What Grows On in Rhode Island News

Alternatives to Miracle Grow ~ Workshop ~ February 29, 2012

News from the Winter Farmers Market at Hope Artiste Village, 1005 Main St, Pawtucket, RI

WORKSHOP TODAY @ 5PM

"Alternatives to Miracle Grow" - Take home growing tips and tweaks for the 2012 growing season.
Hosted by New Urban Farmers. Find them every other Saturday, selling microgreens and mushrooms at the market!

Also note several workshops coming up throughout March.

 

 

Rhode Island Water Resources Board ~ Slow the Flow ~ Summer 2011

Rhode Island Water Resources Board Launches
“SLOW THE FLOW THIS SUMMER” Campaign

Campaign aims to inform Rhode Islanders about
lawn watering guidelines and conservation efforts during the summer months

 

PROVIDENCE, RI (June 28, 2011) – The Rhode Island Water Resources Board has launched a public awareness campaign encouraging Rhode Islanders to follow simple watering guidelines this summer to keep lawns healthy while conserving water.

The “SLOW THE FLOW THIS SUMMER” campaign was developed to provide Rhode Island homeowners with year-round instructions on efficient water use for lawn watering both for lawn health and sustainability of our water supply.

“Water is a renewable but finite resource,” said Kenneth Burke, General Manager of the RI Water Resources Board. “Clean water is not always available when we need it and there is so much work and cost involved with producing clean, potable water – that it is truly wasteful to be applying it to lawns. The recent outdoor watering restrictions in both Narragansett and South Kingstown, and existing outdoor restrictions in North Kingstown emphasize the need to balance the use of these precious resources.”

Led by representatives from the Rhode Island Nursery & Landscape Association (RINLA), the University of Rhode Island’s Turf Program, and the RI Water Resources Board, stakeholders and experts worked for over a year to develop the State’s first lawn maintenance guidelines emphasizing water conservation.

“Working with the Rhode Island Water Resources Board to develop these important parameters was an innovative experience,” said Shannon Brawley, executive director of RINLA. “It brought together expertise from across the State to help educate about appropriate lawn watering and maintenance while conserving our critical resources.”

Conserving water reduces overall costs as both a home and business owner, according to the RI Water Resources Board – easing strains on water resource infrastructure such as rivers, streams, water towers, water lines, pump stations and treatment facilities. The new guidelines recommend that lawns get no more than one inch of water per week. Rhode Island gets between 39-54 inches of rain a year. To date, Rhode Island has received approximately 26 inches of rain.

“Your lawns should be healthy, but you can easily overwater and overfeed your lawn,” said Burke. “This is not only wasteful – but could also weaken your lawn and result in the runoff of nutrients into surrounding areas.”

RI Water Resources Board Chairman Bill Penn said, “We take great pride in offering these simple dos and don’ts – and we hope that Rhode Islanders take some time during this summer season to appreciate one of our most abundant but delicate resources – our water supplies.”

“This new how-to delivers useful and insightful ways for Rhode Island homeowners to conserve our precious water,” said Dave Wallace, president of The Rhode Island Turfgrass Foundation.

A fully integrated marketing campaign is launching July 4 to build awareness throughout the state of Rhode Island including radio, print, and online mediums. For additional details regarding these watering guidelines and other water resource programs, please visit www.riwater.org.

 
About The Rhode Island Water Resources Board

The Rhode Island Water Resources Board is an executive agency of state government responsible for managing the proper development, utilization and conservation of water resources. Its primary responsibility is to ensure that sufficient water resources are available for present and future generations. The Board actively pursues new and innovative strategies for water resource protection and development on behalf of the State – and as part of its mission is committed to wisely conserving Rhode Island’s water resources.

Barrington Conservation Workshop & Film Series

Presentations on Sustainable Turf Management; Natives, Invasives, Biodiversity; Gardening to Attract Birds; and Home Composting; plus the films King Corn, HOME, two in the National Geographic's Planet Earth Series, and two for kids and families ~ WALL-E and Microcosmos ~ will be held each week at the Barrington Library from June 29 through the end of August. The Barrington Conservation Commission, Barrington Land Conservation Trust, and the Barrington Public Library organized these events.

These events are also in What Grows On in Rhode Island. Find the films and presentations in keyword search: Barrington Conservation Series. The Calendar has lots to do ~ check it often!

Kudos to the Barrington Conservation Commission, Barrington Land Conservation Trust, and the Barrington Public Library for organizing these 7 p.m. events. Barrington is fortunate in having a particularly active municipal conservation commission, and the Providential Gardener hopes other conservation commissions will arrange similar series in the future for their communities. (You can go even if you don't live in Barrington, though!)

You can also download a pdf of the Summer Edutainment Series through this link: Download Summer Edutainment Series 2011

Secret Garden Tour in Newport, RI ~ June 17-19, 2011

Newport, RI 02840
401-847-0514

A self-guided walking tour of private gardens in historic Newport, Rhode Island.
 

For over a quarter of a century, our Secret Garden Tour has provided more than 1.25 million dollars in support of art education in our public schools.

The 2011 spring tour will take place on Friday, June 17, Saturday, June 18, and Sunday, June 19, from 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. each of the three days.
 
To Purchase Ticket(s) on the Day of the Tour

Tickets may be purchased for $25 at the Newport Visitors' Center at 23 America's Cup Avenue (cash or credit card), or at the main ticket office at 33 Washington Street (cash, personal check and credit card accepted).

