National Pollinator Week Activities Starting today - Bee there!

I love pollinators. These birds, bees and butterflies play an important role in many of the foods that we eat and the flowers that we love. But like many species, pollinators can be impacted by the practices that we carry out in our own yards.

Five years ago the U.S. Senate unanimously approved and designated the final week in June as “National Pollinator Week” marking a necessary step toward addressing the urgent issue of declining pollinator populations. Pollinator Week, which is June 20th -26th this year, has now grown to be an international celebration of the valuable ecosystem services provided by bees, birds, butterflies, bats and beetles.

To learn more about the importance of pollinators and how to attract them to your own yard, read my posts Enjoy the Birds and Bees in Your Own Backyard and Gardening for Hummingbirds, and Create a Butterfly Garden.

For even more information, plan on attending some of these activities in the area which have been planned for National Pollinator Week.

June 20th - 24th, 10:00 am - 1pm daily  
Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Ave, Wheaton, MD 20902
Learn about pollination and pollinators, vote for your favorite pollinator, play "I Spy" pollinator scavenger hunt, plant a flower to attract pollinators in your garden.
Contact Lynn Richard , lynn.richard@montgomeryparks

June 21, 2011 - 10:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.  
USDA Bee Research Laboratory, Bldg 476, Entomology Road, Beltsville, MD 20705
The BRL will host an open house for the public to highlight honey bee research activities conducted at the nation’s capital by the USDA Agriculture Research Service. Visit the lab and hear about our research, advanced beekeeping techniques, and how to identify bee diseases. A detailed agenda and directions to the lab will be posted on our web site during May. Contact - Bart Smith bart.smith@ars.usda.gov , http://www.ars.usda.gov

Tuesday June 21, 2011, 11am-3pm  
Smithsonian's National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
Come explore the exciting world of pollinators! All the fun takes place behind the Invertebrate Exhibit. Discover which of your favorite snacks you wouldn’t have without the helpful honeybee and its wild relatives. And taste the difference a plant makes when it comes to honey at our Pollination and Food table. Butterflies are more than just beautiful, they are pollinators too! Learn all about how they do it at our Butterfly table. Discover the secret language of color that plants and pollinators, such as butterflies and bees, use to communicate. You can even make your own pollination pinwheel at our activity table. Sure, you’ve heard of honeybees and bumblebees, but did you know there are thousands of other types of bees buzzing around in your backyard? Learn all about how these bees live and help keep our planet green at our Bee table.
Contact : Amy Rutherford, rutherfordam@si.edu , http://nationalzoo.si.edu
Don't Miss These Keeper Talks
11:30 – Native Bees
12:30 – Butterflies
1:30 – Hummingbirds
2:30 – Flower Power

June 25th, 2011 - 10am - 2pm  
University of Maryland Extension, Salisbury Zoo, Salisbury, MD 21801
The Maryland Master Gardeners will have a display on pollinators - high lighting butterflies. plants and flowers that provide nectar and pollin will also be on display. A local bee keeper and the University of Maryland State Specialist will also be there with handouts and live bees.
Following the Pollinators Day, a local bee keeper and Ginny Rosenkranz, Extension Educator, will create a video on beekeeping, finding Queens, opening up a hive and talking about the plants that need pollinators to provide us with the vegetables and fruits of summer. the video will be available as Delmarva Gardens - pollinators.
Contact Ginny Rosenkranz rosnkrnzy@umd.edu  

Virginia, By proclamation, Governor Robert F. McDonnell declared June 20-26, 2011 as Pollinator Week in the State of Virginia.

June 25, 2011 - Noon - 5pm
Rockwood Backyard Beekeeper Association, Rockwood Nature Center 3401 Courthouse Road, North Chesterfield, VA 23236
Celebrate the role of honeybees and other pollinators in agriculture and our ecosystem. Knowledgeable speakers will offer presentions on an array of current and interesting topics such as basic beekeeping, native bees and how to attract them, what's happening to our bees, landscaping for pollinators, and more. Children's and Family Activities Include: Arts and Crafts, Games, Contests, Prizes, Facepainting, Array of honey and other products will be available for sampling and sale. Contact: Kristi Orcutt; Ken Woodard, mrbeeva@yahoo.com, chesterfieldoutdoorprograms.com

