Urban Nature Gardening With Kids - April 2nd

I'm a big fan of Alison Gillespie, both for her writing and for her dedication to helping to preserve the beauty of the landscape around us.

This Saturday, April 2, 2011, Alison will be presenting a talk on how to turn even tiny spaces into places where children can experience the wonders of nature.


The program, presented by the Anacostia Watershed Society (AWS), will be from 10:00am - 12:00pm at the AWS Office, 4302 Baltimore Avenue, Bladensburg, MD 20710

About the program:

When you dreamt of being a parent, you imagined chasing butterflies through meadows and counting acorns in the woods with your kids. Now, in present day reality, you find yourself living on a city lot the size of a postage stamp and worry that your child with grow up with "nature deficit disorder." Local gardener, writer and parent Alison Gillespie will share ideas for meeting these challenges, as well as a practical list of ideas and plants that can turn even a tiny space into an arena for experiencing the wonder of nature. Inexperienced gardeners are welcome and encouraged to attend! 

RSVP: Please e-mail info@anacostiaws.org or click here to RSVP so we can plan accordingly!

To get a sample of some of the "wonder" that Alison has to impart, read this post that she shared with us back in February, or visit her blog:

Where You Are Planted

For more information about the Anacostia Watershed Society, click their logo below.

And be sure to visit our Calendar page for more upcoming events sponsored by the Anacostia Watershed Society and other great local groups.

More dog safety in the garden

I've written a couple of posts about pets in our gardens, primarilly about how the chemicals we use in our landscapes can harm our pets. In fact, according to WebMD, poisoning is one of the Top Ten Dog and Cat Injuries.

But my friend and fellow blogger Susan McCullough, author of the popular Northern Virginia Dog Blog, pointed something out to me that many gardeners don't think about: there are many other things in our gardens that can hurt our pets, including poisonous plants, mulch and what we put in our compost piles.

Many dog owners know that certain foods are unhealthy for dogs and keep them out of Fido's reach in the kitchen. But these same foods may end up in the compost pile where curious canines are sure to sniff them out.

Here are some excerpts from the great article Susan sent me entitled: ASPCA Guide to Pet-Safe Gardening.

ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) experts field tens of thousands of calls each year involving animal companions who’ve had potentially hazardous contact with insecticides, weed killers and pet-toxic plants. 

"Keeping animals safe from accidental poisonings should not end once you've stepped outside," says Dana Farbman, APCC pet poison prevention expert. "Protecting your pet from potential hazards in your yard is just as critical." 

While gardens and yards are lovely for relaxing, they can also prove dangerous for our animal companions.

Poisonous Plants 

When designing and planting your green space, it's a good idea to keep in mind that many popular outdoor plants—including rhododendron and azalea—are toxic to cats and dogs. Please visit our full list—and pics!—of toxic and non-toxic plants for your garden. 

Fertilizer 

Pet parents, take care—the fertilizer that keeps our plants healthy and green can wreak havoc on the digestive tracts of our furry friends. 

Cocoa Mulch 

Popular for its attractive odor and color, cocoa mulch also attracts dogs with its sweet smell, and like chocolate, it can pose problems for our canine companions. 

Insecticides 

The most dangerous forms of pesticides include snail bait with metaldehyde, fly bait with methomyl, systemic insecticides with the ingredients disyston or disulfoton, mole or gopher bait with zinc phosphide and most forms of rat poisons. Always store pesticides in inaccessible areas—and read the manufacturer's label carefully for proper usage and storage. 

Compost 

You're doing the right thing for your garden and Mother Earth—you're composting! Food and garden waste make excellent additions to garden soil, but depending on what you're tossing in the compost bin, they can also pose problems for our pets. Coffee, moldy food and certain types of fruit and vegetables are toxic to dogs and cats, so read up on people foods to avoid feeding your pet. 

