Billings Community Seed Library

10/09/2026

Fall Watering for Trees
While the above-ground parts of deciduous trees go dormant into the fall, the root systems remain active until the ground freezes and requires moisture for continued growth. Prolonged dry periods, especially when late summer and fall temperatures are high, can result in root damage, stunted growth, early defoliation, branch and tip dieback, and even overall death of sensitive trees and shrubs.
Water when air temperatures are above 40 degrees and there is no snow cover on the ground.

Read Abi's full Urban Alert for more information on fall watering.
https://www.montana.edu/cope/email-format/admin/view.php?draft=13992&uid=6942e0ba2fb853.12496963

Photo: Watering around the active root zone (along the drip-line, and beyond) can set up the trees for fewer winter-related injuries associated with water stress.

09/14/2026

Pressure canning classes!

Register now for the upcoming pressure canning class. Class size is limited to 10. For question or additional information contact Yellowstone County Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent, Erin Gregory at 406-256-2828. https://montana.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_74HiyisPtE0aFLM

09/11/2026

Have to agree! Seed saving is easy when you know what to do. Join us tomorrow to learn more (and get free seeds)!

09/08/2026

Free composting webinar!

Composting is a way to recycle organic matter into fertilizer that enriches soil for garden plants. But composting in dry climates can be hard. In the next Cultivating Healthy Plants webinar, learn three composting methods and how to adapt them for the West.

When: Sept. 10 at noon

Learn more about the webinar:
https://www.montana.edu/calendar/events/58835

08/21/2026

Free gardening classes in at the Red Lodge Carnegie Library!

Free gardening class coming up in a few weeks!

Join us on Wednesday, September 9, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. for All the Dirt on Fall Tree Care for Homeowners.

Sarah Eilers, ISA Certified Arborist and Montana State University Master Gardener Coordinator, will highlight selecting, purchasing, placing, planting, watering and pruning trees, with a special emphasis on how these concepts play out in the fall.

To attend, please register so we have enough chairs and handouts for everyone. To register, call the library at 406-446-1905 or register online: https://engagedpatrons.org/EventsExtended.cfm?SiteID=4329&EventID=595949&PK=

08/04/2026

Is your garden offering up seeds worth saving?

Collecting native flower seeds has a multitude of benefits.
Native seeds are accustomed to local growing conditions. They have evolved by adjusting to different environmental conditions. In the case of Montana, drought and extreme weather fluctuations are common. Native plants are usually not as available as more common landscape plants. They also tend to be expensive. Harvesting native seeds is inexpensive. At the same time, by propagating native plants, individuals are creating more resilient plant communities.
Resources: https://extension.sdstate.edu/native-seed-hand-harvest-guidelines
https://njaes.rutgers.edu/fs1329/
Photo: Purple prairie clover and gaillardia with sea holly in the background.

06/17/2026

Don’t forget our pollinator week Greenhouse Chat is in one week —June 24 at 5:30. For a chance to win a native pollinator plant, comment on this photo with your guess!

This perennial plant is drought tolerant due to the long tap root. It thrives in dry to average conditions, full sun, and various soils typical of MT prairies and foothills.

To top it off, this plant has a long bloom time! Blooming from late spring into fall, it is also one of the larval host plants for the Silvery Checkerspot butterfly.

06/08/2026