June 25 and 26, 2011  
Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, Bon Air Park; Wilson Blvd & N. Lexington St., Arlington, VA 22205
Arlington’s Bon Air Park is home to two demonstration gardens maintained by the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, in support of the Arlington County Office of Virginia Cooperative Extension.
Visit the Sunny Demonstration Garden on Saturday, June25, to learn what’s happening in the early summer garden, how to attract birds and butterflies, and how to maintain your garden during the hot days of summer.Then, visit the Shade Demonstration Garden on Sunday, June 26, to learn about summer color and texture for shady places in your yard,attractive ground covers for replacing invasive English ivy and planting for pollinators. Contact: Mary Free, mmf222@verizon.net

June 25th, 2011 - 10am-3pm  
Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve & Piedmont Environmental Council, 21085 The Woods Road, Leesburg, VA 20175
"Bee Local" discussions about honeybees, agriculture, and colony collapse disorder. Games, hayrides, and butterfly garden activities for kids.
Contact: Kim Winter, kwinter@pecva.org, http://www.pecva.org/

Life Made Easier with Trees and Shrubs – June 25th

Program: Life Made Easier with Trees and Shrubs

When: June 25th, 10am – noon

Where: Green Springs Garden Park

Trees and shrubs provide great structure and color in your garden and they need only occasional pruning. Brenda Skarphol, Green Spring curator, introduces you to the trees and shrubs suitable for wet, dry, sunny and shady habitats and entices you with their beauty in the garden.

Cost: $15.

Register by calling Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173 or click on this link to register.

Learn about Rain Barrels & Register to Win One

I've had quite a few posts lately about why and how to get rain barrels in the Metro DC area. The whys, of course, are to capture and store rainwater to help conserve water in times of drought. And to help prevent stormwater runoff.  Many of the hows were explained in this post, the Rain Barrel Response.

Here's another upcoming workshop, and this one gives you the opportunity to win a free rain barrel.

Where: Gaithersburg Youth Center in Olde Towne, 301 Teachers Way, Gaithersburg, MD 20877

Date: June 28, 2011

Time: 7:00pm–8:30pm

The workshop is being promoted by the Muddy Branch Alliance , an all volunteer  group interested in preserving the health of the local waterway known as the Muddy Branch.

Jennifer Willoughby of the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin  will present the  workshop.

There will be a drawing at the end of the workshop for a rain barrel!

For My Dad, on Father's Day

© 2009 ~ Betsy S. Franz – All rights reserved. Note: This article was written and previously published in 2009.

When I was growing up, my father was an avid photographer. This was long before digital cameras and photo-taking cell phones made every lifetime event a potentially permanent one.

In my youth, capturing memories required a bit more thought and preparation. Film and flashbulbs had to be purchased, photos were taken and then the eager viewers had to wait for developing and printing. Without the benefit of being able to instantly review one’s shots, some people’s family memories often consisted of blurry unrecognized scenes, glowing red eyes or worse, chopped off heads or other body parts. But not in my family. 

To my father, taking photos was more than a way of recording special events. It was an art. My father was not content with the early point and shoot cameras that were as convenient as dropping in a film cartridge and snapping away. My dad used a camera that required the manual setting of focus and aperture. Dimly lit shots required the use of a tripod. And to insure that the finished products were what he intended them to be, my father even developed and printed his own shots in a basement darkroom.

As kids, we weren’t all that excited with his hobby. It seemed like he was always lurking nearby, camera in hand, ready to interrupt our activities with cries of “Say Cheese!” and the popping of flashbulbs. Special occasions, such as blowing out candles on cakes and opening Christmas presents were slowed down to allow proper framing and lighting. Even events as private as a first kiss or motherly hug often appeared in photographs that we never even knew were being taken.

As I grew into a teen, I began to look at his photos in a new way. I was enthralled with the way that he seemed to be able to capture just the right mood with the careful use of lighting and shadows. The facial expressions seemed to tell entire stories. However, it was his nature and wildlife photos that really changed my life. Looking into his photos allowed me to see things that I hadn’t bothered to notice on my own. Water could be either powerful or serene. Light could be both ominous and inspiring. Something as mundane as a leaf-covered path held unlimited colors, intricate details and miniature worlds of wonder. His photos taught me to not look at things superficially, but to dig deep into the sights around me. In effect, his photos taught me to see.

I was only 20 when my father passed away. A few months before he died, he gave me one of his favorite cameras and a book on how to take photos. That camera, and the many that have succeeded it, have been my constant companions over the years.

I inherited a love of words and writing from my mother. But, as the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. The photography hobby that my father inspired in me has helped me to create images that tell their own wonderful stories and allow me to share images of beauty that others may have overlooked.

