Recipes video (P. Allen Smith)

Fall Leaves for the Garden (Seed St. Louis)

Pecans: A Whole Lot of Shakin’ Goin’ On (University of Missouri Extension)

Donation to Missouri AG riles plaintiffs in lead-poisoning suit against St. Louis company. The parent company for Doe Run cut at $50,000 check to a PAC supporting Andrew Bailey three months after he filed a brief in support of the lead smelter in federal court (Missouri Independent)

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 —

5:30 pm Monday, November 13th, St. Louis Public Library In Person Class at Central Library: DIY Worm Bins and Vermicomposting. Register

10 am Tuesday, November 14th, Bellefontaine Cemetery Trolley Tour: 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. $5. Register.

6:30 pm Tuesday, November 14th, Sierra Club Piasa Speaker Series: Great Camps of the Adirondacks @ Old Bakery Beer, Alton IL. Register

10 am Wednesday, November 15th, Seed St. Louis & St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Edible Landscaping. Register

For Kids 0-7 years. 10 am Thursday, November 16th, Missouri Conservation Department Conservation Kids event at Tower Grove Park, Stupp Center: You and me under the Canopy: Talkin’ Turkeys. Learn about some common backyard birds, then create felt ornaments to take home. Must be at least age 16. Only 1 Seat remaining. Register

1:30 pm Thursday, November 16th, Bellefontaine Cemetery Leaf Walk. 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. Register

4 pm Thursday, November 16th, Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: Backyard Bird Feeding. Register

10 am Saturday, November 18th, Bellefontaine Cemetery Trolley Tour: 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. $5. Register.

2 pm Saturday, November 18th, St. Louis Public Library In Person Class at Buder Library: Introduction to Chickens with Second-Hen’d. Learn the benefits of adopting “spent” hens.

Saturday, November 18th, thru January 6th Garden Glow at Missouri Botanical Garden. Tickets

10 am Sunday, November 19th, Missouri Conservation Department In Person Class at Tower Grove Park, Stupp Center: The Science & Art of Soapmaking. Class is full but Register for Waiting List

1:30 pm November 22nd Bellefontaine Cemetery Leaf Walk. 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. Register

4 pm November 22nd Missouri Prairie Foundation Webinar: Ecology & Management of Missouri’s Woodland Communities. Register

November 24th to December 31st Sachs Butterfly House event: Winter Jewels- An Enchanted Celebration, Chesterfield, St. Louis County. Tickets

1 pm November 24th Missouri Conservation Department Walk off the Turkey and Pumpkin Pie Hike at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area, St. Louis County. 9 Tickets remaining. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 10 am November 25th Missouri Coalition for the Environment Honeysuckle Removal Day @ historic Greenwood Cemetery, Hillsdale, St. Louis County. Register

10 am November 28th Bellefontaine Cemetery Trolley Tour: 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. $5. Register.

6 pm November 29th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Whacky Woodpeckers. Register

1 pm November 30th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Black Bears of Missouri. Register

1:30 pm November 30th Bellefontaine Cemetery Leaf Walk. 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. Register

6 pm November 30th Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: Tree Saps & Syrups. Register

6:30 November 30th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Attracting Backyard Birds. Register

8 am December 2nd St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk at Forest Park. Register

9 am December 2nd Forest ReLeaf Christy Greenway Tree Planting, Old St. Marcus Cemetery Park. Register

10 am December 7th Seed St. Louis and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Tree Saps & Syrups. Register

6-8:30 pm December 7th Missouri Coalition for the Environment Holiday Party, University City, St. Louis County. Register

1 pm December 9th St. Louis Public Library In Person Event @ Carpenter Library: All About Eagles with World Bird Sanctuary. Register.

Noon December 13th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Winter Woodpeckers. Register

10 am December 16th Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: Nature Art- Felt Bird Ornaments. Registration Opens November 1st. Register

2 pm December 19th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Creature Feature- River Otter. Register

10 am December 20-29th Missouri Botanical Garden holiday break fun for kids: Budding Scientist- Celebrate Urban Birds.  $3 each child. Register

1 pm December 20-29th Missouri Botanical Garden holiday break fun for kids: Budding Scientist- Celebrate Urban Birds.  $3 each child. Register

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

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

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

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

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


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

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Photo of Aromatic Aster with Common Checkered Skipper on a flower.

