Native Plant School Recap – Replacing Lawn with Native Plants at Home

Replacing Lawn with Native Plants at Home March 26, 2026 Native Plant School Class at Shaw Nature Reserve   Summary by Jen Sieradzki, Manager of Native Plant Horticulture for Shaw Nature Reserve Instructors:  Taylor Heuermann – Rainscaping Coordinator, Earthways Center – a division of Missouri Botanical Garden  Jessica Griffard – Experiential Learning Coordinator, Missouri Botanical Garden  Taylor and Jessica started the class by…

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Maintaining Wild Tip: Cover crops

Maintaining Wild Tip – Cover crops by Besa Schweitzer, chapter member Cover crops can be used to repair damaged soil. Planting a temporary crop to hold soil from erosion, prevent weeds, and add organic matter can prepare a bed for the future garden. These weedy species have an important role in establishing…

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March 2026 Winter Speakers Series Highlights

Gathering highlights by Donna Short Orchids in Missouri Presented by:  John Oliver   For the last Winter Speaker Series event of the year we began early with a social period and various activities.  Below was an opportunity to test your knowledge with a “Breaking Dormancy” quiz to identify plants by…

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Maintaining Wild Tip: Time to Dig and Divide

Maintaining Wild Tip by Besa Schweitzer, chapter member Plant and divide perennials and grasses March through May. As the ground warms, spring plants will send out its first green growth. It is easiest to move when it is less than an inch of growth above the ground. When plants are…

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Maintaining Wild Tip: Buying trees

Maintaining Wild Tip: Buying trees by Besa Schweitzer, chapter member When buying a tree, it is ok to buy the small size. If a tree is grown in a pot for 3 years, it will not be as happy as the tree that was planted in the ground 3 years…

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February 2026 Winter Speakers Series Highlights

Gathering highlights by Donna Short  The Botanists Among Us:  Host Plant Specialization Insects Presented by:  Ted C. MacRae Ted’s presentation displayed his enthusiasm for insects and knowledge of their role and evolutionary development. Insects have been associated with plants since the origins of both groups, and in some species the…

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2026 St. Louis Wild Ones Landscape Challenge Winners!

by Erin Goss, Chapter Member and Chairperson, Landscape Challenge   Congratulations to the winners of the 2026 St. Louis Wild Ones Landscape Challenge, Jeanine Arrighi! Her yard in South County was chosen from 10 applicants and features a small front yard perfect for adding a native landscape. Now active Wild Ones…

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Maintaining Wild Tip: Prune Dormant Trees

Maintaining Wild Tip by Besa Schweitzer, chapter member This is your last chance to prune dormant trees. November 15 to March 15 is the best time to prune most trees and shrubs. Trees and shrubs should be pruned before the buds start to swell and the leaves come out. Prune…

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