I love to thumb through our old family photo albums and relive the times of my life. My mother used to call these albums her walk down memory lane and they were a constant source of pride to her. With every flip of the page, my thoughts to my father are “thanks for the memories.”

But even more important to me than this careful chronicle of my past is the gift that my father gave me for noticing the present.

And so, today, I am going to take my camera outside and spend the day with thoughts of my dad. I’ll take my camera off of full-auto mode and remember the things he taught me about aperatures and shutter speeds. I’ll slow down and look at things closely, wandering around until I see just the right angle with just the right light. I'll try to see the world the way my father taught me to see it. I'll look for the beautiful side of things. And I'll be thankful that I was taught how to see it.

Making New Plants - Workshop - June 21, 22 or 23rd

CHESAPEAKE NATIVES
SUMMER 2011 GARDENING WORKSHOP

MAKING NEW PLANTS

Tuesday, June 21, 2011, 8:30 am – 3:30 pm
repeated on Wednesday June 22, 2011, 8:30 am – 3:30 pm
(Thursday June 23, 2011 by demand)
Research Greenhouse Conference Room, University of Maryland
Delicious vegetarian lunch provided

You have three opportunities to attend this one-day gardening intensive workshop led by Executive Director and Botanist, Dr. Christopher Puttock. Dr. Puttock has extensive experience designing, installing, and maintaining native gardens both in Maryland and abroad. He will be assisted by Ann Wing, head of  seed propagation section, and native landscaper Rochelle Bartolomei of Small Planet Projects.

Using his usual breakout workshop format, Dr. Puttock and his team will help you to maximize the potential of native plants by propagation from cuttings, division, and seed.

TARGET AUDIENCE: Anyone who designs or maintains public or private native gardens, and wants to reduce long-term costs.

BRING: To gain the most from the breakout sessions, participants should think about what native plants they would like to propagate. At the end of the day you should leave feeling confident enough to do the job. Chesapeake Natives will supply tools, some of our seeds, perennials to be divided, and plants to be cut. Be prepared to get your hands dirty. As a bonus, you will get to bring home the fruits of your labor.

Session 1: Making new plants from cuttings. We will begin with a brief introduction to the dos and don'ts of hard and soft stem propagation and what you will need to do this at home or in your greenhouse. Then you will be guided in the process with native plant materials.

Session 2: Making new plants by division. After a brief discussion regarding plant materials in your own yard that you would like to divide, you will get to practice on our collection of native plants. A range of plant materials for division will be provided, guaranteeing the participants experience with handling everything from
the very delicate plants to the very tough plants.

Session 3: Making new plants from seed. You will learn the process of germination, and why it is NOT as easy as just adding water.

PARTICIPANTS: Maximum 30 participants each day.

COST: $50 (covers food, parking, potting, and printed materials).

REGISTRATION : To register email  Tracey Gelner at
volunteer.chesnatives@gmail.com

New Native Plant Database Online !!

It's finally here! What we've all been waiting for. The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, in partnership with and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Image Matters LLC, have unveiled their  online guide to native plants, the Native Plant Center for the Chesapeake Bay Region.

This online guide helps you identify and select native plants and provides you information about their site and care requirements.   Replacing portions of lawn areas and typical landscapes with native plants that suit local conditions reduces or eliminates the need for fertilizers and pesticides which wash into our streams, rivers and, ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay. Once in our waterways, these pollutants fuel the growth of excess algae, which clouds the water and threatens the health of fish, crabs and the entire Chesapeake Bay ecosystem.

Users to the portal, www.nativeplantcenter.net, can search for native plants by name, plant type, sun exposure, soil texture and moisture, and even find native plants with the same shape, color, size or other characteristics as some of their favorite non-native plants. The portal also includes a geo-locator feature to identify plants suited to a user’s specific location.  An online network for interacting with other Chesapeake Bay stewards is planned.

Use the Native Plant Center to research some of the picks from our Favorite Native Plant Series . Or check out the plants on our drought tolerant plants lists trees, shrubs  , perennials and our plants for hummingbirds.

Check it out! Bookmark it! And plant more natives!

Everything you need to know about eco-friendly lawn mowing

I actually enjoy mowing my lawn. We have a riding mower and a rather large piece of property so it's a very relaxing activity for me.

When we began trying to be more eco-friendly in our yard, I  had to make myself cut back on the number of times I mowed and raise the height of the blade. I just hadn't realized that things like that, as well as the sharpness of the mower blade, could make such a big difference in the health of the lawn…and the health of the planet. These actions even help you save water, because sharp mower blades result in less water loss from the grass. Taller grass also encourages a deeper, more extensive root system with increased drought tolerance, and  is also  more effective at shading out weeds in the landscape. And of course, healthier lawns require less chemicals to keep them looking good and green.

