Thanks to everyone that made our two-day Extreme Cleanup of Mill Creek Stream a success! We had a total of 22 people help with the stream clean up on both sides of Shady Grove Rd. We collected 24 bags of trash. See below for photos from our Extreme Cleanup. Hope you can join us next year to continue making this a successful venture to help keep our water clean! #LoveRockCreek#EarthDay2024#earthmonth
On Friday-Saturday, April 19-20, 2024 Mill Creek Towne Garden Club and our community participated in Rock Creek Conservancy and Montgomery Park’s Earth Month Extreme Cleanup to help cleanup Mill Creek Stream for a litter removal restoration event in Rock Creek Park. Trash is the visible form of stormwater pollution, a major threat to water quality and park health and its removal makes the parklands cleaner, safer, and more beautiful for all. This annual event is a watershed-wide cleanup movement with the goal of total trash removal throughout Rock Creek, its tributaries, and surrounding neighborhoods and parklands. Information is included in this link:
Spring Forward– on your garden plans! Here are some garden tips, educational opportunities, and events for March. Save the dates for these upcoming events! Events include All About Birds: Ornithology for the Beginner & Beyond at MC, Orchids: How to Grow and Bloom at MC, Rolling Ridge Floral Design Spring Events, Garden After Dark: Wild at Home with Hilton Carter, Nature Matters: Moths and their Adaptations at Meadowside Nature Center, “How Does Your Garden Grow?” at Black Hill Nature Center, Earth Day Mill Creek Stream Extreme Cleanup, and more!
Planning
Mark beds outside where your new plants from seed are going in your garden.
Clean out pots; store non-frost proof containers in shed, garage, or basement.
Clean, sharpen, and store your garden tools.
Select and order fruit plants.
Decide on new tree/shrub locations.
If you want to plant a street tree, pick one that grows up to 20 to 30 feet tall if you have overhead power lines.
Read a good gardening book or magazine.
Have a question about gardening? Check the University of Maryland Extension’s New Maryland Grows blog for garden tips.
Download Montgomery County’s Office of Agriculture 2019 Farmers Market Flyer to find a farmer’s market near you.
Flowers and Groundcovers
Clean up the garden.
Pull out ornamental cabbages and kale.
Buy or check on your stored summer bulbs (such as dahlias and caladiums). Pot them and start to water, if you want to give them an early start on the season.
Lightly fertilize bulbs when green starts to show.
Plant the bulbs you forgot to plant last fall!
Hardy spring bulbs begin to emerge (crocus, snowdrops, daffodils, and tulips).
Cut your Daffodils for indoor bouquets, but do not combine them with other flowers in one vase. They give off a toxic substance that may kill your other blooms prematurely.
Walk your garden — look for early signs of fungal disease.
Divide perennials and herbs.
Plant and prune roses.
Transplant seedlings into individual 3″-4″ pots when crowded.
Fertilize transplants with 1/2 strength houseplant fertilizer (every 2 weeks)
Weed—especially look for fast-growing vines such as honeysuckle, autumn clematis, bittersweet, wild grape, Virginia creeper, and poison ivy.
Start seeds for Portulaca, Flowering Tobacco, Ageratum, China Aster, Cleome, Dwarf Marigolds, Salvia, Tall Snapdragons, Verbena, and perennials. Check daily for moisture.
Cover garden beds with shredded leaves to minimize soil erosion.
Apply deer deterrent.
Pests to watch for: Aphids, Deer, 4-lined plant bug, slugs.
Save the dates for these upcoming events! Events include All About Birds: Ornithology for the Beginner & Beyond at MC, Orchids: How to Grow and Bloom at MC, Rolling Ridge Floral Design Spring Events, Garden After Dark: Wild at Home with Hilton Carter, Nature Matters: Moths and their Adaptations at Meadowside Nature Center, “How Does Your Garden Grow?” at Black Hill Nature Center, Earth Day Mill Creek Stream Extreme Cleanup, and more!
Montgomery County MD Food and Beverage Guide
The third edition of the MoCo Made Food & Beverage Guide is available!
The Guide features more than 60 local producers and farmers offering local-made products. Find the online version here:
Plant Clinics are held at several sites in the county on a weekly basis and at special events such as garden festivals and the county fair. Regularly scheduled Plant Clinics are located at public libraries and farmers’ markets throughout the county as well as at the Audubon Naturalist Society in Chevy Chase. There are also clinics three days per week at Brookside Gardens. The busiest season is April through September, but some clinics are open year-round. Bring your plant samples and questions to one of these locations in Montgomery County, MD (see link below to find a location near you):
CSAs can take many forms, but essentially they are community supported farms in which members contribute to farming projects, usually by way of membership fees, in exchange for fresh, local produce. The concept came to the United States from Europe in the 1980s. They are a great way to take advantage of fresh, locally grown fruit, vegetables, herbs, and more while supporting nearby farms. Each one is different, some offer pickup locations in urban areas, some offer only farm-based pickups.
There are multiple CSAs located around the County offering a wide variety of products. CSAs begin taking sign-ups for spring and summer seasons in the early part of the year, and they tend to fill up FAST! Know of another CSA not on our list? Let us know! Montgomery Countryside Alliance also maintains a list:
Join Rock Creek Conservancy, the Alice Ferguson Foundation, National Park Service, Mill Creek Towne Garden Club, and Extreme Cleanup Leader Susan Yu for our Rock Creek Extreme Cleanup! We will be cleaning up trash from the Mill Creek Stream near the intersection of Mill Creek Drive and Warbler Lane on Saturday, April 18, 2020 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.
Trash and pollution are among the biggest threats to this small stream, one of the northern most tributaries of Rock Creek. Our goal is a total cleanup of Rock Creek and its tributaries, including the parks and neighborhoods near the creek where trash originates.
