Events

Look at what is happening around Kansas City 

If you’d like to list plants sales, gardening related meetings, classes and workshops, send details with contact information to [email protected]. Deadline for publishing in the February issue is January 10. This is a FREE listing.

 

Heartland Hosta and Shade Plant Society
Sat, Mar 22, Hospitality 9:30-10a, Club Mtg 10-10:45a, Speaker 10:45a-noon; at Woods Chapel Community of Christ, 500 NE Woods Chapel Rd, Lee’s Summit, MO 64064. Topic: Companion shrubs, perennials and annuals for the part shade/ shade garden. Members, Guests and public welcome. See our website: www.heartlandhosta.club and on Facebook: https://facebook.com/HeartlandHostaAndShadePlantSociety.

Kansas City Cactus and Succulent Society
Sun, Jan 19, 1:30-3:30pm, at Trailside Center, 9901 Holmes Ave, Kansas City, MO. Our program will feature photos and insight about the succulents in habitat found in Madagascar. A club member who joined a tour of the island in October 2024 will share both the beauty and contrasts of this extraordinary place. Refreshments will be served and everyone is invited to attend.

Leawood Garden Club
Tues, Jan 28, 10:30a; at Cure of Ars Catholic Church, 9401 Mission Rd, Leawood, KS 66206. Lu Tarr, Speaker and Master Gardener, MGGKC. Program: Annuals vs Perennials. Unsure of what kind of plant to invest in for your garden, containers or landscape? In this presentation, she will teach the differences between annuals and perennials and discuss what options are available. Your requirements can make this decision easier with this presentation. Lu Tarr became a Master Gardener in 2010. Her volunteer efforts have included Kansas City’s Flower, Lawn and Garden Show, Garden ‘n Grow, Hotline, Community Gardens, and her personal favorite, Speakers Bureau. Lu is a lifelong gardening enthusiast; it’s in her blood, as she was raised on a Northern Iowa farm. She loves being outside as much as possible, whether it’s tending to the garden or just enjoying the sunshine with her cat.

Orchid Society of Greater Kansas City
Sun, Jan 12, 1:30-4:30p; at Merriam Community Center, 6040 Slater St, Merriam, KS 66202. Nicholas Rust, Rusty Exotics, “Setting up a Grow Area with Lights.” Open to the public. More information at osgkc.org and find us on Facebook.

Raytown Garden Club
Tues, Feb 4, 10a; at Connection Point Church, 10500 E 350 Hwy, Raytown, MO 64138. The program scheduled will be “Sprouting & Microgreens Improve Our Lives” by Iva Stribling, Raytown Garden Club Member. We meet the first Tuesday of the month (Feb-Nov). Mark your calendar because guests are always welcome. For more information please check out our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RaytownGardenClub.

SHOWS | SALES | FESTIVALS

Houseplant Bingo
Sun, Feb 2, 2p; at Arnold’s Prairie Greenhouse & More, 1430 Hwy 58, LeRoy, KS 66857. Join us for winter fun. Find us on Facebook for all the latest news. 620-964-2423

Eat Local & Organic Expo
Sat, Mar 29, 9a-2p; at Avila University. Free admission, Free Parking. Kick off farmers market season at the Eat Local & Organic Expo! Shop with more than 30 KC Food Circle™ farmers who pledge to meet high standards for growing plants and mushrooms, beekeeping and raising animals. Attendees can talk directly with farmers as they sign up for weekly farm shares, buy transplants for their gardens, and get the freshest early spring products for their dinner tables. https://www.kchealthykids.org/eat-local–organic-expo.html

Paola Spring Plant Sale
Apr 24, 25, 26. New Location INDOOR SHOPPING at the Miami County Fairgrounds Bldg #2, 401 Wallace Park Dr, Paola, KS. Thursday 9 to 5, Friday 9 to 6, and Saturday 9 to 3. The sale will feature pesticide-free locally grown plants. In addition to the usual selection of butterfly host plants, pollinator flowers and native perennials, there will be ornamental annuals, perennials, herbs, succulents, hanging baskets, trees and veggies. Extension Master Gardeners, including butterfly expert Lenora Larson, will be on hand to assist shoppers throughout the sale. Credit Cards welcome! More info at www.maraisdescygnes.ksu.edu. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mdcemg or call the office: 913-294-4306.

 

CLASSES | WORKSHOPS

Winter Sowing: Starting Seeds in Snow
Sat, Jan 4; 2 Sessions: 10-11:30a / 2-3:30p; at Burr Oak Woods Nature Center, 1401 NW Park Rd, Blue Springs, MO 64015. Do you have big garden plans for Spring? The best time to prep our native seeds is January! This program will explore the science and importance of sowing seeds in the middle of winter. Participants will apply their newfound knowledge by creating an upcycled planter perfect for sowing seeds of your choice, while learning about the history of sowing, understanding stratification and seed germination, and identifying plant species by seed characteristics. Registration required, participants must be 14 or older, and participants under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Maximum number of 20 participants per session. No walk-ups will be accepted. A sign-up link will be available beginning Dec 4 at https://mdc.mo.gov/events?event=&location=All&county=All&region=702. For questions, contact Burr Oak Woods at 816-228-3766, or email [email protected]

Birds: Build a Bluebird Nesting Box
Sat, Jan 4; 2 Sessions: 10-11:30a / 12:30-2p; at Anita B Gorman Conservation Discovery Center, 4750 Troost Ave, Kansas City, MO 64110. Bluebirds are year-round residents in Missouri. They usually begin nesting the first half of March. Perfect timing for this project! Would you like to help increase the local bluebird population while having many hours of enjoyment watching our beautiful state bird? Register and build a bluebird nesting box of your own! Children must be registered to attend the program. Parents may attend to assist their child without registering. For safety reasons, children under 12 are not allowed in the program room. To register: go to mdc.mo.gov, click Events then Kansas City events.

