Garden soil

All Garden soil Content

Wicker basket full of raw sheep’s wool sitting on a lawn.

Wool: A Natural Bio-Enhancement for Gardens

Sheep's wool has been seeing increased use in gardens as mulch or a soil additive due to its numerous benefits. Learn how wool can help your plants and garden thrive this gardening season!

Gardener holding a handful of healthy soil.

Learn about your backyard’s natural resources with SDSU Extension

May 01, 2024

Lawn and garden enthusiasts are invited to attend Backyard Natural Resources, a new four-part webinar series from South Dakota State University Extension.

A dark bodied insect with large wings and red eyes sitting on a tree twig. There are green leaves behind it and many tan insect shells.

I heard cicadas are having a big year. Are they coming to South Dakota?

Cicadas are making headlines—specifically the periodical cicadas in Brood XIII and Brood XIX. Both both broods are in the Midwest and are geographically close together. Find out where you can expect to see them this spring.

Various chemical symbols for common nutrients found in garden soil over a selection of young plants emerging from garden soil.

Interpreting Soil Tests for Gardening

There are many different chemicals that make up plants. These chemicals include hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, copper, boron, zinc, molybdenum, cobalt, and chlorine.

A variety of fresh fruits and vegetables displayed on a countertop.

Eat What You Grow

Youth will learn the different parts of plants that we eat, and how to use drying and freezing techniques to preserve foods for later use.

A group of children observing a bed of garden soil with a teacher.

Stupendous Soils

Lesson for youth to discover the characteristics of different soil types and how to make compost.

Teacher pouring a small amount of seed into a student's hand to construct a tiny greenhouse.

Super Seeds

Lesson for youth to explore the many types of seeds that are eaten or grown and learn how they grow.

Getting the Garden Growing

Introductory gardening lesson where youth will learn what plants need to grow and what fruits and vegetables grow in different seasons in South Dakota.

Mother with child cooking homemade jam in a kitchen.

Preservation Station!

At the end of this lesson, participants will be able to list the most-common methods used to preserve fruits or vegetables.

An adult and several children's hands at a table planting a seedling in a container.

Grow Getters: Garden-Based Education for Preschool-3rd Grades

The “Grow Getters” series consists of lessons and resources to engage youth and families in hands-on, at-home activities related to gardening—even without a garden!