We invite you to join us for our 12th Annual Extreme Cleanup to help remove trash and keep this section of Rock Creek clean.
We hope to see you there!
You MUST register for this event; Early registration is required so we can get an accurate count to provide supplies for everyone.
Rolling Ridge Floral Design is hosting some exciting Spring events over the next few months, including a DIY Arrangement Workshop, an Easter event featuring an egg hunt & pony rides, and a fabulous Mother’s Day Bouquets and Brunch!
Rolling Ridge Floral Design is owned by Montgomery County residents Glenn and Emmi Bergman, who purchased the farm back in 2012 with the goal of sharing the tranquility of their horse and flower farm, through community events to include DIY flower/garden workshops as well as private family celebrations and corporate retreats. They offer local deliveries, personal flowers, arrangements & décor for weddings and all types of events, DIY workshops. In addition, the floral shop may be rented for intimate celebrations for up to 48 guests – perfect for bridal showers, baby showers, birthdays and weddings.
Located at The Stables of Rolling Ridge (7409 Brink Rd. in Laytonsville), the shop is located right above the family horse barn –you’ve never seen a floral shop like this before! Please note the floral shop and farm is a family homestead and open during scheduled events and by private appointment only.
Sunday March 15th – 11am to 1pm – Spring Arrangement DIY Workshop
Guests are invited to join us in the floral shop above the barn to learn about planting and caring for bulb plants and design their own arrangement using fresh cut seasonal flowers.
Sunday April 5th – 10:30am to 1:30pm – Children’s Easter on the Farm
Children will enjoy an egg hunt, pony rides and a mini flower arrangement/craft – supervising adults attend free!
Sunday May 3rd – 11am to 1pm – Mother’s Day Brunch & Bouquets
Bring the special woman in your life and create a beautiful floral arrangement using fresh cut flowers and enjoy a mini brunch buffet that includes gluten free and vegan pastries from a local chef.
Orchids are more popular than ever, and are readily available at mass markets, florists, and garden centers. Explore how to be successful with orchid selection in the home environment. Learn how to purchase, care, handle, repot, and rebloom your orchid. The instructor will use live plants to demonstrate best practices. You are encouraged to bring your own orchid plants for questions.
Gaithersburg Business Training Center
CRN#: 34465
1 session(s)
S
3/28/2020 – 3/28/2020
(GBTC) 442
12:30 PM – 03:30 PM
LLI354: All About Birds: Ornithology for the Beginner & Beyond at MC
Did you know that some dinosaurs survived? This course takes a look at the fascinating world of these survivors – birds. Explore bird identification, anatomy, physiology, and behaviors. Examine their place in the natural world and the complex bird-human relationship. Meet for a field trip in a park to observe birds during the last class session. Tuition waiver applies; seniors pay fee only.
Rockville
CRN#: 34653
4 session(s)
F
3/27/2020 – 4/24/2020
(MK) 102
10:30 AM – 12:30 PM
(3/27/2020 – 4/3/2020)
(MK) 102
10:30 AM – 12:30 PM
(4/17/2020 – 4/24/2020)
How Does Your Garden Grow?
Sunday, March 22 | 12 – 4 pm | All Ages | Free Black Hill Nature Programs
Celebrate “World Water Day” and learn new ways to garden to help your watershed. Whether you’re a novice or an expert, all are welcome for a day of garden talk and practice. Naturalists, gardening pros, and Master Gardeners will share their advise and expertise. Bring your questions or tips to share with other plant lovers. We’ll have activities for the whole family!
Thursday, March 26 | 6:30 – 8 pm | $8 Meadowside Nature Center | 5100 Meadowside Lane | Rockville, MD 20855
Moth species of the Lepidoptera family come with many adaptations, some include not developing a mouth after their caterpillar phase. Join us at the Nature Matters Lecture Series as we zoom into the tiny world of moths!
Sunday, April 19 | 11 am – 4 pm | Free Brookside Gardens | 1800 Glenallan Ave *Free Shuttle Provided from Glenmont Metro – Parking extremely limited day-of
GreenFest is committed to helping everyone in the County explore their path to a greener life. For some, GreenFest could be the first step towards discovering more about their environment, while others may be further along their path, looking for ideas on how to reduce their footprint. And for the “Dark Greens”, GreenFest is a place to share ideas and meet other innovators. GreenFest is where all of these different groups come together, learn together and celebrate together.
Wednesday, April 22 | 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm | Free Black Hill Nature Programs | 20926 Lake Ridge Drive | Boyds, MD 20841
Join us at the Visitor Center to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day and show what Black Hill means to you! We will be creating our very own Litter Letters, and international community art project and we need your help.
Wings of Fancy Live Butterfly & Caterpillar Exhibit
Wednesday, April 22 – September 20, 2020
From egg to larva to pupa to adult, the story of butterflies involves transformation, migration and renewal. Those who observe a portion of their amazing life cycle, have a wonderful story to share! Join us and experience these ever-changing insects for yourself!
Montgomery County Master Gardeners: Grow It Eat It Open House
Saturday, May 2, 2020 at 10 AM – 4 PM
Agricultural History Farm Park 18400 Muncaster Rd Derwood, Maryland 20855
It is time to start planning 2020’s edible garden! Our event will have several workshops, from soil testing to garden planning! Reserve your spot. Several free classes will also be available as well that do not require registration.
Thursday, May 7 | 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm | $8 Meadowside Nature Center | 5100 Meadowside Lane | Rockville, MD 20855
Join us for this special evening lecture series about “Naturiotism” with Jason Beale, animal care program director, Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center, Penn State University. Mingle with fellow science and nature lovers while enjoying light appetizers, beer and wine before the engaging presentation by an expert in the field.
