From the Ground Up: Know Your Soil & Start Your Seeds

Episode 6 | Host: Tiffany McCoy | Show-Me Horticulture | Released: 5/14/26 | Est. Runtime: 8–11 min

Episode

6 — From the Ground Up: Know Your Soil & Start Your Seeds

Host

Tiffany McCoy — Show-Me Horticulture

Release Date

May 14, 2026

Listen

Show-Me Horticulture on Spotify & YouTube

Soil Testing

MU Extension — contact your local county office

CSA Sign-Up

showmehorticulture.com

About This Episode

Every great Missouri garden starts the same way — in the soil and in the seed tray. In this episode, Tiffany McCoy digs into the two fundamentals that set the whole growing season up for success: knowing your soil and starting your seeds right. From understanding Missouri's clay-heavy soils and the power of a simple soil test, to the exact supplies and steps needed to grow strong seedlings indoors, this episode gives you everything you need to build a thriving garden from the ground up.

Whether you're a first-time gardener or coming back after a tough season, this episode will change how you think about what happens before anything even goes in the ground.

What You'll Learn

• Why Missouri soil varies so much across the state — clay, loam, and Ozark limestone explained

• What a soil test actually tells you and why pH is the master dial of plant nutrition

• The three things that improve any Missouri soil: organic matter, minimal tillage, and mulch

• Why you need seed starting mix — not potting soil — and what happens when you use the wrong one

• The light, warmth, and moisture conditions seedlings actually need indoors

• How to sow seeds, care for emerging seedlings, and know when to pot up

• What hardening off is and why skipping it can set your plants back by weeks

Resources Mentioned

• 🌱 MU Extension Soil Testing — contact your local county extension office for kits under $20

• 📦 Show-Me Horticulture CSA — launching June 2026, $299/season

• Farmers Market at Fieldhouse 54 — 1st & 3rd Saturdays, 8am–12pm

Mentioned in This Episode

• Peppers Workshop — 1st Sundays of the month, 6–8pm online

• 📦 Show-Me Horticulture CSA — launching June 2026, $299/season

• Farmers Market at Fieldhouse 54 — 1st & 3rd Saturdays, 8am–12pm, Now through November

About Your Host

Tiffany McCoy is the host of Show-Me Horticulture and founder of the Show-Me Horticulture pilot farm in northeast Missouri. She is pursuing a B.S. in Sustainable Horticulture at Unity Environmental University and is passionate about connecting people to the food they grow. Every episode is rooted in real Missouri gardens, practical growing advice, and the community that makes local food so meaningful.

Connect With Show-Me Horticulture

• Email: showmehorticulture@gmail.com

• Instagram & Facebook: @ShowMeHorticulture

• Podcast: Spotify & YouTube — search Show-Me Horticulture

• 📦 CSA Sign-Up: showmehorticulture.com

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Spotify or YouTube — it helps more Missouri gardeners find the show! 🌱