Garden Tools 

Unattended garden tools may seem like no big deal, but rakes, tillers, hoes and trowels can be hazardous to pets and cause trauma to paws, noses or other parts of a curious pet's body. Rusty, sharp tools caked in dirt may also pose a risk for tetanus if they puncture skin. 

Allergy-Causing Flora 

Like their sneezy human counterparts, pets have allergies to foods, dust and even plants. Allergic reactions in dogs and cats can even cause life-threatening anaphylactic shock if the reaction is severe. If you do suspect your pet has an allergy, please don't give him any medication that isn't prescribed by a veterinarian. It's also smart to keep your pet out of other people's yards, especially if you're unsure of what kinds of plants or flowers lurk there. Keeping your pet off the lawn of others will make for healthy pets and happy neighbors.

Be sure and read the whole article from the ASPCA, as it contains much more great information for pets. And now that you know about the Northern Virginia Dog Blog, head on over there when you are out there sniffing around for something new to dig into.

Do we really need more rules to make us do the right thing?

An article in yesterday's Washington Post reports that a new study by the Environment Maryland  Research and Policy Center "calls on Maryland to consider following other states, such as New York and New Jersey, which recently banned the use of fertilizers with phosphorous…" Basically, the article is saying that home landscapes contribute a lot of pollution to the Chesapeake Bay and that "the state" should impose restrictions on what products homeowners can use in their landscapes to help control the problem.

The article contains some great information:

Grassy turf, not farmland, is the most dominant crop in the bay watershed. There were almost 1.3 million acres of planted turf in Maryland in 2009, compared with 1.5 million acres of all other crops, says the study by the Environment Maryland Research and Policy Center. 

Yet it is the least regulated of the state's major crops.  

Pollution in the bay increases when nutrients wash into its waters from snow and rainfall. And many lawn fertilizers have an excess of two problematic nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorous.

And the 33 page report that the article references does have some great information about how our actions, as property owners, affect the water quality of the Bay. It then goes on to  list  recommendations for what changes could be made to regulate fertilizer use in home landscapes. Words such as dictate, ban, require, enforce, and prohibit are used.

 The question that came  to my mind is, do we really want and/or need more laws to get us to do the right thing in our landscapes? Or are we, as property owners, responsible and smart enough to make our own decisions?

My attitude has long been that we each need to take responsibility for our own share of the planet, but I admit that I'm a bit of an idealist.

The article goes on to quote Senator Cardin of Maryland as saying:

“All 17 million of us who live in the watershed need to be part of the restoration effort,” said Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin(D-Md.). Not just wastewater facilities, municipalities and farmers, he said, but “homeowners and businesses also need to be part of the solution by reducing the chemicals we put on our lawns and other green spaces.”

The question is, are we responsible enough to make the right decisions on our own? Or do we need to wait for someone to make the decisions for us?

You can download the full 33 page report, Urban Fertilizers and the Chesapeake Bay here. And then you can let me know what you decide to do with your share of the planet.

Other posts about "shoulds" in the garden:

Should anyone else be able to tell you how you "should" garden?

"Shoulding" all over the place

Related article: Scott's to remove phosphorous in fertilizer

Patuxent River Clean-up Day – April 2

"To clean up a river, somebody has to get dirty!" ~ Patuxent Riverkeeper

As part of Earth Month, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission and the Patuxent Riverkeeper are  encouraging residents to join with their watershed neighbors, scout troops and school groups to help pick up trash along Maryland’s longest river, the Patuxent River on Saturday, April 2 from 9 a.m. to Noon.

The Patuxent River is home to more than 100 species of fish, including bass, catfish, chain pickerel, and bluefish. The Patuxent sustains nesting and over wintering bald eagles and a large extended habitat for indigenous wildlife. Among overall Bay tributaries, the Patuxent ranks seventh in fresh water flow into the Chesapeake Bay.

There are many spots to choose from for this cleanup, including Supplee Lane Recreation Area. To participate,  meet at the parking lot at 16904 Supplee Lane Road, Laurel or Brown’s Bridge Recreation Area, 2220 Ednor Road, Silver Spring. 

