Happy New Year! With the new year comes the new gardening season, at least if you start your own seeds. Starting your own seeds and having seedlings ready to go when it’s time has a lot of benefits when it makes sense. However, just because something can be grown as a seedling doesn’t mean it […]
Read MoreWatering in the Garden
As we get into that time of year where the temperatures are hot, plants are using lots of water, and the rain comes less often, it’s important to remember to water the garden when needed. So below are answers to a few common questions about watering the garden. How often to water? A vegetable garden […]
Read MoreSeed to STEM at Mason Elementary
This spring, Seed St. Louis garden educator Abbey Schumacher facilitated Seed to STEM from our curriculum for PreK, Kindergarten, and 1st grade students from Mason Elementary at their school garden. Students learned what plants need to grow and practiced planting seeds and seedlings. They explored how seeds travel, the purpose of roots, and the reason […]
Read More2023 Broccoli Variety Trial Results
Like all heading brassicas, broccoli can be a bit tricky in St. Louis. Broccoli generally needs a pretty long cool season in spring or fall in order to form anything close to the large tight broccoli heads we are used to seeing at the grocery store. As you will know, if you live in St. […]
Read MoreOur Favorite Seed Starting Mix
Starting your own seeds often starts with one question, “what soil should I use?” Well, you should use a seed starting mix. Seems easy enough. There are plenty of seed starting mixes available to buy but you might want to make your own. Making your own seed starting mix is easy and by making it […]
Read MoreLearn How to Prepare Your Orchard for Winter
If you haven’t already done so now is the time to winterize your orchard trees. This is a great time to add a fresh layer of mulch around the base of the tree. Mulch a three foot diameter ring around the trunk of the tree at a minimum and make sure the mulch is not touching the […]
Read MoreHow to Ripen Winter Squash, Peppers & Tomatoes at the End of the Season
As the growing season comes to a close, with the first frost date less than a month away (despite the current weather) some might be wondering how to get the last of their fruiting crops like tomatoes, peppers, and squash to ripen. Winter Squash If you have winter squash that are still green or are […]
Read MoreWinter Kill Cover Crop
If you have an area of the garden that’s empty or the plants are on their way out then you should consider planting winter kill cover crops! 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. If […]
Read MoreStrategies for Summer Maintenance in the School Garden
Summer break is just around the corner for many local schools, and while many of you may already be daydreaming of family cookouts, long pool days, and hitting the snooze button on Monday mornings, summer can also bring on a new set of stressors when it comes to tending to a needy school garden. While […]
Read MoreGreens for the Summer Heat
Greens are the most nutritious vegetables there are and there are plenty of greens to choose from for the cool months of spring, fall, and even winter including: lettuce, spinach, arugula, mache, turnip greens, mustard, beet greens, kale, collards, chard, radish greens, cabbage, bok choi, tatsoi, sorrel, and a multitude of other less common greens. […]
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