The Slow Cook put on his gardener's hat today and joined a lively discussion on Pacifica Radio (WPFW 89.3 FM in the District of Columbia) about the effects of global warming on gardening.Highlight of the hour: a U.S. Department of Agriculture official acknowledged that the department's mapping of new hardiness zones, based on the latest climate data, has been delayed because the mappers are in Iraq.
My job: to explain how gardeners can reduce their carbon footprint and be friendlier to the planet.
Plant more trees! Compost! Cut your grass higher (and while you're at it, switch to an electric mower and leave the clippings on the lawn.)
Full text of the story can be read on the D.C. Urban Gardeners news blog here.
I'll go read... Thanks.
ReplyDeleteWe "mow" our silly little patch of grass with a weed whacker, fully electric. No raking, no sir. In fact, we're in the middle of tearing out that silly patch and farming it. (But we are, too, behind in planting. I wanted to get radishes in but it's probably already too hot. Damn George. It's his fault.)
as far as the electric mower goes, what about an old fashioned reel push mower... we have been using one for years.... no electricity, no gas, oil...etc... just a tiny bit of old fashioned elbow grease....
ReplyDeleteCookiecrumb, I agree. More vegetables, less yard.
ReplyDeleteKate, the host of that radio show always uses a push mower. So does one of our neighbors. We've got a few slopes and fencing to deal with. Excuses, excuses. But we have ratcheted back on the air conditioning and replaced light bulbs with flourescents...