Simple Steps to Prepare for a Green Lawn and Beautiful Garden for St. Patrick’s Day
Spring is around the corner, and you can hardly wait for the sight of flowers in your garden and a green lawn to spend time in. Why not get started now and have the most beautiful garden and lawn in the neighborhood by St. Patrick’s Day. It takes only a few simple steps to ensure your garden and lawn get a healthy start this spring.
- Decide what type of flowers and grass seeds you will need. Do you want a mixture of colors or a monotone palette? What type of soil do you have and what zone are you in? Both will affect the types of plants and grass you can grow in your area.
- Once you have decided on the type of plants you need, map out your garden and lawn. Make a sketch of your yard to get the best design you can. Play with lines and colors to make it attractive.
- Do you want lawn accessories? Things like fountains, rock formations and even a simple bird bath can add interest and form to your garden.
- Clear the land. Remove any dead growth and debris from your garden and lawn. This will help give your new plants a clean start. By removing any debris you will also lessen the chances of any pathogens in the soil and deter pests.
- Inspect your garden tools. To have a beautiful garden and lawn you must have the right tools. Discard any that has been damaged with new tools.
- Decide if you will use fertilizer or compost. You can build a simple compost container in a weekend and have fresh “black gold” all summer long from kitchen and yard scraps.
- Install soaker hoses or sprinklers to keep your new garden and lawn well irrigated. There are many products on the market that are easy to install and maintain.
After you have done these simple preliminary steps, you are ready to purchase your new plants and grass seed. Consult with a garden center, or go online to find the right plants and seeds for your area. With just a bit of planning and elbow grease, you can have a spectacular garden and lawn by St. Patrick’s Day and be the envy of the neighborhood.
Big Apple Needs Bees, Supporters Say
Andrew Coté tried to sweeten the deal while extolling the virtues of beekeeping to a somber-faced Department of Health panel on Wednesday. He presented a small jar of golden honey from his hives in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Technically, he was offering them contraband material. Beekeeping is illegal in New York City — the result of a change to the city health code enacted in the 1990s, when honey bees were added to a list of prohibited animals such as lions, pit vipers and crocodiles. Coté and about a dozen other beekeepers asked the health board on Wednesday to overturn that rule and allow beekeeping in the city again, without the risk of fines. "I think some sweetness in our life is appropriate," said Coté, a founding member of the New York City Beekeepers Association. Under the proposed change, which was introduced in December , hives would be legal but need to be registered. The Board of Health is expected to review today’s public comments and make a decision in March. No one spoke against legalizing bees. Supporters pointed out that bees help pollinate plants and flowers, contributing to healthy harvests. They also touted beekeeping as a rewarding and educational hobby that teaches everything from patience to environmental responsibility. "The bees bring so many good things," said Everett Scott, an Upper West Side resident who keeps bees out of state and would like to do it in the city. "Urban beekeeping offers a wonderful way to engage in a dynamic relationship with nature." Under the current rules, bees are labeled by the health department as "naturally inclined to do harm." People keeping bees can be fined $200 to $2,000 per violation. The health department has received 164 bee and wasp complaints since the beginning of 2009. But beekeepers say honey bees aren’t aggressors like wasps and hornets. "Unless you go up to a beehive and really shake it and disturb it, honey bees are really not out to sting you," said Nadia Johnson, a program coordinator at the nonprofit organization Just Food. Today’s hearing follows a growing interest in New York City beekeeping, which peaked last year with a flurry of media coverage when a bill to eliminate the bee ban was introduced in the city council. When the bill went nowhere, activists turned to the city health department to change the code. Despite current laws, beekeeping has been taking place in hives hidden on rooftops across the city. Several groups teach classes on urban beekeeping, and some members sell honey produced with illegal bees at neighborhood farmers markets. Still, the law discourages some people who would like to take up the hobby. Anna Bridge has wanted to start a beehive since 2004 but has held off because it’s illegal. "I’ve had to live vicariously through the bees of others," she said. Beekeeper Grai Rice called today a big step forward. She has been working to help legalize beekeeping for years. "I feel like we’re at that point where it’s going to be made legal," said Rice, adding that she sees beekeeping as a vital step in New York City’s environmental goals. "It’s this incredible, exciting moment that we really can be a green city."
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