The new normal? Air quality, smoke and shifting growing conditions

University of Minnesota Extension educators are excited to offer the sixth annual Gardening from the Ground Up webinar series, a free weeklong program designed to help gardeners build skills from soil to harvest. Join us online for five focused, practical sessions led by Extension experts, covering everything from building healthy soil and understanding microbes and product labels to adapting to shifting growing conditions and harvesting and storing produce for long-lasting quality. 

Session details

Discover how air quality, smoke, and temperature shifts are altering growing conditions across Minnesota. Jillian Patrie and Tarah Young will explore sunlight trends with smoke conditions, USDA zone changes, and what these shifts mean for plants and production.

Additional sessions

February 16: Inputs and outputs: Building healthy garden soil

February 17: Beneath the surface: Myth-busting soil microbes and beneficials

February 18: Decoding garden product labels: What you need to know before you buy

February 20: Enjoying the bounty: Harvest and storage of garden produce

Series recordings

Recordings of the webinars will be sent out at the conclusion of the series for those unable to attend the sessions live.

Garden Buzz

As a perk of registering for Gardening from the Ground Up, registrants will later be invited to Garden Buzz in the summer of 2026. This opportunity gives participants exclusive access to expert Extension educators to question their most pressing gardening questions. On the second Tuesday each month, May to October, the local Extension educator team will be live to answer your yard and garden questions from noon to 1 p.m. (Central Time). You can pop in to ask your question and then leave, or stay for the whole time to learn from others.