Plant of the Week: Aromatic Aster

Fall Tree Color Reports: Missouri (Peak color in SE Mo Bootheel, past peak elsewhere) and Illinois

Missouri Prairie Foundation is selling “Leave The Leaves” signs for $20 each

It’s never too early to start planning your 2024 Garden: Seed St. Louis Planting Calendar

Good Reads —

Gardening by Month: November Tips & Tasks, Pests & Problems (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Garden Tasks for Fall video (Seed St. Louis)

These American birds and dozens more will be renamed, to remove human monikers: “the American Ornithological Society has vowed to change the English names of all bird species currently named after people, along with any other bird names deemed offensive or exclusionary. (NPR Morning Edition)

Leave the leaves! Missouri Department of Conservation says to leave behind some of the leaves on your lawn this autumn (KY3)

(paywall) Agricultural weedkillers are slowly killing trees across Missouri and Illinois, scientists, state workers and landowners say (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

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)

Order Tree Seedlings now for shipping in February from Missouri Conservation Department

Gardening and Nature Events —

3:30 pm Tuesday, November 7th, Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Backyard Birds, Project FeederWatch. Register

9 am to 3:30 pm Wednesday, November 8th, Grow Native! Professionals Conference @ University of Missouri- Columbia. $20 per person for Grow Native! professional members (and their staff). Zoom option: $30 for non-members. Register

1:30 pm Wednesday, November 8th, Bellefontaine Cemetery Leaf Walk. 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. Register

6:30 pm Wednesday, Nov 8th, St. Louis County Library, Grant’s View Branch, In Person Class: Beginner Food Preservation. Covers Canning, Dehydrating, Fermentation, Pickling. Register

4 pm Friday, November 10th, Missouri Botanical Garden In Person Event at Visitor Center: Dr. Shahina Ghazanfar will present the 2023 John Dwyer Lecture in Biology on her book “Plants of the Quran: History and Culture.”

Noon to 3 pm Sunday, November 12th, Missouri Prairie Foundation Friends of Cuivre River State Park Grasslands Work Day, Lincoln County Mo. Register

10 am November 14th Bellefontaine Cemetery Trolley Tour: 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. $5. Register.

10 am November 15th Seed St. Louis & St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Edible Landscaping. Register

For Kids 0-7 years. 10 am November 16th Missouri Conservation Department Conservation Kids event at Tower Grove Park, Stupp Center: You and me under the Canopy: Talkin’ Turkeys. Learn about some common backyard birds, then create felt ornaments to take home. Must be at least age 16. 15 Seats remaining. Register

Noon November 16th Deep Roots Kansas City Native Plants at Noon Zoom event. Register

1:30 pm November 16th Bellefontaine Cemetery Leaf Walk. 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. Register

4 pm November 16th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: Backyard Bird Feeding. Register

10 am November 18th Bellefontaine Cemetery Trolley Tour: 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. $5. Register.

November 18th thru January 6th Garden Glow at Missouri Botanical Garden. Tickets

10 am November 19th Missouri Conservation Department In Person Class at Tower Grove Park, Stupp Center: The Science & Art of Soapmaking. Class is full but Register for Waiting List

1:30 pm November 22nd Bellefontaine Cemetery Leaf Walk. 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. Register

4 pm November 22nd Missouri Prairie Foundation Webinar: Ecology & Management of Missouri’s Woodland Communities. Register

1 pm November 24th Missouri Conservation Department Walk off the Turkey and Pumpkin Pie Hike at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area, St. Louis County. 11 Tickets remaining. Register

10 am November 28th Bellefontaine Cemetery Trolley Tour: 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. $5. Register.

