by Marjorie Rachlin Do you ever wonder what those birds in your backyard are doing? Do your children ask, “What’s that bird?” There’s an easy way to find out. Just install a few simple attractions like a bird bath, a hummingbird feeder or a wren house. I have all these “amenities” in my Forest Hills […]
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If you have leafy new neighbors, it’s time to offer them something to drink
Did a new neighbor put down roots near you recently? Tall? Thin? Quiet, with kind of a wooden personality? You, my friend, have a new street tree. And it’s high time you offered it some hospitality. Joking aside, we’re getting into a critical period for young street trees. From May through at least September, these […]
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 […]
In the Garden: Nature gives us a free yard care gift every fall
by Kathy Sykes Fall provides a great opportunity to suppress weeds and provide essential nutrients for next year’s yard and garden. But there is no need to spend money on mulch and fertilizer. Mother Nature is about to provide both. Fallen leaves are a free resource with many benefits. They create an organic layer, providing […]
Backyard Nature: A golden prize for bumblebees and butterflies
by Marlene Berlin Bees, flies, and an occasional butterfly come to partake of my goldenrod in the backyard. I planted it at the suggestion of the late Marge Rachlin, my friend, my neighbor, and my garden consultant. I turned to her for advice when my backyard, shaded since we moved here in 1989, had lots […]
UDC’s urban farming and gardening resource program hosting a Sept. 16 listening session
UDC’s urban farming programs include a research farm in Beltsville, Maryland, a rooftop farm at its Van Ness campus – and training a small army of “Master Gardeners.” It also puts on workshops and provides resources for DC residents who wish to learn more about growing food in their own gardens, whether it’s a community […]
Our outdoor plants are parched in this heat, but we are free of drought
by Marlene Berlin Trees are looking parched, with curled up leaves. Plants are wilting. But we are not in a drought, according to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG). COG’s July 15th report on the region’s water supply declared it so. The report acknowledges below normal precipitation in the preceding 30 days, and that […]
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The keys to a healthy, chemical-free lawn
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 […]
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.” […]
Got a green thumb? It can be a gift to your community. The DC Master Gardener training program is accepting applications through July 18.
UDC’s popular Master Gardener program will be welcoming its next group of trainees on September 1st, and it’s accepting applications from June 14th to July 18th. What is a Master Gardener? Someone who has been trained in sustainable urban gardening practices and goes on to volunteer in their communities on garden-based projects. In this neighborhood, […]