Wear old clothes and sturdy shoes.  WSSC will provide plastic bags and gloves.

For a complete list of all cleanup sites, download this pdf file: Annual Patuxent River Spring Cleanup

Recycled Worm Info

I'm weeding through a stack of old magazines at home and I keep finding great information that is worth sharing.

If you read my previous article on earthworms, you know that I think that earthworms are some of a green gardener's best friends.

Here are some excerpts from an article called Worms' Work, by Amy Stewart in the April/May 2004 issue of Organic Gardening Magazine.
 

Worms….change the soils composition, increase its capacity to absorb and hold water, and bring about an increase in nutrients and beneficial microbes. You could say they move the earth.

A happy Home

Can you introduce worms into your garden? yes, but it's better to increase the worm population already present. 

* Sweeten the soil. Worms prefer a neutral pH of about 7. If a test shows that your soil is very acidic, add bonemeal, limestone, or crushed oyster shell to raise the pH. 

* Add a layer of organic mulch. Worms thrive under manure, grass clippings, dead leaves, and compost. 

* Avoid disturbing the soil. Tilling and double-digging damage earthworms. Layer organic matter on the soil's surface instead. 

* Worms love clover. Consider planting it as a cover crop in winter and turning it under in spring.

* If you must add worms to your soil, find a spot where they're abundant, dig up chunks of soil with worms, and carefully place the chunks in a hole you've dug for them.

For more information about earthworms, see my previous post: Earthworms - Wriggling Wonders of the Garden

Wheaton High School Mulch Sale - April 9th

HARDWOOD MULCH SALE

Brought to you by the Wheaton High School PTSA

When:  Saturday, April 9, 2011

Where: Wheaton High School, 12601 Dalewood Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20906

Time:   Pick up from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at WHS. Delivery in WHS area for $20 starting at 9 a.m.The Wheaton High School PTSA Mulch will take place rain or shine.

$4.25 per 3-cubic-foot bag of Country Boy’s Riverside Hardwood Shredded Mulch

For more information and to order mulch online, visit:
Wheaton High School PTSA webiste
Website says that online orders may be made until April 2nd.

Questions: Please e-mail mulch@wheaton-ptsa.org or call Susan Conbere at 301-587-5587.

Organic Gardening For Babies

My home office has big windows with views of my yard, which is usually filled with birds, butterflies and beautiful blooms. The view always reminds me of both the reasons and the results of being an eco-friendly gardener. I’ve often said that I do it for the wildlife (I’m a real nature nerd) and the water (my husband is an avid fisherman who gardens green to keep the waterways healthy).

Inside my office, I have photos of the other important reasons for being a “green gardener” – the wee ones of the next generation. Three of them are in the beautiful photo above of my niece’s triplets.

As more and more of my friends and relatives are welcoming children and grandchildren, the importance of eco-friendly gardening becomes more evident to me.

Just in case you need any reminders, here are:

10 Reasons that Eco-Friendly Gardening is Good for Babies

1) Eco-friendly gardening means gardening without chemicals. Eliminating chemicals from our landscapes makes our gardens safer places for children to play. Because babies, kids, and pets spend most of their time playing outdoors on the grass, or indoors on carpets, where lawn chemicals have been tracked in on shoes, the tiniest members of our family are also the most vulnerable.

2) Eco-friendly gardening conserves water. Conserving water in our gardens helps to insure that we preserve the world’s water supplies for future generations – water is not a renewal resource.

3) Eco-friendly gardening creates wildlife friendly spaces. Creating wildlife friendly landscapes allow children a bird’s eye view of all of the wonders of the world.

4) Eco-friendly gardening insures that these wonders, such as hummingbirds and butterflies, will be around for them to appreciate and share with their own children.

5) Eco-friendly gardening prevents storm-water runoff. Preventing storm water runoff helps us maintain clean drinking water and provides beautiful recreational resources for future generations.

6) Growing food in eco-friendly, organic gardens provides healthier food sources for children.