Depending on where you live in the Metro DC area and what grass you grow, you will probably mow your lawn 20-40 times a year. Here are some tips to make sure that you don’t do more harm than good when you are performing lawn maintenance:

1)    Get to know your grass – As with everything in your landscape, it’s best to get to know as much as you can about the species that you are dealing with so that you can make the right choices in taking care of it.  Whether you already have an established lawn or are putting in a new one, get to know your grass. Turfgrasses that provide winter lawn color in the area are known as cool-season grasses. Grasses which go dormant after the first hard frost, and stay brown through the winter months are known as warm-season grasses. Your choice of grass species will affect how you mow.  Selecting turfgrass , Turfgrass Species   <— Excellent information  with photos of grass species

2)    Set mowing heights according to grass species  - Once you know what species you have, you can set your mower blade at the recommended height for your species.(See Turfgrass Species link above and check on Planting and Maintenance Tips). While there are some differences in tolerable cutting heights between the various species of warm and cool-season turfgrasses, a general rule of thumb is to clip them in the 2-3 inch range. Mowing tall promotes a deeper root system and improves turf competitions against crabgrass and other warm-season weeds. If your lawn has a white hue rather than a green color after you mow, it is a good bet that you are cutting too low.

3)    Keep blades sharp and balanced – The quickest way to improve lawn quality AND turf health is to keep your mower blade sharpened. A sharp blade will also improve mower fuel efficiency and extend mower engine life.  Blades should be sharpened at least three times per growing season: start the year off with a sharp blade, sharpen it again in late spring, and then once more in mid-late summer.

4)    Adjust mowing height for different seasons– For cool-season grasses, another tip that promotes summer health and performance is to raise the cutting height during the summer.  A higher mowing height in summer helps to cool the crowns of the turfgrass plants and provides more leaf area for photosynthesis during the stressful summer months. Taller cutting heights at these times help maintain the plant’s root system. On the other hand, warm-season grasses respond to mowing on the lower side of their recommended range in the summer by increasing in density.  Whereas fescues and bluegrasses thrive at mowing heights of 2-3 inches during the fall and early spring, for summer the best strategy is to mow at a 3-4 inch height (or even taller).  Raise the cutting deck to its highest setting when it needs clipping and don’t feel compelled to get the mower out at all if the grass is not growing.

5)    Mowing new lawns –  New lawns need time for their roots to become established before they can be mowed for the first time. For seeded lawns, it may take up to 2 months before they are ready to be mowed. Sod may be ready to be mowed within 2 to 3 weeks of planting. Three to six weeks are required for sprigs, stolons, and plugs to become established. For seeded lawns, wait for all of the seeds to germinate before mowing. For sod, sprigs, stolons, and plugs, make sure the roots are firmly planted in the soil before mowing to avoid tearing out new turf.  Follow these tips for new lawns: Be sure that the lawn is fairly dry before mowing so that you do not pull out any of your new lawn. As a general rule, you should let your lawn grow to about one-and-a-half times the recommended height before cutting so that you are cutting off no more than one-third of the height of your lawn at a time. For the first mow, you can let the lawn grow to the high end of the recommended range or even a little higher before cutting to give it a little more time to become established, but be sure to still only cut off one-third of the blade.

6)    Adjust mowing height for shady spots – For shady areas,  mow on the high side of the recommended range in order to maximize the plant’s leaf area.  Your lawn grasses will already be at a huge competitive disadvantage to the trees in regards to light, water, and nutrients, so it needs some special attention to maintain a canopy.

7)    Employ the “1/3^rd rule” of mowing –  Lawn experts recommend that you shouldn’t remove more than 1/3^rd of the leaf blade when you mow.  Removing too much of the foliage while mowing shocks the plant, forcing it to redirect its food resources from roots and stems towards new leaves. That means that if you want to mow to a 3” height, you shouldn’t mow until your grass is 4.5” high. To mow to a 2” height, you would wait until the grass is 3” high.

8)    Mowing very tall grass–If the lawn has gotten away from you, resist the temptation to scalp it in a single mowing event.  Instead, slowly drop the mowing height every 2-3 days while returning the turf to its ideal height.  This will maintain plant health and prevent you from having unsightly piles of clippings that not only look bad, but can also smother the turfgrass and create an environment that favors disease development. Grass clippings should be bagged or raked and removed when mowing grass that has grown too tall.

