(Nov. 24, 2016) On a blustery, arctic-like Monday in Stephen Decatur Park in Berlin, representatives from the parks commission, Assateague Coastal Trust (ACT) and AmeriCorps worked with 70 students from Stephen Decatur Middle School on an ongoing “edible forest” project.
The project, which counts towards students’ service learning hours, was approved by the Town Council in Oct. 2015 and is overseen by the trust. Blueberries, chokeberry and daikon radish have already been planted, and more crops will likely be added next spring.
While it was too cold to work on the edibles, trust Outreach Coordinator Matt Heim said it was the perfect time to frost-proof the area.
“The idea is this is a perennial garden that, once it establishes itself, it will be something that everybody in Berlin can enjoy for years to come,” he said. “We planted the garden last spring, and what we’re going to do today is clean it up a little bit and get it ready for winter, and then we’re going to add some more plants to it in the spring.
Heim said the trust has been a regular presence inside the classroom at Decatur Middle School and has been involved in discussions of both the garden and other local environment issues.
The Berlin Parks Commission is a partner in the project and provides additional resources.
“With our limited budget, it’s nice to have the volunteers from the school and to be able to partner with Assateague Coastal Trust,” committee Chairman Mike Wiley said.
He said the students would help with a small experiment using cardboard to prepare an area for a wildflower garden that would be planted during the spring.
“We’re going to basically do the same work that we did last year for the edible forest, and that is putting down cardboard, covering it with leaves and then putting bales of straw around it so the leaves don’t blow away,” Wiley said. “By spring the cardboard will probably be pretty well disintegrated and the grass will be dead. It’s better than either spraying or trying to dig it out – this kills completely and naturally.”
Wiley added that do-it-yourself landscapers can use that same method at their homes.
Despite the freezing temperatures this week, it’s not too late to add new plantings to your garden according to Mary Beth Tierney, an AmeriCorps service volunteer.
“It’s actually a good time of the year to plant, because things go into dormancy. I just planted three hydrangeas in my yard yesterday,” she said.
She recommended using the University of Maryland Extension Home and Garden Information Center at www.extension.umd.edu/hgic as a resource.
“You can also Google ‘native plants’ in their keyword search, and those are good things to plant because it’s a habitat for animals in the area,” she said.
The project, which counts towards students’ service learning hours, was approved by the Town Council in Oct. 2015 and is overseen by the trust. Blueberries, chokeberry and daikon radish have already been planted, and more crops will likely be added next spring.
While it was too cold to work on the edibles, trust Outreach Coordinator Matt Heim said it was the perfect time to frost-proof the area.
“The idea is this is a perennial garden that, once it establishes itself, it will be something that everybody in Berlin can enjoy for years to come,” he said. “We planted the garden last spring, and what we’re going to do today is clean it up a little bit and get it ready for winter, and then we’re going to add some more plants to it in the spring.
Heim said the trust has been a regular presence inside the classroom at Decatur Middle School and has been involved in discussions of both the garden and other local environment issues.
The Berlin Parks Commission is a partner in the project and provides additional resources.
“With our limited budget, it’s nice to have the volunteers from the school and to be able to partner with Assateague Coastal Trust,” committee Chairman Mike Wiley said.
He said the students would help with a small experiment using cardboard to prepare an area for a wildflower garden that would be planted during the spring.
“We’re going to basically do the same work that we did last year for the edible forest, and that is putting down cardboard, covering it with leaves and then putting bales of straw around it so the leaves don’t blow away,” Wiley said. “By spring the cardboard will probably be pretty well disintegrated and the grass will be dead. It’s better than either spraying or trying to dig it out – this kills completely and naturally.”
Wiley added that do-it-yourself landscapers can use that same method at their homes.
Despite the freezing temperatures this week, it’s not too late to add new plantings to your garden according to Mary Beth Tierney, an AmeriCorps service volunteer.
“It’s actually a good time of the year to plant, because things go into dormancy. I just planted three hydrangeas in my yard yesterday,” she said.
She recommended using the University of Maryland Extension Home and Garden Information Center at www.extension.umd.edu/hgic as a resource.
“You can also Google ‘native plants’ in their keyword search, and those are good things to plant because it’s a habitat for animals in the area,” she said.