6 pm November 29th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Whacky Woodpeckers. Register

1 pm November 30th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Black Bears of Missouri. Register

1:30 pm November 30th Bellefontaine Cemetery Leaf Walk. 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. Register

6 pm November 30th Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: Tree Saps & Syrups. Register

6:30 November 30th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Attracting Backyard Birds. Register

8 am December 2nd St. Louis Audubon Society Beginner Bird Walk at Forest Park. Register

9 am December 2nd Forest ReLeaf Christy Greenway Tree Planting, Old St. Marcus Cemetery Park. Register

10 am December 7th Seed St. Louis and St. Louis County Library Zoom Class: Tree Saps & Syrups. Register

Noon December 13th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Winter Woodpeckers. Register

10 am December 16th Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: Nature Art- Felt Bird Ornaments. Registration Opens November 1st. Register

2 pm December 19th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Creature Feature- River Otter. Register

10 am December 20-29th Missouri Botanical Garden holiday break fun for kids: Budding Scientist- Celebrate Urban Birds.  $3 each child. Register

1 pm December 20-29th Missouri Botanical Garden holiday break fun for kids: Budding Scientist- Celebrate Urban Birds.  $3 each child. Register

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

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


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

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Snapdragons. White with purple edges and yellow centers.

Plant of the Week: Snapdragons

Seed St. Louis Shallot Sale. Order Online by Thursday for Saturday, October 14th Pick Up at Carriage House, 3815 Bell Ave. Shallot Grow Guide

Fall Tree Color Reports: Missouri and Illinois

Good Reads —

Gardening by Month: October Tips & Tasks, Pests & Problems (Missouri Botanical Garden)

October Garden To Do List (P. Allen Smith)

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)

Order Tree Seedlings now for shipping in February from Missouri Conservation Department

Gardening and Nature Events —

Volunteers Wanted. Plant It Forward @ Tower Grove Park 9 am to Noon Tuesday, October 10th and 9 am to Noon Thursday, October 12th

10 am Tuesday, October 10th, Bellefontaine Cemetery Trolley Tour: 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. $5. Register.

10 am Wednesday, October 11th, Bellefontaine Cemetery Arboretum Walking Tour. 2 Hour Horticulture guided tour. Register

4 pm Wednesday, October 11th, Missouri Prairie Foundation Webinar- Dicamba and 2,4-D; Old Herbicides Causing New Problems. Register

1:30 pm Thursday, October 12th, Bellefontaine Cemetery Leaf Walk. 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. Register

2 pm Thursday, October 12th, Seed St. Louis & St. Louis County Public Library Zoom Class: Container Gardening. Register

6 pm Thursday, October 12th, Seed St. Louis Great Fall Wrap Up Zoom Event. How best to clean up and prep your garden, what to compost, what to throw away. How to clean up the area around your garden in order to look tidy while still supporting our local bees and other insects. How to prep your soil for next spring. Register

10 am October 28th Missouri Conservation Department Beginner Watercolor Class at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: Watercolor Painting: Fall Leaves and Trees. 6 Seats remaining. Register

Volunteers Wanted. 10 am Saturday, October 14th, Forest ReLeaf Beckett Park Memorial Tree Stewardship Day, Lewis Place Neighborhood. Help honor 25 families and their loved ones lost to gun violence by caring for trees planted in their memory. Register

8:30 am Sunday, October 15th, St. Louis Audubon Society Youth & Family Beginner Bird Walk at Tower Grove Park. Register

5-7:30 pm October 16th Missouri Conservation Department Fishing Lessons 1 & 2 (gear, casting, fish handling, knot tying, baiting) at Forest Park Fish Hatchery. Gear provided. 13 Seats remaining. Register

2 pm October 17th information session at Bellefontaine Cemetery, Hotchkiss Chapel: What is Green Burial? Register

Volunteers Wanted. Plant It Forward @ Tower Grove Park 9 am to Noon October 17th, 9 am to Noon October 18th, and 9 am to Noon October 19th

3:30 pm October 18th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Trees- Fall Color. Find out what causes leaves to change color, which plants have the showiest color, and some great places to visit this fall. Register

For Kids 0-7 years. 4 pm October 19th Missouri Conservation Conservation Kids event at Tower Grove Park: You and me under the Canopy- Sly Critters. Register

