Statistics bear out the significant increase in human population and the millions of acres each year that are taken from native habitat for housing, commercial and industrial uses. Along with these numbers research shows that birds and their food sources are in great decline.
Today suburban landscapes are becoming the lifelines for plants and animals that have lost their native habitat to development. As development continues wildlife is forced to depend upon our human-dominated landscapes for their continued survival. What is planted in home landscapes plays an important role in determining the future of wildlife. “[G]ardeners have the power to make a significant contribution” toward variety in both plants and animals wrote Dr. Douglas Tallamy in his book, “Bringing Nature Home.” Establishing areas of biodiversity is important to saving our wildlife. “Biodiversity refers to the richness or variety of animal, plant, and other life in a given area, from the tiniest snail or plant to the largest predator,” wrote Dr. James Finley, Professor of Forest Resources at Penn State. Biodiversity embraces all living things, including humans, and how their existence and survival are interconnected. What each plant and animal provides and needs creates a web of interdependence. As an example, plants need insects for pollination and insects need plants for food. Birds need insects and the berries and seeds from plants as food. Tallamy, Professor of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, notes that historically home gardens focused on creating beautiful surroundings, expressing artistic talents with design, and making areas for fun and relaxation. Recent trends show a new focus on design to provide refuge for wildlife and support animals including birds, pollinators and other insects as well as native plants. The Herb Society of America's Green Bridges Program™ promotes the idea that individuals can contribute to building a national chain of yards, gardens and communities that support biodiversity, especially for native plants and pollinators. There are four key things that home gardeners can do to support biodiversity: add native plants, support pollinators, reduce lawn area and create an environment that supports the needs of wildlife. One of the most important things to do is to add native plants, those that grow naturally in our area. Native plants are the most hardy and likely to thrive with less disease or insect problems. Some native plants also filter air and water as well as help maintain soil health. Many ornamental plants, though beautiful, are from Asia and Europe and are avoided by native insects. Tallamy describes the importance of native plants by explaining that “[a]ll animals get their energy directly from plants, or by eating something that has already eaten a plant. The group of animals most responsible for passing energy from plants to the animals that can’t eat plants is insects. This is what makes insects such vital components of healthy ecosystems. ” Insects, as reported by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, make up 99.5% of pollinators. “Pollinators are the very foundation of biodiversity. Almost 90% of flowering plants require animal assisted pollination,” said Laurie Collins, Master Gardener. “In addition to one third of our food, they pollinate other species of plants that provide food and shelter to wildlife.” Collins also noted that pollinators – bees, other insects, butterflies, birds, bats, and mice – need the plants for shelter and food. Adding host and nectar plants that support pollinators is only half the solution. Correct use of herbicides and insecticides is just as important. A typical suburban lawn does not support biodiversity. Cornell University reports that compared to native vegetation, non-native heavily treated turfgrass is a biodiversity wasteland. While some sources suggest replacing lawns with native grass, Dr. Peter Landschoot, Director of Graduate Studies in Agronomy at Penn State, notes in our area native grasses are warm-season species. “They stay dormant for most of the year and become overrun by weeds.” He says that property owners need to be comfortable with having grass at heights of 6-18 inches, not always welcome in residential neighborhoods. Instead convert lawn areas by adding native trees and understory plants to the landscape. This can be along the perimeter or in small areas throughout the property. Tallamy notes that studies show that modest increases in the native plant cover in suburban yards significantly increases the number and species of breeding birds. Additionally, by using lawn space for native plants home owners can reduce the costs of lawn maintenance such as heavy watering, mowing, pesticide and fertilizer applications. Native trees such as white oaks (Quercus alba), black willows (Salix nigra), red maples (Acer rubrum), green ashes (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), and river birches (Betula nigra), under-planted with woody perennials like serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis), arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum), and blueberries (Vaccinium spp.) are excellent choices for Pennsylvania properties. Landscape design can help reverse the human-caused habitat loss by providing some or all of the four needs of wildlife: food, water, shelter and nesting areas. The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) website has practical suggestions for meeting those needs. Once gardeners have met these needs they can apply to the NWF for a Garden for Wildlife ™ certification. Providing food can be as simple as seed and suet feeders but including native plants with seeds and berries is important as well. Bird baths are typical for home gardens but rain gardens or ponds can provide water sources that serve frogs and other wildlife. Providing water year-round is important and for bird baths can be accomplished with a heat source or by swapping out containers during the day. A rock wall, evergreen tree, wooded area or water garden offers cover from predators. From plain to decorative, birdhouses are some of the best nesting areas when placed correctly. Other nesting sites include mature and evergreen trees, dead trees and even caterpillar host plants such as milkweed. It is also important to make the garden safe for wildlife by protecting the air, water and soil by eliminating or reducing herbicide and pesticide use and adding compost to the soil. The shifting relationship between humans and the environment has changed the balance of nature. Home gardens are an important building block, along with community gardens, parks and other natural spaces, to replacing lost habitat. Gardeners can help restore some of nature’s balance by designing their landscape with the needs of wildlife in mind. - Carol Kagan, Penn State Master Gardener [Check out upcoming classes, workshops and events under Events on the left menu.]
