This February, we had speakers from the Bay-Wise Program (A project of the Maryland Extension and Master Gardeners), who showed us simple steps we can all take while gardening at home, to protect our precious Chesapeake Bay. All the steps serve the larger goal: to reduce pollutant flows into the Bay by soaking in and filtering rain water from our yards.
Some of those easy steps that we learned are: Mowing our grass high with a mulching mower, picking up pet waste daily, keeping storm drains clear, directing downspouts into flower beds so the water soaks in, adding rain barrels or rain gardens, planting groundcovers to decrease erosion, watering at dawn or dusk to reduce evaporation, reducing pesticide use, using slow-release or organic fertilizers and compost. You can read more at their website or see the entire checklist online.
Club Members enthusiastically took up a challenge to get more gardens certified Bay-Wise, and to help spread the word to our neighbors about gardening Bay-Wise. Our Clubhouse Committee even got the beds at our neighborhood Clubhouse certified. We are so excited about contributing to the CSCIA efforts to manage stormwater run off in our community, and to help spread the word to residents that they too can contribute right in their own gardens.
Our waterways contribute such joy and quality of life to all of us here in Maryland, so please join us in protecting our waterways! Visit the Bay-Wise website or see the entire checklist online. Thanks for reading!
Clubhouse Committee gets Bay-Wise certified!
Larry & Margarette, and Kari get Bay-Wise Certified, and Carol and Kathy as well!
Jeanne M, Barb W, Audrey & helpers, Jeanne K, & Roxana get Bay-Wise Certified!
Cape St. Claire Garden Club 