| Redlands youth gardening program wins grant
A Redlands program designed to teach at-risk students to appreciate the outdoors while also building science and leadership skills has received a grant from the National Gardening Association. The garden is part of the Micah House II after-school program, which provides at-risk students with homework assistance, computer instruction and recreational activities. The nonprofit organization, which is a ministry of Trinity Church in Redlands, serves more than 50 students in elementary through high school. Students who have worked in the garden have reaped a number of benefits, according to Kathy Stinson, program coordinator at Micah House II. .
Hunky horticulture
If your moonscape lawn proves to be truly desperate-looking, hunky horticulturist Jason Cameron - landscaper, carpenter, male model and personal trainer - might come to the rescue. The Toledo native's new DIY series will premiere at 10 p.m. on April 5. Ahmed Hassan, yet another handsome landscaper, grew up in Northern California. He will share his green-thumb tips on a DIY Network show called "The Dirt On..." The series will premiere at 8 a.m. on April 7. "Desperate Landscape" follows Cameron and his team of experts to homes nominated by their very own neighbors for having the worst front yards on the block. Cameron and crew will demonstrate what it takes to dramatically change a yard - in just one day. From new planting beds and fresh paint to fencing and big new trees, the neighbors can't believe these transformations.
City Set to Endorse Water-Wise Landscaping
(KCPW News) Covering your yard in water-wise plants and decorative bark is technically against the law in Salt Lake City. Landscaping codes require yards to be covered in grass - but that no longer fits with the city's water conservation goals. The Salt Lake City Council is now on the verge of making xeriscaped yards legit. On April 17th, the City Council will hold a public hearing on changes to the law that will require only one-third of a yard to be filled with grass or other plants. The rest of the yard can be covered in mulch, gravel or rocks. But first, city water conservation coordinator Stephanie Duer says the city must calm the fears of those who think the change will give people an excuse to abandon their yards in favor of weeds and parked cars. Duer says the city has other laws to address those issues.
Mother Nature Threatens Elementary School’s Gardening Project
A spring time cold snap is threatening a gardening project at Tulsa's Alcott Elementary. The garden, which the students planted last fall, was created with help from a Vision 2025 grant. The News On 6's Rick Wells reports with freezing temperatures on the way, the students are now learning to protect their garden from the cold. The News On 6 first met the Alcott gardeners back in September. The students and volunteers cleared a space for a garden behind the school, they tilled and toiled raking out grass and picking up rocks. It was a lot of work for the kids, but now there are rows and rows of raised beds, planted with onions, greens, strawberries and tomatoes all coming up and doing well. "Out in the garden you have tomatoes and they are used to living in a warm climate," said Sue Gray OSU Extension Service Horticulturist.
Gardening is better with a goal in mind
Don't just grow flowers and vegetables, grow a spring salad or a fragrant bouquet. It's all possible if you plant your plot with ingredients that will add up to something more. We'll give you some tips for coordinating your intentional garden through the season, starting with these three ideas. Salad garden Now is the time to plant leafy greens for your summer salads. And a variety of lettuces thrive in Colorado's climate. One way to ensure you've got a salad smorgasbord is to buy mixed lettuce seed packets. But don't forgot spinach, chard, endive and other salad-bowl stuffers. Salad greens don't have extensive root systems, so they need particular care. The CSU extension service recommends amending the top 6 inches of dirt in your lettuce garden with a pound of nitrogen and a pound of phosphate per 1,000 square feet of soil.
|