For further information, see the website.

Backyard & Container Gardening Workshops ~ June 11 & 29, 2011

As part of its mission to enable Providence residents to grow more of their own food, Southside Community Land Trust invites the public to attend two free Plant Providence workshops this month. “Affordable Backyard Gardening” will be offered Saturday, June 11th from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. in the backyard of a home at 563 Public St.; “Container Gardening” will take place Wednesday, June 29th from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at 9 Hammond St. on the city’s west side. Both workshops will be taught by experienced gardeners and/or Community Land Trust staff and will give people the confidence and basic information they need to get started gardening on a small scale.
 
“Affordable Backyard Gardening” is aimed at homeowners in Providence who have available space in front of or behind their houses that could be used as a garden. Growing your own food is already a big cost savings, but this workshop will show people how to do so even more efficiently and provide tips on where they can find inexpensive materials. For those who do not have yards, or those who rent, the “Container Gardening” workshop will illustrate the ways that it is still possible to grow herbs and even vegetables in pots, hanging baskets, and other containers placed on balconies or in windows.
 

Volunteer: Secret Garden Tour in Newport, RI ~ June 17-19, 2011

For over a quarter of a century, our Secret Garden Tour has provided more than 1.25 million dollars in support of art education in our public schools. An integral part of our great success has been the dedication and commitment of our wonderful, loyal volunteers.
 
The 2011 spring tour will take place on Friday, June 17, Saturday June 18, and Sunday, June 19, from 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. each of the three days. Volunteers work in shifts, acting as ticket-takers, hosts and guides, providing general information to our visitors. In appreciation, you will receive a free ticket to tour all of the gardens.
 
To help us schedule over 170 volunteers, please contact us via phone or email and fill-out and return a volunteer form. Please check your personal calendar BEFORE completing the form so we can ACCOMMODATE your schedule. We are attempting to GREEN our process so please fill in the form and send to [email protected]. Or just send an email to [email protected] with you availability.
 
Thank you very much for your help and support.
 
Donna Maytum, Volunteer Coordinator, 401-439-7310

www.secretgardentours.org

Gently Used Garden Trays, Tools, Etc., Needed at Providence VA Hospital ~ May 18, 2011

The VA Hospital in Providence has a fledgling greenhouse therapy program.  They are in dire need of growing containers 4 to 8 inches, plant trays, and misc garden tools.  Any donations would be greatly appreciated even if they have been gently used. The program runs weekdays until noon and visitors are welcome and encouraged to drop in to see the gardens and greenhouse.  Please contact Peter Gauthier at 273-7100 extension 4276 to donate.
 
Thanks to all.

2011 Earth Day in Providence, RI ~ An Interview with Greg Gerritt

The City of Providence observes Earth Day this year with a special interview with Greg Gerritt, a city resident and a hard-working, effective advocate for our state's environment. Among other things, Greg currently is stimulating collaboration on a statewide effort to compost food scrap.

Thanks, Greg, for all you do.

We're lucky to have so many people in Rhode Island who love the Farmers' Markets, support local agriculture, care for our rivers, lakes, watersheds and Narragansett Bay, and pitch in on all kinds of cleanups, projects and initiatives to conserve land such as Rocky Point, and numerous unnamed forests and wetlands.

The City of Providence also announced plans to hire a Sustainability Director.

Maybe we'll also have a working Conservation Commission soon, too. There is a City of Providence ordinance that authorizes a municipal conservation commission here, but no news I can find of actual commissioners or meetings.

 

Roger Williams Park Rose Garden Work Day ~ April 9, 2011

The roses are ready to be uncovered from their long winter naps. This Saturday, April 9th, the RIRS will gather around 9:30 a.m. at the garden (rain or shine) to open up the RWVRG for the season. The weather report is for partly sunny skies with highs in the low 50's. Perfect weather to open up the garden. Come out, and be with all of your friends from the RIRS and talk about your favorite flower. There is plenty to do to get the garden readied for the upcoming season. The more people we have helping out, the sooner it is done. Volunteers are needed for pruning, and cleaning, and raking, and fertilizing, and we have many new roses need to be planted. No experience needed! Just a love of roses, the RIRS, and the RWVRG.

See you all there!
Andy Vanable
Garden Chair
401-663-3777

P.S. This is a rain-or-shine event, but in the event of severe weather, contact me at 401-663-3777 for cancellation and postponement information.

Practical Composting ~ April 23, 2011

Learn how to turn leaves and  yard debris into rich soil amendments through composting or processed into landscape mulch.

This workshop will emphasize large scale home composting (up to 5-10 cubic yds/yr), using oak leaves and yard debris as the principal components.  Various methods of composting with worms including the production and use of compost tea will also be discussed.
 
Health issues associated with gardening and composting will also be discussed.
 
Participants are encouraged to bring a empty gallon container so that they will be able to take home 1 gallon of freshly brewed actively aerated compost tea to use on their garden!

"Practical Composting"
by Reinhard Sidor
DATE: April 23, 2011
TIME: 9 am - 12:30 pm

LOCATION: Cowesett section of Warwick
Price: $25.00 (Coffee, tea, o.j. & cookies will be provided)

RAIN OR SHINE
Please dress appropriately for turning/making compost piles

REGISTER TODAY!