After Kathy Sykes, a certified Master Gardener, submitted her opinion piece calling for a pesticides ban in DC, we had some questions for her, including: Are weeds in a grass lawn the main target of herbicides? Is lawn fertilizer harmful to humans? And what are some alternatives? Here are her answers. Herbicides are a type of […]
Search Results for: pesticide free
Opinion: The problem with leaf blowers
by Kathy Sykes I must admit I’m not a fan of leaf blowers. I understand why people use them – from removing leaves from lawns to clearing walkways, sidewalks and driveways. It seems they make our world tidier. But the truth is, they cause more harm than good to our environment – and to our […]
A neighborhood Master Gardener turns teacher in Politics and Prose classes on creating pollinator-friendly gardens
by Kathy Sykes If you enjoy wildflowers, bumblebees, butterflies and birds, and want to learn more how you can grow a garden that brings nature to you, then I have something you won’t want to miss. For the past few years, I have been working with Van Ness Main Street, fellow Master Gardeners and neighbors […]
Opinion: Take the lawn and garden ‘Hippocratic Oath’ and give leaf blowers the boot
by Kathy Sykes Some good news – the DC ban on gas-powered leaf blowers goes into effect on January 1st, 2022. Until September 30th, 2022, DC is offering rebates for electric leaf blowers purchased: $75 for commercial-sized blowers and $50 for residential ones. However, my hope is that after reading this article you will choose […]
Connecticut Avenue’s pollinator gardens, planted by volunteers, have been buzzing with activity. More bee and butterfly-friendly plantings are happening this month.
by Kathy Sykes When the days are getting shorter and the temperatures are cooling down, it is bulb-planting season! October is the time to plant bulbs that will emerge in the spring to brighten and color our neighborhood with red tulips, yellow daffodils, and purple crocuses and allium. And this month, Van Ness Main Street […]
Opinion: Let’s call for a DC ban on chemicals in lawns and landscaping
by Kathy Sykes “Mommy, what does this sign say?” asked a 3-year-old child who was sitting on our lawn, taking a break from gardening with me in the treebox on Appleton Street. Her mother immediately picked her up, whisking her away from the hazardous grass as she read the sign: “Caution, pesticide application. Keep off.” […]
Cleveland Park-based business delivers locally-sourced meat to your door (Sponsored)
(This post is sponsored by Near Country Provisions.) When a Northwest DC neighbor began sourcing and delivering high-quality, ethically-raised meats from local farmers in the early spring, he didn’t know Covid-19 would soon turn reliable, safe meat delivery from a luxury into an essential service. “Literally days after we launched, the pandemic hit,” said Adam […]
Compost companies turn your kitchen trash into treasure for gardens
by Anne Rollins Composting kitchen scraps is becoming a big business. Prince George’s and Howard counties are experimenting with programs for collecting and composting food waste, largely to keep the garbage out of landfills. But the resulting compost is also proving very marketable (see The Washington Post story “Turning Food Scraps Into ‘Gold’”). If you’ve […]
To Stop Ticks, Clock’s Ticking
by Bill Eck In conversation with several residents of Forest Hills over the past few months, I have heard dozens of accounts of ticks being found on both people and their pets. Among these were several accounts of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. This subject is especially important to me since I have contracted […]