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Garden soil

All Garden soil Content

Child with potted plants

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!

a picture large purple flowers with yellow centers surrounded by dead leaves and grey landscaping rocks.

Landscaping Best Practices for Pollinators and Beyond

Our yards are all part of a greater ecosystem. By incorporating some best practices into your landscaping routine, your yard can develop healthier soil, support more pollinators, and reduce the need for pest control.

Adult red earthworm, cabbage looper, and brown-belted bumble bee.

The Seen and Unseen World of Invertebrates and Vegetables: The good, the bad, and the cute

The seen and unseen worlds of invertebrates in our gardens offer an opportunity to understand how each organism plays a crucial role in the balance of our environment, whether they are good, bad, or even cute.

Wheel burrow full of fall yard and garden waste.

Fall Vegetable Garden Cleanup

Fall cleanup can help with the success of your garden next year, as diseased plants left over the winter can provide fungal or bacterial spores waiting to infect next year's plants. Learn some tips for getting started!

A soil coring device that has been pounded into ground. Next to it are trimmed samples in rings used to measure soil bulk density.

Bulk Density is an Indicator of Soil Health

Bulk density is a commonly measured soil property that can indicate how compacted a soil is and can be used to calculate the percent pore space in the soil.

Gardener holding a handful of healthy soil.

Soil Health and Why it Matters

Investing in soil health will benefit your garden or farm for generations to come. Learn how to actively manage the physical, chemical, and biological properties of your soil to optimize its long-term health.

Raised bed garden container.

Using Compost in Raised Beds and Containers

Compost is often mixed with soil to create a more-fertile growing media, as well as to increase the ability of the soil to hold both air and water. Learn some expert tips for using it in raised beds!

Red, White x Kura, and Dutch White clover crops.

Integrating Clover Cover Crops for Pepper and Broccoli Production

South Dakota gardeners and specialty crop producers have expressed a need for cover crop research. Learn about a recent research project investigating clover cover crop integration for pepper and broccoli production.