Sound Gardening Practices for Minnehaha County, SD
Mark your calendars for this year’s plant sale! Start your planting season with quality plants grown by Minnehaha Master Gardeners. We’ll have annuals, perennials, veggies, pollinators, shrubs and vines.
W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds
100 N Lyon Blvd
Sioux Falls, SD
Saturday, May 9, 2026
9 AM CDT – Until plants are sold
Free admission and open to the public.
Payment by cash or check only.
Spring is here! Now it’s time to get ready for the upcoming growing season.
The Mary Jo Wegner Arboretum is once again partnering with the Minnehaha Master Gardeners to bring you the Vegetable Gardening 101 class series. Set yourself up for a successful vegetable garden! Begin with the plentiful answers from Minnehaha Master Gardeners, Jerry Mills and Sarah Linneman. Together, you will get your hands dirty and learn a comprehensive foundation of vegetable gardening.
The classes are free, though you do need to register if you plan to attend. Take a look at what we have coming up! Register for one, two, three, or all four sessions on Eventbrite.
How big does a garden have to be to support 2 people? Make a garden that will feed your troop, and not tax your enthusiasm. Discover how to find the right spot, based on soil, sun, drainage and proximity to the good and the bad. Learn why tilling in the fall is so helpful. Learn how to test your soil, and then how to effect changes that will make healthier plants.
In this session, break down the options of what to plant, and when. Get tips on ways to save space by planting “up” or “out.” Ask yourself if you want a Salad Garden or a Salsa Garden, or a Storage Garden. Learn which vegetables tolerate heat, and which are cool season “A” vegetables. There will be specific info on planting in small spaces and for choosing seeds that produce the healthiest varieties, with lots of specific recommendations. Also, find out what makes a HYBRID or HEIRLOOM and why you might want them.
Think you know how to water? Can you water at night? Should the leaves get wet? How much water do you plants need each week? Why should you water under your mulch? And about mulch…What is it, really? You will find out what its function is, and how to maximize its benefits based on your plant’s needs. It can be organic in many forms, but also inorganic, as in plastic sheeting.
Getting a handle on watering and taking advantage of the benefits of mulch will go a long way in ensuring your vegetable garden’s success.
During this week you will be presented with ways to deal with infestations of insects and diseases that can happen in any garden. Gain expertise to prepare you, and make sure you know the best way to find help. Healthy plants also benefit from fertilizers, and you’ll get a base of understanding about what your plants need from the soil, and how to balance the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium they crave.
You are invited to tour seven beautiful and unique garden sites in Brandon and Valley Springs. Garden sites include several private gardens, community gardens and public gardens maintained by the Minnehaha Master Gardeners. This is a self-guided tour, and you can start at any location. Participants are encouraged to bring their water bottles; no refreshments will be served.
Tickets are $10. Registration is available online at https://2025MMGGardenTour.eventbrite.com. The list and description of the gardens will be found in the Eventbrite details. Payment is by credit card only. In case of rain on Wednesday July 16, rain date is Thursday July 17. Notification of postponement will be posted on MMG Facebook page.
No Refunds. See Eventbrite listing for details.
Proceeds of ticket sales go to scholarships and educational activities of the Minnehaha Master Gardeners.
Tickets will also be available the day of the event at Sunshine Foods/Lewis Drug in Brandon on Splitrock Boulevard from noon to 4pm, check or cash only.
It’s back! The 2025 Minnehaha Master Gardeners Garden Tour is bigger and better than ever. This tour will include several gardens in the Brandon and Valley Springs area.