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Published by www.EPlusPromotes.com www.TheCatoctinBanner.com The Catoctin Banner Newspaper June 2017 Page 33
by Christine Maccabee always be volunteer plants as well, field for two years now due to the
such as daisy fleabane and golden small dogwood trees coming up.
On The Wild Side rods, perhaps queen ann’s lace Once I identify any small trees and
(a non-native, but then, so am I) protect them from deer, then I will
What is Delawnification? and maybe even wild wine berries mow in between all trees in the
(yum!). autumn.
First of all, delawnification need. Noise pollution is a very real
is not a word. However, its thing in the suburbs, and even the In my meadows, I learned The mowing of old fields once a
meaning should be pretty clear. countryside where I live. to identify and make teas using year is especially important to keep
At the People’s Climate March medicinals like yarrow, vervain, the invasives controlled. I learned
in Washington, D.C., this April, When I first moved to my purple clover, and St. John’s Wort. the hard way why that is important
one of the speakers talked about country home twenty-eight years On one bank, I began growing (no details here).
the importance of creating and ago, I went crazy with grass seed in cucumbers and squash, mulching
allowing more habitat for native order to control erosion of the soil them with straw and manure Enough advice as to how you can
plants and reducing the size of our around our home. Being on a slope, from the goat pen and, yes, grass delawnify your lawn. It does take
lawns. it seemed essential. I remember clippings! Grass clippings make effort, and, yes, it is not everyone’s
being horrified by the interminable a wonderful natural mulch. Also, cup of tea, but it is one definite
Considering that land as rain that threatened to wash away planting trees on large parcels way to contribute to the health of
habitat for wildlife is being swiftly all of our topsoil, so I was out in of land creates shade, as well as our precious planet. Some people
devoured by development around the rain throwing grass seeds like a multiple advantages for birds and dedicate a small portion of their
the world—turning forests into maniac. insects, even hummingbirds. I have yards to flowering plants—native
expansive grassy areas, or into many gorgeous mimosa trees now, and non-native—and the result can
plantations for palm oil, or into However, after stabilizing the which are a magnet for swallowtail be lovely. Indeed, I have seen some
parking lots, or you name it—the slopes, I began to see possibilities of butterflies and hummingbirds. If one amazing yards around town this
idea of delawnification is a good creating large areas of wildflowers, allows wild plants to grow between year. Yes, you have something very
idea. and so began my personal process of the trees, mowing but once a year in valuable (not in dollars and cents) if
delawnification. I killed off grass by the fall, amazing plants may emerge. you own land, so have fun making
Now, before I offend lawn lovers putting down black plastic on those Flowers such as black-eyed susans, a plan to expand your botanical
of the world, I want to say I am same slopes I had sown in grass phlox, even fern in wet areas, may haven.
not anti-lawn. I understand the years before. Leaving the plastic come forth without trying. I have
need for lawn areas for children on for one year, I was amazed not mowed my old four-acre hay As I always say, every little bit
to play and adults to play golf or how wonderfully rich the soil had helps…and Mother Earth thanks
croquet and other polite games of become underneath it. This actually you!
society. Lawns do have a place in is a great time for one to put plastic
our lives. The problem with huge down. By the autumn, you can Christine is a Master Wildlife Habitat Naturalist in the state of Maryland. She is
expansive lawns of extravagant lift it and find nothing but friable, also a member of the Green Team in Thurmont. She would be glad to help you with
size, acre upon acre of lawn, where rich soil. Then, throw a nice mix habitat on your property and can be reached by email at: [email protected].
no one walks or plays, is that those of wildflower seeds in the soil, and
lawns gobble up millions of gallons voila! The following spring, there
of gasoline, polluting the air as will be flowers galore as habitat
well as the peace and quiet we all for bees and butterflies. There will
by Christine Maccabee always be volunteer plants as well, field for two years now due to the
such as daisy fleabane and golden small dogwood trees coming up.
On The Wild Side rods, perhaps queen ann’s lace Once I identify any small trees and
(a non-native, but then, so am I) protect them from deer, then I will
What is Delawnification? and maybe even wild wine berries mow in between all trees in the
(yum!). autumn.
First of all, delawnification need. Noise pollution is a very real
is not a word. However, its thing in the suburbs, and even the In my meadows, I learned The mowing of old fields once a
meaning should be pretty clear. countryside where I live. to identify and make teas using year is especially important to keep
At the People’s Climate March medicinals like yarrow, vervain, the invasives controlled. I learned
in Washington, D.C., this April, When I first moved to my purple clover, and St. John’s Wort. the hard way why that is important
one of the speakers talked about country home twenty-eight years On one bank, I began growing (no details here).
the importance of creating and ago, I went crazy with grass seed in cucumbers and squash, mulching
allowing more habitat for native order to control erosion of the soil them with straw and manure Enough advice as to how you can
plants and reducing the size of our around our home. Being on a slope, from the goat pen and, yes, grass delawnify your lawn. It does take
lawns. it seemed essential. I remember clippings! Grass clippings make effort, and, yes, it is not everyone’s
being horrified by the interminable a wonderful natural mulch. Also, cup of tea, but it is one definite
Considering that land as rain that threatened to wash away planting trees on large parcels way to contribute to the health of
habitat for wildlife is being swiftly all of our topsoil, so I was out in of land creates shade, as well as our precious planet. Some people
devoured by development around the rain throwing grass seeds like a multiple advantages for birds and dedicate a small portion of their
the world—turning forests into maniac. insects, even hummingbirds. I have yards to flowering plants—native
expansive grassy areas, or into many gorgeous mimosa trees now, and non-native—and the result can
plantations for palm oil, or into However, after stabilizing the which are a magnet for swallowtail be lovely. Indeed, I have seen some
parking lots, or you name it—the slopes, I began to see possibilities of butterflies and hummingbirds. If one amazing yards around town this
idea of delawnification is a good creating large areas of wildflowers, allows wild plants to grow between year. Yes, you have something very
idea. and so began my personal process of the trees, mowing but once a year in valuable (not in dollars and cents) if
delawnification. I killed off grass by the fall, amazing plants may emerge. you own land, so have fun making
Now, before I offend lawn lovers putting down black plastic on those Flowers such as black-eyed susans, a plan to expand your botanical
of the world, I want to say I am same slopes I had sown in grass phlox, even fern in wet areas, may haven.
not anti-lawn. I understand the years before. Leaving the plastic come forth without trying. I have
need for lawn areas for children on for one year, I was amazed not mowed my old four-acre hay As I always say, every little bit
to play and adults to play golf or how wonderfully rich the soil had helps…and Mother Earth thanks
croquet and other polite games of become underneath it. This actually you!
society. Lawns do have a place in is a great time for one to put plastic
our lives. The problem with huge down. By the autumn, you can Christine is a Master Wildlife Habitat Naturalist in the state of Maryland. She is
expansive lawns of extravagant lift it and find nothing but friable, also a member of the Green Team in Thurmont. She would be glad to help you with
size, acre upon acre of lawn, where rich soil. Then, throw a nice mix habitat on your property and can be reached by email at: [email protected].
no one walks or plays, is that those of wildflower seeds in the soil, and
lawns gobble up millions of gallons voila! The following spring, there
of gasoline, polluting the air as will be flowers galore as habitat
well as the peace and quiet we all for bees and butterflies. There will