1:30 pm October 20th Bellefontaine Cemetery Leaf Walk. 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. Register

3 pm October 20th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Birds of Missouri. Find out great places in Missouri to view Fall migration and for winter birdwatching season. Register

9 am October 21st Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Where Can I? — Birdwatch. Register

10 am October 21st Bellefontaine Cemetery Trolley Tour: 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. $5. Register

1 pm October 21st Missouri Prairie Foundation Members Field Trip: Bellefontaine Cemetery Fall Tree Walk

6-8 pm October 21st Stargazing at Tower Grove Park

2-5 pm October 22nd Fall Frolic at Tower Grove Park with Missouri Conservation Department. Discover all the flora and fauna that live in St. Louis region through autumn-centric activity stations and wildlife encounters.

10 am October 24th Bellefontaine Cemetery Trolley Tour: 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. $5. Register

6 pm October 24th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Bats of Missouri. Register

4 pm October 25th Missouri Prairie Foundation Zoom Class: Show Me Tarantulas! The Ecology of Aphonopelma hentzi in Missouri Glades. Register

9 am October 26th information session at Bellefontaine Cemetery, Hotchkiss Chapel: What is Green Burial? Register

3-6 pm October 28th Missouri Conservation Department Dutch Oven Cooking Class at Tower Grove Park. Bring law chairs. Must be at least 7 years of age. 12 Seats remaining. Register

1:30 pm October 31st Bellefontaine Cemetery Leaf Walk. 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. Register

9 am November 1st Missouri Conservation Department Project FeederWatch Virtual Kickoff. Help Cornell Lab track birds. Register

1:30 pm November 2nd Bellefontaine Cemetery Leaf Walk. 2 Hour Horticulture & History guided tour. Register

7:45 am to Noon November 4th Bellefontaine Cemetery Coyote Crawl 5K and Head for the Hills 10K Run/Walk. Register

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

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am November 4th Forest ReLeaf North Riverfront Fall Tree Planting, North Entrance @ North Riverfront Park. Register

3:30 pm November 7th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Backyard Birds, Project FeederWatch. Register

9 am to 3:30 pm November 8th Grow Native! Professionals Conference @ University of Missouri- Columbia. $20 per person for Grow Native! professional members (and their staff). Zoom option: $30 for non-members. Register

Noon to 3 pm November 12th Missouri Prairie Foundation Friends of Cuivre River State Park Grasslands Work Day, Lincoln County Mo. Register

For Kids 0-7 years. 10 am November 16th Missouri Conservation Department Conservation Kids event at Tower Grove Park, Stupp Center: You and me under the Canopy: Talkin’ Turkeys. Learn about some common backyard birds, then create felt ornaments to take home. Must be at least age 16. 12 Seats remaining. Register

4 pm November 16th Missouri Conservation Department Virtual Class: Backyard Bird Feeding. Register

10 am November 19th Missouri Conservation Department In Person Class at Tower Grove Park, Stupp Center: The Science & Art of Soapmaking. Registration Opens November 1st: Register

6 pm November 29th Missouri Conservation Department Zoom Class: Whacky Woodpeckers. Register

9 am December 2nd Forest ReLeaf Christy Greenway Tree Planting, Old St. Marcus Cemetery Park. Register

10 am December 16th Missouri Conservation Department event at Tower Grove Park: Nature Art- Felt Bird Ornaments. Registration Opens November 1st. Register


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

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Pink and white Amaryllis flowers, potted houseplant

Sunday Deadline for Ordering Online from Seed St. Louis Annual Seed Packet Sale: $0.25-$1.00 each for veggie, fruit, herb, flower seed packets- for Pick Up Jan 21st

Sunday Application Deadline. Hey, teachers and parents of school gardeners, community gardens, public park gardeners: Grow Native Missouri Native Plant Prairie Garden Grants

Jan 16th Deadline for St. Louis County residents to recycle holiday trees at four locations

Gardening by Month- January. Tips & Tasks, Pests & Problems from Missouri Botanical Garden

