By Adreon Hubbard of Idlewydle One of the things I appreciate about Idlewylde is the many yards filled with trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants in addition to the more traditional mowed grassy areas. The 3rd annual Idlewylde Fall Yard Tree Program through Blue Water Baltimore saw 19 native trees planted in October, including Bald Cypress, Black Gum, Fringetree, Willow and Northern Red Oak, Redbud, River Birch, Sweetbay Magnolia, Sycamore, and Tuiliptree. Yay! Most people seem to agree that trees provide many benefits, including shade, cooling, cleaner air, stormwater and erosion control, pollutant filtering, habitat, and […]
Continue readingThe Green Life
You Just Can’t Hack It: Correct Pruning for Healthy Trees
By Adreon Hubbard On my walks through the neighborhood, I’ve noticed street and yard trees with various issues that might have been prevented through correct pruning. Our trees are subjected to many stressors beyond our control, but pruning when a tree is young is something the average person can do (even an arthritic retiree such as myself) to help the tree withstand these threats and live a longer, healthier life. Pruning also provides a fun outdoor workout and sense of accomplishment. Having just completed my TreeKeeper Pruning Certification, I am excited to share some tips […]
Continue readingSaving the planet can begin in your own backyard
Searing heat waves, recurring downpours, and the news that insect and bird populations are declining precipitously all indicate that the climate crisis has already crossed our doorstep. While our government works out local, national, and global solutions, there are many proactive things we can do in our own yards. Growing native plants and trees is a relatively simple act that could have a significant positive impact on our environment. Many people don’t realize that 90% of the insects that live in our neighborhoods can only digest the plants that they have co-evolved with for thousands […]
Continue readingSpending the day in Eastern Baltimore County is an exercise in undiscovered pleasures
By Carl GoldIn Marshy Point State Park I start the day very early at Hammerman Beach. Years ago, an agreement was reached to allow long distance swimmers to train outside the ropes before the beaches open for public use. My cure for Nature Deficit Disorder (NDD) begins, however, before I set foot in the water. I glance down and see fern moss near the base of the osprey nest in the parking lot. Emerald cushions with spores ready to explode with new single cell life cover the ground, inches away from asphalt. To the left […]
Continue readingHow Dangerous Are Lawn Care Chemicals?
Notice the yellow warning signs placed on a lawn after a professional lawn care treatment. Ask your lawn care provider for a list of all chemicals put on your lawn during the entire year. Look the chemicals up on the Internet searching for effects on children and pets. The commonly used lawn herbicides like 2-4-D and 2-4-5-T are essentially plant-growth hormones. They cause the plant to “grow itself to death.” That is why you see the dandelions turn upside down after being sprayed with 2-4-D or other similar chemicals. 2-4-D is one of the two […]
Continue readingAn Open Letter to First Lady Dr. Jill Biden: Please Grow Native Plants in the White House Gardens
Dear Dr. Biden: Like many Americans, we were thrilled to watch President Biden’s inauguration last week. We applaud the President’s recommitment to the Paris Climate accord and his pledge to take immediate actions to address the serious problem of climate change and its effects on the people of our country and the world. We are writing to suggest that you initiate a project to create a native plant garden at the White House and to expand any native plantings that are there already. As you probably know, Dr. Doug Tallamy, an entomologist at University of […]
Continue readingTowson’s Streams are Lovelier Than Ever in a Pandemic
I have enjoyed getting to know some of our streams, otherwise known as stormwater management channels, this Fall while working with our Green Towson Alliance stream cleanups. We first did the Herring Run branch from Towson High School, under the Aigburth Avenue bridge, northward to Radebaugh Park all the way up to near Burke Avenue. We GTAers also did a portion of the Herring Run branch behind the St. Andrews Lutheran Church on Taylor Avenue. I have explored a portion of the branch near my home that I had largely been unaware existed. Various sections […]
Continue readingWash Laundry, Not Too, Much Hang Dry
By Anne-Marie Bonneau (With apologies to Michael Pollan for another riff of his quote, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly Plants.”) Why Does She Keep Posting Pictures of Her Underwear? Every several months, I’ll post a picture on Instagram of my laundry drying outside on my drying rack. I hear two basic reactions. Americans: “OMG where did you get your drying rack? I’d love one like it.”Everyone else: “Why are you posting this?”In most of the world, hanging up clothes to dry is normal, non-Instagrammable behavior. Here in the US, where many home owners associations […]
Continue readingClimate Crisis: Five More Changes
Cutting way back on single-use paper products seemed a no-brainer on my Climate Crisis Consumer Diet. I had used cloth table napkins when I had four kids at home, but as fewer people regularly came to the dinner table, I had inexplicably slipped back into using paper napkins. Last year, when I pulled out my stash of cloth napkins, I had lost my relaxed attitude about them. During dinner, I would cringe every time someone used one to wipe a greasy finger. Why was I so neurotic about them? Was I burdened by the thought […]
Continue readingCleaning Your Home Naturally
One way to take a step back from a closet full of plastic bottles filled with cleaning products that may contain harmful substances is to take a look at time-honored methods of cleaning. Just a few generations ago, people who lived in rural areas, who couldn’t readily run to a store to buy cleaning supplies, depended on using everyday products to clean their home. In fact, some old cookbooks included ‘recipes’ for cleaning solutions. Now more than ever, it makes sense to step back from those disposable floor cleaning pads and use an old-fashioned mop […]
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