Written by: Mary Petres
Hello fellow garden lovers! During the cold dreary days of winter, it seems impossible that the lively days of spring are only weeks away. For the most part, the garden and its inhabitants (both flora and fauna) wait calmly in a place of dormancy. However, unbeknownst to many of us, winter weeds are happily growing amongst our dormant friends. I use the term “weed” loosely. Traditionally associated with unattractiveness,
... Read more »
Author: Shelly Barrick Parsons, Executive Director
Following a commitment made in 2020 to focus on sustainable management practices, Capital Trees launched this blog in May of this year to detail our processes, successes, and challenges. Capital Trees also adopted a strategic plan in June of 2022 with three program pillars: Build, Manage, and Educate. Our blog, our community engagement, and our partnerships to make Richmond a Bee City are all initiatives under our education focus.
... Read more »
Author: Mary Petres
A weed is a plant that is not valued where it is growing and is usually of vigorous growth, especially one that tends to overgrow or choke out more desirable plants. (Missouri Botanical Garden)
In our quest to maintain the gardens at Great Shiplock Park, the Low Line Gardens, and the Low Line Green without the use of herbicides, we use two main strategies. The first is to reduce the seed bank in the soil.
... Read more »
Author: Anna G. Aquino
Consider for a moment a world without weeds. We would be traipsing on bare dirt and mud as the ground erodes away underneath our feet. Thankfully weeds immediately colonize even the most inhospitable of soils, they cool the ground, keep soil microorganisms alive, and help prevent soil erosion. Their aggressive root systems, especially those with taproots, can mine minerals and moisture from deep layers of the earth, bringing them up the soil profile and making them accessible to other plants.
... Read more »