Start planning your 2023 Garden with Seed St. Louis Seed Starting/Planting Calendar

6 pm Thursday Seed St. Louis Webinar Seed Starting. Register

6 pm Friday Missouri Conservation Dept Virtual Event: Winter Wetland Birds. Register

10:30 am Saturday Missouri Conservation Dept Virtual Event: Biodiversity in Your Backyard. Register

1 pm Saturday Missouri Conservation Dept event at Stupp Center, Tower Grove Park: Art in the Park: Canvas & Cocoa. Theme- cardinal in a winter tree scene. Suitable for Teens-Adults. Register

Noon Jan 18th Missouri Conservation Dept Virtual Event: Wonderful Woodpeckers. Register

4 pm Jan 18th Grow Native! Online Master Class: Gardening on the Shady Side. Free to Missouri Prairie Foundation ie members and Grow Native! professional members. $15 for non-members. Register

Noon Jan 19th Deep Roots Kansas City’s Virtual Event: Native Plants at Noon. Register

7 pm Jan 22nd Missouri Conservation Dept event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center: An Evening with Raptors. Register

4 pm Jan 23rd Missouri Conservation Dept Virtual Event: Homemade Suet Bird Feeders. Register

6 pm Jan 26th Seed St. Louis Webinar: Tree Saps & Syrups. Register

January 28–February 26 Orchid Show at Missouri Botanical Garden. Tickets

6 pm Feb 2nd Seed St. Louis Zoom Class: Jump Starting the Growing Season. Register

Feb 11th Eagle Days at Audubon Center at Riverlands, West Alton (Not Chain of Rocks Bridge). Register

Register for 8 am to 3 pm Feb 11th Seed St. Louis Community Agriculture Conference, In Person and Virtual. $15 but scholarships available. Keynote Presentation: Soul Farmer, Tyrean “Heru” Lewis. Sessions: Growing Mushrooms at Home, Help Pollinators & Increase Your Harvest, Wild Edibles of Missouri, Growing Microgreens 101, Schoolyard Animal Husbandry, Free Plants in the Kitchen Garden, Lacto Ferment Your Garden Produce for Better Gut Health, What is Therapeutic Horticulture?, Land Trust Garden Update

Next horticulture tour at Bellefontaine Cemetery? 10 am March 1st Horticultural Tour at Bellefontaine Cemetery: Bellefontaine in Bloom. 2 Hour Walking Tour with Master Guide. Register

Join us Sundays on Twitter for #GardenSunday with host @stl7thward to interact with other outdoor and indoor gardeners and nature enthusiasts, ask questions, give answers, share photos.

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Photo of four dwarf canna plants growing indoors in a clay pot. They look like corn stalks.

St. Louis City residents have until January 9th to recycle holiday trees at three locations.

Neighboring counties tree recycling and other holiday recycling info.

Gardening by Month- January. Tips & Tasks, Pests & Problems from Missouri Botanical Garden

Start planning your 2023 Garden with Seed St. Louis Seed Starting/Planting Calendar

4 pm Tuesday Craft Project for K-3 Kids at Machacek Library, Lindenwood: Paper Plate Bird Feeder

Noon Wednesday Missouri Conservation Dept Virtual Event: Winter Bloomers- Witch Hazel. Register

4 pm Wednesday Grow Native Missouri Zoom Master Class: Landscaping with Native Wetland Plants. Free to Missouri Prairie Foundation members and Grow Native! professional members. $15 for non-members. Register

6:30 am Saturday Missouri Conservation Dept event at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area: Sunrise Hike to Watch for Eagles at the Confluence. 12 Tickets remaining. Register

9 am Saturday Missouri Conservation Dept event at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area: Dresser Island Hike. Register

6 pm Jan 12th Seed St. Louis Webinar Seed Starting. Register

6 pm Jan 13th Missouri Conservation Dept Virtual Event: Winter Wetland Birds. Register

10:30 am Jan 14th Missouri Conservation Dept Virtual Event: Biodiversity in Your Backyard. Register

