gardening

In the garden, taking a vertical approach can mean a lot of different things, from trellises to arbors, pergolas, planted containers and self-sustaining ¿green wall¿ systems.

The plant sale is a fundraiser for the Carroll County Master Gardeners' program.

Eastern tent caterpillars are especially fond of cherry trees, but they are native insects with lots of predators that evolved along with them.

Anne Arundel County datebook

Silver Fancy Garden Club of Taneytown and Emmitsburg's sale on May 16 to include perennials, heirlooms, other plants

These butterfly bush varieties tend to be smaller than the straight species and do set some seed, just a much smaller amount than the species ¿ so they are not completely sterile.

Spring is the perfect season for gardening. There's nothing quite like spending the day outside, surrounded by nature, while you plant seeds that will — hopefully — yield vibrant produce. Nowadays, there seems to be a rather sizable disconnect between people and their food. Whereas humans once grew their own fruits and vegetables, now we visit a local supermarket and pick out the most ripe selections from the produce section. We don't pay much attention to the work that goes into

Howard County datebook

Anne Arundel County volunteer briefs

As painful as it is, for June-bearing varieties of strawberries, fruit and flowers should be removed the entire first season.

Mount Airy Garden Club's ninth annual plant sale set for 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 9 at Calvary United Methodist Church in Mount Airy

Mason-Dixon Chapter, American Rhododendron Society having annual Rhododendron and Azalea plant show from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 9 at Carroll County Agriculture Center

Marriotts Ridge High School is marking its 10-year anniversary with a celebration on Saturday, May 30.

With its dazzling displays of daffodils, bluebells, black-eyed Susans and other flowers, its beguiling benches and trails, its herb garden and rose garden and butterfly garden, it¿s no wonder Whipps Garden Cemetery in Ellicott City is described by devotees as ¿a little gem,¿ ¿a hidden oasis¿ and ¿a very special place.¿

Many of us like to raise homegrown veggies and pretty flowers, and keep our lawns looking green, healthy and weed-free. Unfortunately, gardens and lawns, and the products we use to care for them, may pose threats to our pets.

As we approach the wedding season, Glenelg United Methodist Church is hosting Wedding Belles, a fashion show and reception May 9 at 1 p.m.

This year's Catonsville Historical Society's house and garden tour, scheduled for May 16, is the first the organization has hosted in two years. In addition to organizing the day's events, the historical society's home and garden tour committee had to find new homes to feature.

Unlike many urban areas, where community gardens are commonplace (Baltimore has more than a dozen), just a handful operate in Harford. The Havre de Grace Green Team maintains 59 plots scattered among Market Street, Seneca Avenue and the ¿Old Reservoir¿ property near Havre de Grace Community Center ¿ that¿s up from 12 plots in 2012. Grand View Farm in Forest Hill offers a dozen 15-foot-by-15-foot plots. And with high rates of renewing subscribers, both groups see room for growth.

West Howard County briefs

Anne Arundel County volunteer briefs

On Thursday, April 30, Towson will celebrate gardens with vendors selling plants and flowers, food and services. Sponsored by the Towson Chamber of Commerce, Towson Gardens Day takes place 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The third annual Carroll County Master Gardener plant sale will be held from 8 a.m. to noon May 23. For many, the event, which will be held under the pavilion in the Carroll County Agriculture Center parking lot in Westminster, will serve as an opportunity to welcome spring in style.

Kenneth Favors could be getting out of prison within a few years, but he's already helping to beautify the grounds outside.

A white dot on the back is an identifier of lone star ticks. They can cause itchy pustules, especially on the legs.

Nearly two decades ago, the Festival of Herbs, Teas and the Arts at Montpelier Mansion replaced the long-running Montpelier Spring Festival, shifting the focus from informational booths and live performances of local music and dance groups to a more arts and history-focused event. The revamped festival also offered plants for sale and an opportunity to take tea inside the historic mansion

Alex Shipley has played many games of chess, but Saturday was the first time he played with oversized pieces made from recycled materials, one of the many games that could be played with recycled, reused and donated materials during Aberdeen's 12th annual festival to celebrate Earth Day.

Spring has sprung and it's almost time to get out in the garden. To guide new gardeners or seasoned veterans eager to learn more, the University of Maryland Extension Carroll County office will hold Twilight Meetings as part of their Maryland Master Gardeners program the third Monday of the month in the Grow It Eat It Demonstration Garden, directly behind the Shipley Arena at the Carroll County Ag Center in Westminster.

The upper exposed leaves or needles were desiccated by salt, whereas plowed and shoveled snow piled on the base of the tree may have protected lower branches.

Spring has finally sprung, and the Sykesville Community Garden is ready to see some action. The garden's first work day, on which members of the community can come by to prepare the soil for planting, is scheduled for April 19.

Towson Unitarian Universalist Church has won a grant to produce a rain garden on a slope on its property. As part of the grant, the public is invited to a workshop to learn how to plan gardens that capture rainwater before it races into local waterways — and then help to plant the church's new rain garden.

Spring-blooming plants, on the other hand, are usually pruned after they bloom. Spring pruning cuts off many flower buds, and those flowers will be lost.

The Master Gardener Program's first volunteer training is April 9 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the University of Maryland Extension, Carroll County. The program is available to Carroll County residents.

First, match the ultimate plant size and requirements for water, soil and sun to your site, which will mean no pruning, no watering (after the first two years), no fertilizing and no shaping plants that lean out or stretch up to reach sunlight.

Groups and special events taking place at Howard County library branches

Howard County Relay for Life will hold a yard sale at Linden-Linthicum United Methodist Church on April 18, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., in the parking lot.

Honoring the memory of Keeley Imel, the St. Jude Hope in the Harbor Gala will feature a tasting menu from 24 of Baltimore's top chefs and restaurants.

The Great Dane Club of Maryland offers two shows on April 11 at the Howard County Fairgrounds in West Friendship.

With spring here and proms coming, florists like Radebaugh in Towson gear up for business to bloom as well as offer tips for getting color and veggies in the garden now.

Howard County datebook

The rule of thumb based on nature's timing is to apply a pre-emergent herbicide for crabgrass when forsythia drop their blooms.

Whipps Annual Daffodil Day harkens spring with a sea of yellow blooming bulbs at the Whipps Cemetery and Memorial Gardens on April 4, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Howard County datebook

Anne Arundel County datebook

Many fruits and vegetables, such as leafy greens, can grow well in partial shade.

Columbia Digest