7) Eco-friendly gardening saves time, which leaves more time for you to play with your kids (or grandkids). Choosing plants which are compatible with your site conditions will require less work.

8) Eco-friendly gardening saves money which you can spend on your kids (or grandkids). Learning to work with Mother Nature, Not Against her, will save money on water, chemicals and plants that don't flourish and need to be replaced.

9) Eco-friendly gardening decreases energy use (and air pollution associated with its generation) because less pumping and treatment of water is required.

10) Eco-friendly gardening is good for your soul. And good souls are important for raising good kids.

World Water Day - Rain is a Terrible Thing to Waste

In honor of World Water Day 2011, I wanted to remind everyone to put out some rain barrels and not waste any of the wonderful Springtime rain!

I've said it before, but it's worth repeating: "A rain is a terrible thing to waste."

So I hope you have your rain barrels up and functioning. If they are already full, get more barrels or open the spigots and fill up all of your watering cans.

And if you don't have any rain barrels, the obvious question is Why Not?

Rain barrels collect and save rain, which provides wonderful pure fresh water for plants and landscapes. A rain barrel will save most homeowners about 1,300 gallons of water during the peak summer months.

Which means, of course, that rain barrels save money by allowing homeowners to use rainwater rather than tap water, cutting down on utility bills.

If you make your own rain barrel, you are saving space in a landfill by keeping a nice big plastic barrel out of there.

Rain barrels also help prevent stormwater runoff which can pollute our waterways.

To encourage more property owners to reap these eco-friendly benefits, many local Maryland and D.C. government programs offer discounts as an incentive to get even more of these water savers into backyards across the DC region. Some of these programs are listed in our previous post How to Earn Green by Going Green.

For information about buying supplies and instructions to build your own rain barrel, visit my previous post on rain barrels.

Tips from Maryland Home and Garden

The Spring 2011 issue of Maryland Home and Garden, a publication of the University of Maryland Extension, is chock-full of great information for creating eco-friendly landscapes, including a detailed article about getting your soil tested.

The article starts out by saying:

The importance of soil to plant growth can be summed up in the aphorism "it’s better to plant a $2 tree in a $25 hole, than a $25 tree in a $2 hole." Soils contain the nutrients, water, and living organisms that help create healthy and sustainable gardens and landscapes. The first step to improving your soil is to invest a small amount of time and money to have your soil tested.

Other highlights from the current issue include:

Soil 

• Many home gardeners over use fertilizers. This results in excessive nutrient runoff and water pollution. Over-fertilization especially with fertilizers high in nitrogen, can lead to overly-succulent, weak growth and encourage sucking insect pests like scales, aphids and adelgids. Most landscape plants get adequate nutrition from a healthy soil rich with organic matter. 

• Poor, compacted soils can be improved through the generous addition of organic matter. This spring, spade or till in a 6-8 inch layer of leaf compost or well-rotted manure. If you want to grow vegetables, flowers or herbs this year and your soil is especially poor, consider building a raised bed and filling it with a purchased mixture of topsoil and leaf compost. 

Lawns 

• April marks the beginning of the mowing season. The height and how frequently you mow your lawn is very important. Cool season grasses such as tall fescue, creeping fescue, and bluegrass should be maintained at 3.0 inches. Try not to remove more than one third of the leaf surface at any one time, repeated mowing that removes this much of the blade will ruin the lawn. 

Mulches should be applied only 2-3 inches deep around ornamental plants and kept away from direct contact with shrub and tree trunks. Mature trees do not benefit much from being mulched except to provide a protective barrier around their trunks from riding lawn mower damage. 

Click here to download the entire newsletter: Spring 2011 Maryland Home and Garden

#1 Happiest Large City - Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

According to a post on CBS MoneyWatch.com called  The 10 Happiest (and Saddest) Cities in the U.S., the Washington Metro Area is #1 on the list of the 10 Happiest Large Cities.

It's probably because of all of the Bare Naked Gardening!