Managing Our Soil For Great Success RESCHEDULED to Fri, Jan 24 @ 10a
Thurs, Jan 9, 10a; at Sunflower Room at the Wyandotte County Extension Office, 1208 N 79th St, Kansas City, KS. Sponsored by Wyandotte County Extension Master Gardeners. Presented by Nancy Chapman, Johnson County Extension Master Gardener. Soil is the foundation of life and “you are what you eat” also applies to our plants. Clay is the most nutrient rich soil but how do we improve and maintain it so our plants are better able to access its benefits? Learn and understand why creating a diverse soil biome is so important and how some of our gardening practices can destroy it. The public is invited to attend. Pre-registration is not required. A $10 class fee, payable by cash or check, will be collected at the door. Questions may be addressed at 913-299-9300.

Birds: Kestrel Nesting Boxes—Virtual
Sat, Jan 11, 10-11:30a; at Burr Oak Woods Conservation Nature Center, 1401 NW Park Rd, Blue Springs, MO 64015. 816-228-3766. Kestrels are the only falcon on this continent to nest in cavities. They are found on farmland, suburban and urban areas. Because of a variety of ecological changes in their environment, these beautiful falcons have declined in some areas. Join naturalists from Burr Oak Woods and Missouri River Bird Observatory in-person for one of to learn more about nesting boxes, the importance of monitoring kestrels and how nesting boxes allow us to do that. Registration required (ages 10+). To register: go to mdc.mo.gov, click Events then Kansas City events.

Birds: VIRTUAL: Suet-Yourself: Homemade Bird Feeders
Mon, Jan 13, 6-7p. Location: Online only. Keep your backyard birds happy this winter! Join a naturalist, virtually, to learn about common birds you may see on the feeder this winter and receive step-by-step instructions for making your own suet feeder. Be sure to include your email address in your registration. The naturalist will send the program link by email both the day before and day of the program. Registration required. All ages. To register: go to mdc.mo.gov, click Events then Kansas City events.

Gardeners Gathering
Thurs, Jan 16, 7-8p Zoom Presentation. Please click the following link to register and receive the Zoom link- https://extension.missouri.edu/events/gardeners-gathering-nc-tomatomans-all-tomato-overview. Speaker Craig LeHoullier presents “NC Tomatoman’s All Tomato Overview.” Author, gardener, and educator Craig LeHoullier will share his latest thoughts on tomato growing in this hour-long Zoom talk. He will share his knowledge about planning which tomatoes to grow, important success factors, alternate ways of growing tomatoes, and seed saving. Craig will also discuss home tomato breeding and share the latest news from his Dwarf Tomato Breeding project. Bring your questions and desire to grow your best tomatoes.

Birds: Winter Woodpeckers
Fri, Jan 17, 3-4:30p. Location: Online only. Join us as we discuss some of Missouri’s most recognizable and charismatic birds — woodpeckers! We will explore each of the 7 native species of woodpeckers found in Missouri and how to identify them by sight and sound. This program will be held virtually. Log in instructions will be provided to participants beforehand. Please ensure that your MDC account includes an accurate email address so that you can receive a link to the virtual program. To register: go to mdc.mo.gov, click Events then Kansas City events.

Nature Rx: Chillin’ Stroll
Wed, Jan 22, 2:30-4p; at Burr Oak Woods Conservation Nature Center, 1401 NW Park Rd, Blue Springs, MO 64015. Get a therapeutic dose of nature by enjoying a leisurely, naturalist-led hike on improved trails for 1-2 miles. Nature Rx topics to look forward to this year include: birds and blooms, macrophotography, archery, kayaking, and more! To register: go to mdc.mo.gov, click Events then Kansas City events.

Birds: Bluebird Basics
Tues, Jan 28, 4-5p. Location: Online only. Bluebirds are one of the most beautiful and recognizable birds in Missouri. Learn more about bluebirds and other cavity nesting birds, and how to go about setting up and monitoring a bluebird nest box. Be sure to include your email address with your registration. The naturalist will send the program link both the day before and day of the program. Registration required. All ages. To register: go to mdc.mo.gov, click Events then Kansas City events.

Winter Sowing
Thurs, Feb 6, 11:30a; in the Sunflower Room at the Wyandotte County Extension Office, 1208 N 79th St, Kansas City, KS. Sponsored by Wyandotte County Extension Master Gardeners. Naomi Ruff, a Wyandotte County Extension Master Gardener, will provide information about the advantages of winter sowing, what can be sown in the winter, and how to prepare containers for winter sowing. She will also demonstrate winter sowing. The public is invited to attend. Pre-registration is not required. A $10 class fee, payable by cash or check, will be collected at the door. If you have questions, give us a call at 913-299-9300.

A Rose for Every Garden
Sat, Mar 29. Save the date. Time and location details to come. Program, “A Rose for Every Garden,” by Laura Dickinson. Anyone can grow beautiful roses. All it takes is understanding the plant’s needs and picking the right variety for your garden. This class will review basic rose care, rose varieties and how new hybrids are developed, and how to select the best roses for your gardening needs. Laura Dickinson is President of the Kansas City Rose Society and Master Rosarian. She is active in rose education in the Kansas City area and nationwide through the American Rose Society Consulting Rosarian program. She lives in Leawood, KS, and has a special interest in easy-care landscape roses. Her motto is: Roses are easier than tomatoes!