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 […]
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See what Knollwood is doing to capture and clean stormwater runoff
Over the years, we’ve seen the damage excess stormwater can do to our parks and streams, and to infrastructure including trails, roads and our Metro system, so whenever we hear about new and local mitigation efforts… let’s just say our ears perk up. Knollwood, the independent and assisted living community for seniors who have served […]
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 […]
We can’t count on summer rainstorms to water our trees for us
Our trees are stressed, and need our help. There has been no significant rain over the last 30-odd days. “Significant rain” means a steady rainfall amounting to 1.5 inches within a week. Downpours do not count. Two inches of rain fell in 30 minutes in some parts of DC recently, but in those instances, the […]
DC is using decades-old rain predictions to plan local infrastructure projects, though more recent data is available
by Marlene Berlin Starting this winter, DC Water is set to undertake the rehabilitation of the century-old Soapstone Valley sewer system. The goal is to keep the sewer pipes whole and harden them against erosion and other severe weather impacts for decades to come. The design of infrastructure projects such as these is determined in […]
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 […]
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 […]
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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.” […]
DDOT’s Van Ness streetscape improvement project is kicking off with a June 30 virtual meeting
Connecticut Avenue in Van Ness could be greener – in every sense of the word. A key phase of the process to make that happen is kicking off June 30th with a virtual public meeting. DDOT is the host, and the agency tasked with designing a Van Ness streetscape that is both more attractive and […]
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, […]