Wednesday, May 9, 2012
When buying native plants, make sure they are a true native variety.
It has been nearly a decade since I began to change my backyard from a play area for my kids to a more naturalized landscape that would help improve habitat for wildlife. As my project slowly progressed through the planning stage, I became aware of the benefits of including native plants in my plans. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, native plants are “adapted to local soils and climate conditions, generally require less water and fertilizer … are more resistant to insects and disease and are less likely to need pesticides.” I learned the hard way that just because plants share the same generic Latin name, it does not mean that all plants of a particular genus are true natives. For example, I wanted to use a native shrub …
Monday, April 23, 2012
These gardening accessories can help reduce pollution in the Severn and Magothy river watersheds.
Each year, Earth Day reminds us of the impact our day-to-day living has upon the environment. Hopefully, those of you who attended the ninth annual Earth Day Festival, hosted by the Greater Severna Park Watershed Action Group at Severna Park Middle School, came away from the event with a desire to help reduce pollution around your homes and neighborhoods. A number of people took advantage of the opportunity to purchase rain barrels and composters at our local Earth Day event. Both products offer homeowners easy, practical ways to reduce pollution and improve our environment. Once the initial excitement of celebrating Earth Day has died down, don’t forget to install and use your new rain barrel or your composter. Neither item does the …
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Wednesday, April 18, 2012
In a letter to the editor, the councilman from Severn said he is hopeful that the council will hold itself to a higher standard.
Anne Arundel County, The last few months have been very trying for me. In the few short weeks I have been appointed to this seat, many of you have reached out to me and expressed your displeasure of the current state the leadership in our county has created. If you have not been told, I want to officially apologize for our behavior. We are not perfect and we will stumble and like any steadfast servant, we will rise and continue to travel in the direction to move Anne Arundel County forward. Much like every other environment, it is filled with individuals who are only human and whose decisions can be clouded with lenses that are forged with a lifetime of diverse struggles. Recent events have lead us to make some tough choices —choices that…
Monday, April 9, 2012
When yard waste is recycled it is kept out of landfills and turned into compost.
Once a week, the county collects yard waste at the curbs of homes in Severna Park. The bags of leaves and bundles of branches are loaded on a recycling truck, but where does this material go once it is collected? Fortunately, yard waste from our area is not dumped in a landfill. It is transported to the Western Branch Composting Facility in Upper Marlboro which is managed by Prince George’s County and operated under contract by Maryland Environmental Services. It is there that over 80,000 tons of yard waste from Anne Arundel County and Prince George’s County residents are processed into mulch and compost each year. The composting process comprises a large part of the facility's operations. When yard waste arrives, it is loaded into a …
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
The Republican front-runner was selected as the nominee of choice by local readers in a non-scientific poll.
Patch readers in Anne Arundel County have declared their choice for a Republican presidential candidate: Mitt Romney. Here are the results for each site. Annapolis: Fred Karger received the most votes, proving that the Patch polls are indeed non-scientific and can be manipulated. Romney received 20 percent of the votes. Broadneck: Romney received 66 percent of the votes. Crofton: Romney received 35 percent of the votes. Edgewater-Davidsonville: Romney received 32 percent of the votes. Glen Burnie: Romney received 42 percent of the votes. Odenton-Severn: Romney received 31 percent of the votes. Pasadena: Romney received 62 percent of the votes. Severna Park: Romney received 57 percent of the votes.
Maryland's Republican "moderate middle" will matter on Tuesday.
Will former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s lead in Maryland turn into a win in Tuesday’s GOP presidential primary? Severna Park Patch is offering readers the opportunity to vote and leave a comment about how they voted. Romney has a 17-point advantage over former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum in Maryland, according to a poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports on Wednesday. It showed Romney is supported by 45 percent of Maryland Republicans, Santorum by 28 percent, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich by 12 percent and Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) by 7 percent. Although officials aren’t predicting a high turnout in Maryland on Tuesday, it is expected to be an important day in the presidential race, when the “moderate middle of the Maryland GOP will …
Monday, March 26, 2012
English Ivy is a popular landscape plant, but it must be properly maintained to prevent it from becoming an invasive plant.
English ivy, Hedera helix, has been a popular landscape plant in the United States since colonial times, and it is used frequently as a ground cover in many yards in the Severna Park area. It is a hardy, long lasting plant, and its dark, glossy green leaves often provide a contrasting background for other plants in the garden. In this area, it is easy to find English ivy growing up the trunks and branches of trees and carpeting the ground around the trees on public and private land. Unfortunately, due to its ability to grow well in a variety of conditions, English ivy is now considered an invasive species because it has become established without being intentionally planted, especially in wooded areas. The Plant Conservation Alliance …
Monday, March 12, 2012
Fertilizing in the fall improves the health and appearance of lawns while reducing water pollution.
I think it would be safe to say that the mild winter weather is giving folks an early dose of “spring fever” this year. Daffodils are blooming, some flowering trees are beginning to show color and the cool season blue grass and fescue lawns, that are predominate in the Severna Park area, are starting to turn green. In the past, we were told that to improve the appearance of our lawns, we needed to apply fertilizer with high nitrogen content at this time of year to encourage the grass to turn a rich, dark green color. While this practice did achieve the desired result of creating a greener lawn, it may have been doing more harm than good in maintaining the health of both the turf and the environment. According to the Maryland Cooperative …
Monday, February 27, 2012
Eagle Scout Tyler Giblin, along with a host of Severna Park volunteers, restored a trail to the Severn River helping to stop soil from eroding into the water.
When it came time for Tyler Giblin of Boy Scout Troop 855 to choose a location for his Eagle Scout project, he didn't have to look very far. At the end of Holly Avenue, near his home in Severna Park, is a footpath that leads to the Severn River. It had become overgrown and severely eroded. Although he had the option of restoring a trail in Sandy Point State Park, he decided that the trail close to his home needed immediate attention. On a recent afternoon, Tyler, a senior at Severna Park High School and avid outdoors man, gave me a tour of his project. He said that some years ago, a drainage riprap had been installed adjacent to the trail entrance. Unfortunately, trash and debris built up in front of the drainage area and stormwater was …
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Despite receiving a D- grade, speakers at the 10th annual State of the Magothy meeting said there is hope for the river.
About 100 concerned local residents attended the 10th annual State of the Magothy meeting Wednesday at Anne Arundel Community College (AACC). The information presented by the guest speakers about the condition of the river was a mix of good and bad news. In his opening remarks, Magothy River Association (MRA) President Paul Spadaro noted several positive ongoing activities by MRA volunteers such as beginning the restoration of Beachwood Park in the upper part of the river, the water quality monitoring program, oyster gardening and the dive program that monitors oyster beds. The MRA also awarded its annual E. Gordon Wiley scholarship to AACC student Alyssa Fisher. For more than a year, Fisher has worked closely with Dick Carey of the MRA on…
John Dawson
6:21 am on Monday, May 7, 2012
Susan, thank you for your comment. Attaching a soaker hose to your rain barrel will allow water to slowly flow into your garden. I have had good success with a nylon mesh soaker hose which works well with the low water pressure from my rain barrel. more ›