9)    Change your mowing pattern – Alternate your mowing pattern or direction each time the lawn is mowed.   Repeatedly mowing the lawn in the same direction pushes the grass over rather than cutting it cleanly. Also, different mowing patterns reduce soil compaction and wear from the mower wheels.

10) Grasscycle – Finally, return clippings as often as possible to your turf. Clippings are nothing more than organic fertilizer for your lawn, and if you follow the 1/3^rd rule, you will never produce enough clippings to cause problems with your lawn.  You can reduce your turf’s fertility needs and help the environment by keeping your clippings in your lawn. NEVER blow your clippings into the street,where they can add to local stormwater pollution.

For More Information: Mow Like a Pro

Sources:  Virginia Cooperative Extension, University of California IPM

8 Ways to Compost, From Treehugger

Composting is a very eco-friendly and easy process for any home gardener. When used as an additive for garden soil,compost can help plants make it through times of drought and extreme weather temperatures.

Organic matter such as yard and food waste make up about 23% of the waste that is generated in the United States. Composting is a way to re-use this organic waste to keep it out of the landfills while creating natural soil additives for your gardens. When worked into the soil, compost provides essential nutrients, improves soil texture, moderates temperatures, and increases the ability of the soil to absorb air and water. It also suppresses weed growth, decreases erosion, and reduces the need to apply commercial soil additives, thereby saving you money.

There is a great new post and slideshow on TreeHugger called 8 Ways to Compost and Which One You Should Try. I couldn't really think of 8 ways, so I thought the article was worth a read. After reading the article, I'm still not sure I would really consider these 8 different ways, but here is what they have listed. Pop on over to the full post for more details.

1) Hot Composting - By creating conditions where microorganisms thrive, hot composting generates significant amounts of heat. Takes some work but the compost breaks down relatively quickly.

2) Cold Composting - Easier but slower. More likely to have weeds and diseases.

3) Vermicomposting or Worm Composting- Let worms do the work.

4) Leaf mold - Piling up your leaves and letting them rot. Similar to #2, but only made of leaves.

5) Grub Composting - A small container that uses the larva of the black soldier fly to create compost in a matter of days.

6) Compost Tumblers - Compost tumblers offer a convenient, labor-saving alternative to turning a hot compost heap—and they help to break down compost a lot faster than a cool heap too.

7) Humanure Compost - Making compost out of human waste.

8 ) Municipal Composting - Letting government agencies collect yard waste and turn it into mulch. (See our resources page for sources for free and low cost municipal mulch in the Metro DC area)

Citizen Scientists Wanted to help Monitor Stinkbugs

I've previously written about the value of Citizen Scientists. Citizen Scientists are individuals who help to monitor local wildlife trends by reporting various "critters" they see in their own yards. There are various Citizen Science programs for birds, butterflies, frogs and other critters. But now Jon Traunfeld, of the University of Maryland Extension, is asking for local citizens to help monitor Stink Bugs.

According to this post on Susan Reimer's Garden Variety Blog, Jon Traunfeld and the University of Maryland Extension are asking the rest of us to help keep track of stink bugs by noting which fruits or vegetables they are not just sitting on, but feeding on.

The extension service will compile the information to help develop a comprehensive list of the plants that stink bugs love the best. Right now, that list includes tomatoes, peppers, beans, corn, asparagus, raspberry, peach, pear and apple.

Let the extension know if the stink bugs are worse in your garden this year than last. Send him an email at jont@umd.edu

Also, check out the new floating row cover web page and photo gallery for some ideas on how to exclude pests, like the stink bug, from your garden plants. http://www.growit.umd.edu/ImproveGarden/FloatingRowCover/index.cfm

How to Grow a Pizza Garden - June 15th

What child doesn't love pizza? And what better way to get kids interested in gardening then teaching them how to grow their own pizza garden? This free talk will teach children and their adults the basics!

When: Wednesday, June 15, 7 p.m.
Where: Arlington Central Library Community Garden (near east side doors) 1015 N. Quincy St., Arlington, Va.

What: Garden Talk–How to Grow a Pizza
Children and their adults will learn how one of their favorite foods is closely connected to the garden. They can also help plant pizza ingredients in containers that will then be given away. It's a great way to encourage young people to think about where their food comes from and increase their interest in gardening. Presented by Anne Santarone and Gary Fremerman.

Call 703-228-6321 for more information.