South Dakota State University Extension will continue its popular Garden Hour series with four webinars during the off-season.
The off-season episodes are scheduled from 7 to 8 p.m. Central Time on Oct. 6 and Nov. 24, 2026, and Feb. 2 and April 6, 2027.
They are free to attend, but registration is required to receive the Zoom link. To register, visit extension.sdstate.edu/events and search “garden”.
Each session includes up to three presentations and ample time for questions from attendees.
The October webinar will feature Laura Edwards, SDSU Extension State Climatologist, with an end-of-growing season climate summary; and Amanda Bachmann, SDSU Extension Urban Entomology Field Specialist, on fall insects to watch for and manage; and Robin Buterbaugh, SDSU Extension Horticulture Field Specialist, with a Halloween-themed look at plants for “goth gardens”.
“We’ve learned over many seasons of garden hour that gardening doesn’t stop with a frost,” said Bachmann. “We’ve got topics to talk about all winter, especially when people are thinking about next year’s garden.”
Bachmann co-hosts the series, along with Buterbaugh; John Ball, professor, SDSU Extension Forestry Specialist and South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Forest Health Specialist; Kristine Lang, assistant professor and SDSU Extension Consumer Horticulture Specialist; Sydney Paulsen, McCrory Gardens Education Coordinator and SDSU Extension Horticulture Assistant; and Nick Volesky, SDSU Extension Horticulture and Specialty Crops Field Specialist.
In November, Volesky will discuss cut flower drying and off-season uses.
In February, Prairey Walkling, SDSU Extension Master Gardener Field Specialist, will talk about how to become a Master Gardener in 2027.
In April, Volesky will talk about farm/garden equipment maintenance and preparation for the spring.
Bachmann said both the regular and off-season Garden Hour webinars are also a great way to get your plant and garden-related questions answered by experts.
“I would encourage people to join live so that they can type in questions – especially if they’re looking for spring gardening advice before they start planting,” said Bachmann. “If they miss the live session, they can always put their question into the Ask Extension widget so we can get back to them or even use it in a future episode.”
Gardeners can submit questions on the Garden and Yard Problems and Solutions page. An SDSU Extension expert or Master Gardener will reply, typically within two business days if the inquiry is made on a weekday.
Garden Hour runs weekly during the growing season, typically from May through August.
For more information, contact Amanda Bachmann, SDSU Extension Urban Entomology Field Specialist, at 605-773-8120 or Amanda.Bachmann@sdstate.edu.
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