Jan 15th Deadline for Ordering Online from Seed St. Louis Annual Seed Packet Sale: $0.25-$1.00 each for veggie, fruit, herb, flower seed packets- for Pick Up Jan 21st

Jan 15th Application Deadline. Hey, teachers and parents of school gardeners, community gardens, public park gardeners: Grow Native Missouri Native Plant Prairie Garden Grants

Noon Jan 18th Missouri Conservation Dept Virtual Event: Wonderful Woodpeckers. Register

4 pm Jan 18th Grow Native! Online Master Class: Gardening on the Shady Side. Free to Missouri Prairie Foundation ie members and Grow Native! professional members. $15 for non-members. Register

Noon Jan 19th Deep Roots Kansas City’s Virtual Event: Native Plants at Noon. Register

7 pm Jan 22nd Missouri Conservation Dept event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center: An Evening with Raptors. Register

4 pm Jan 23rd Missouri Conservation Dept Virtual Event: Homemade Suet Bird Feeders. Register

6 pm Jan 26th Seed St. Louis Webinar: Tree Saps & Syrups. Register

Feb 11th Eagle Days at Audubon Center at Riverlands, West Alton (Not Chain of Rocks Bridge). Register

Register for 8 am to 3 pm Feb 11th Seed St. Louis Community Agriculture Conference, In Person and Virtual. $15 but scholarships available. Keynote Presentation: Soul Farmer, Tyrean “Heru” Lewis. Sessions: Growing Mushrooms at Home, Help Pollinators & Increase Your Harvest, Wild Edibles of Missouri, Growing Microgreens 101, Schoolyard Animal Husbandry, Free Plants in the Kitchen Garden, Lacto Ferment Your Garden Produce for Better Gut Health, What is Therapeutic Horticulture?, Land Trust Garden Update

Join us Sundays on Twitter for #GardenSunday with host @stl7thward to interact with other outdoor and indoor gardeners and nature enthusiasts, ask questions, give answers, share photos.

This Week in Gardening & Nature

Gardening by Month from Missouri Botanical Garden: November Tips & Tasks, Pests & Problems

November Garden To Do List from P. Allen Smith

Woodpeckers: The Hole Story, narrated by Paul Giamatti, is airing on PBS. Check you local PBS station for when in you area.

6 pm Wednesday Old North’s Northside Workshop Support the Bee Sanctuary fundraiser at Turn Restaurant, Midtown. Tickets: $50

5-7 pm Thursday Seed St. Louis Urban Ag Happy Hour at Schlafly Tap Room, 2100 Locust No program. No agenda. Just fun and making connections.

2 pm Friday Seed St. Louis and St. Louis County Library In Person Class at Mid-County Library, Clayton: Container Gardening. Register

9 am Saturday ForestReLeaf North Riverfront Mississippi Greenway Tree Planting. Volunteers Wanted. Register

11 am Saturday Missouri Conservation Department’s Harvest Feast for the Birds at Rockwoods Reservation, Wildwood. 4 Tickets remaining. Register

1:30 pm Nov 14th Leaf Walk at Bellefontaine Cemetery. Master Guide led walking tour. Register

3 pm Nov 14th Seed St. Louis and St. Louis County Library In Person Class at Bridgeton Trails Library: Container Gardening. Register

9 am Nov 16th Missouri Conservation Department’s Birdwatching Hike at Rockwoods Reservation, Wildwood. Register

6 pm Nov 17th Missouri Conservation Department’s Conservation Kids @ Tower Grove Park, Stupp Center. You and Me under the Canopy: Fall Fun for 3-6 year olds. Register

10 am Nov 19th Seed St. Louis In Person Workshop: Utilizing the School Garden in Winter. At Carriage House, Bell Community Garden, 3815 Bell. Register

4 pm Nov 23rd Missouri Prairie Foundation Online Master Class Wasps: The Astonishing Diversity of a Misunderstood Insect Free to Mo Prairie Foundation members & Grow Native Missouri professional members. $15 for non-members. Register

Join us Sundays on Twitter for #GardenSunday with host @stl7thward to interact with other outdoor and indoor gardeners and nature enthusiasts, ask questions, give answers, share photos.