Plant of the Week: Ornamental Cabbage

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

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

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.

January 2nd-31st St. Louis City Public Library annual Martin Luther King Jr. Food Drive, all library locations, to benefit St. Louis Area Foodbank. Donate unopened, unexpired food goods. The Foodbank does offer a list of most requested foods.

If you are just looking for St. Louis Area Plant and Seed Swaps and Sales, they are here. Added this week: Seed Swap at Divoll Library

Plan your garden with  Seed St. Louis 2025 Planting Calendar: Have you started onions and leeks indoors? It’s time.

When to Plant in Illinois (University of Illinois Extension)

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

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

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

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

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

Good Reads/Views/Listens —

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

A rare yellow cardinal draws eyes to St. Louis bird-watching (St. Louis Public Radio)

Native Insect Pollinators and Their Habitats (University of Missouri Extension)

Lead is a threat to human health. It’s also killing bald eagles (St. Louis Public Radio)

Some Iowa counties give up the ability to weigh in on livestock facility construction. Counties have until the end of January to submit resolutions to DNR for 2025 (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

‘White people shouldn’t mess with it’: Native American church laments psychedelic cactus shortage. Western ‘psychedelic renaissance’ is partly to blame for dwindling supplies of peyote, which produces mescaline (The Guardian)

A recycling company wants to have a ‘ripple’ effect on glass recycling rates in St. Louis (St. Louis Public Radio)

Missouri bills would let utilities use projections to set rates, may increase prices. The legislation would apply to gas, water and sewer utilities (Missouri Independent)

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 —

10 am Monday, January 13th, St. Louis County Library Zoom class: Eco-Empowerment- Start and Grow a Green Business. Register

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

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

10 am Tuesday, January 14th, Sierra Club Eastern Missouri event on St. Louis Riverfront: Arch Grounds and Eads Bridge Hike. Register

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

1 pm Tuesday, January 14th, Bellefontaine Cemetery horticulture class: Winter Tree ID. Indoor then out to Arboretum. $20. Register

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

9 am Wednesday, January 15th, University of Illinois Extension Community Tree Care Series webinar: Site, Species Selection, and Construction Damage. $10. Register

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

Volunteers Wanted. 9 am Friday, January 17th, Heartland Conservancy event in Belleville, Illinois: Signal Hill Outdoor Classroom Volunteer Stewardship Day. Register

15 Seats remaining. 6 pm Friday, January 17th, Missouri Conservation Department’s Conservation Trivia Night at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood. Register

9 am to Noon January 18th Missouri Botanical Gardens event: Winter Wonders. Pot a succulent to take home. Investigate plant science with hands-on activities in the PlantLab. Explore the Climatron and Shoenberg Arid House with roving docents.  Learn about the top 10 cacti for your home and the 10 least recommended. Bring your binoculars for bird watching. 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 January 20th Missouri River Bird Observatory Winter Learning Series on Zoom: What Can Climate Litigation Teach Us About Holding the Plastics Industry Responsible for Pollution Problems, presented by Bart Elmore, Professor of Environmental History, Ohio State University. Register

2-5 pm January 21st Saint Louis City Recycles will be at Schlafly Library to provide information about recycling in St. Louis. FREE in-home recycling bins. 

2 pm January 21st St. Charles City-County Library event at Linnemann Branch: How to Sour Dough with Whole Grains. Register

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

6 pm Doors Open. 7 pm January 24th Missouri Conservation Department event at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Kirkwood: An Evening with Raptors. Register

7 pm January 24th Missouri Conservation Department virtual event: An Evening with Raptors. Register

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

9 am January 25th Heartland Conservancy event at Collinsville, Illinois: Tree Steward Winter Tree Care at Brushy Lake. Register

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

2 pm January 27th St. Louis Public Library event at Central Library: Plants that Changed the Course of History-Volume 2, Missouri Botanical Garden Speakers Bureau.

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

9 am Wednesday, January 15th, University of Illinois Extension Community Tree Care Series webinar: Planting and Improper Practices. $10. Register

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

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

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

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

1 pm February 1st St. Louis Public Library event at Central Library: Missouri’s Wild Mushrooms; is it Edible? presented by Maxine Stone, author, Missouri’s Wild Mushrooms

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

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

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

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

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

20 Seat remaining. 11 am February 8th St. Charles City-County Library Plant & Seed Swap at Spencer Road Branch. Register

1 pm 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. Register

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

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

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

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

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

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

15 Seats remaining. 5 pm March 3rd St. Louis Public Library event at Central Library: Worms at Work & DIY Composting Bins. Supplies provided. Registration opens 9 am February 1st.

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

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

March 7th-8th Midwestern Herb & Garden Show in Mount Vernon, Illinois

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Join us Sundays on Bluesky for #GardenSunday.