Many people today are not aware of how successful WWII Victory Gardens were in providing not only food but improving nutrition for civilians. Here’s a look at Pennsylvania’s Victory Gardens back then. "The Victory Garden movement and its significance in our wartime economy, both as a means of releasing food to our armed forces and improving the nutritional status of civilians" can be most appreciated when looking at the numbers, wrote Marion Margery Scranton, Commander, War Services, Pennsylvania State Council of Defense in the 1944 handbook "Victory Gardens". In 1943 Victory Gardens produced 8 million tons of vegetables equal to 25% of the entire U.S. production and in 1944 that increased to 40%. At their peak there were more than 20 million Victory Gardens planted across the United States with more than 1 million tons grown during the war. There were approximately 1.4 million gardens in Pennsylvania in 1943, double that from 1942. Governor Edward Martin called for an increase in 1944 to 1.54 million and the 1,500 Victory Garden committees throughout the State took up the challenge. The Victory Garden program was highly organized and supported by citizen and local groups though committees. In Pennsylvania, Penn State College and their County Farm Agents gave citizens whatever technical information and services were needed. These included site and seed selection, soil tests and cultural information. The Pennsylvania Handbook provided information from committee organization and technical information to all methods of preserving and the nutritional values of vegetables and fruits. This program helped improve nutrition by encouraging more use of both in everyday diets. To aid in canning excess food, there were Victory Garden Conservation Kitchens available to all. Foods were canned not only for home use but also civic purposes - local hospitals, school lunches and food banks.Victory Gardens were not only a way to aid the war but made at-home citizens part of the war effort. Claude R. Wickard, Secretary of Agriculture in the early 1940's, said, "A Victory Garden is like a share in an airplane factory. It helps win the War and pays dividends too." His slogan was "Food Will Win the War and Write the Peace." Franklin County Master Gardeners will soon open registration for their season-long, hands-on Victory Garden program. Participates not only learn vegetable gardening from planning, planting, caring for and harvesting the crops but get to take home a share of the harvest. Call 717-263-9226 for information. For those interested, the Handbook can be downloaded as a document or e-book at https://archive.org/details/victory.... Carol Kagan, Penn State Master Gardener [Check our Events listing. Our Victory Garden starts in April. Registration opens March 10. Enrollment limited.]
During World War II resources were scarce; most were used to support the national war effort. Citizens from all countries were asked to help in any way possible. They purchased bonds, recycled, helped neighbors, some gave their lives and some planted “Gardens for Victory”. Victory Gardens in every shape and size cropped up. Governments and corporations promoted them in a call for self-reliance. Rural and urban people worked the soil to raise food for families, friends and neighbors allowing resources to supply troops around the world. Most of these concepts are lost to society in today’s post-war, global economy. Years of prosperity have allowed many to become reliant on others. An entire generation of millennials knows no other way. As society ages, we lose the experience and knowledge gained from the Great Depression and World War II. While history is cyclical, the strong economy during the 80’s and 90’s has weakened and there are lessons to learn from the past. Today’s war is a grass roots revolution from processed food. The victory is seen in the many backyards and community plots that people are once again using to grow food. Resilient communities are supporting one another through gardening and finding a connection to good, fresh and tasty food, grown in the garden and put on the plate. Growing what you eat and eating what you grow has several advantages. In addition to saving money and providing fresh vegetables and fruits, it is better for our planet by reducing use of fossil fuels in transport and refrigeration plus reduction in pesticide and fertilizer use. And it can be good for the soul, connecting us to our roots and keeping us grounded. How do you start a Victory Garden? You become a vegetable gardener or help someone else who lacks the knowledge. The objective is to grow enough fresh vegetables through the summer for immediate family and neighbors, and maybe enough to preserve for the winter months. Penn State Master Gardeners, Franklin County, has a program that will teach everything you need to know to grow great vegetables at home. The Victory Garden program is a community gardening project for people who want to learn how to grow vegetables in their home gardens. This is a season long, weekly vegetable garden growing experience beginning with spring garden preparation and ending with the final fall harvest. Classes meet from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. every Monday beginning April 17, 2017, in the basement of the Extension Office. Following the classroom instruction, students will walk across the road to the Franklin County Horticulture Center. The fee for the whole season is $50. Classes will end October 9, 2017. “The Victory Garden class is a fantastic way to gain hands-on experience in a community setting,” said Christine Mayer, Director, Fulton Center for Sustainability Studies at Wilson College. “Food is our common denominator and I can’t think of a better way to learn about the why’s and how’s of local food and food production, not to mention the health benefits to ourselves, and to the planet.” This is also an excellent opportunity for schools, churches or community groups who would like to start a community garden to participate in and learn from the ground up how a successful program is run. New and traditional gardening practices are taught which include no-till gardening, vertical gardening, correct use of fungicides and pesticides and growing in hay bales, to name a few. The Victory Garden group meets once a week to work in the garden: planting, weeding, and harvesting. This is a hands-on program so be prepared to work. Wear garden clothes and bring gloves. Master Gardeners provide the garden tools and supplies. Each class begins with a short instruction related to what is happening in the garden at that time. Topics include soil preparation and soil tests, seed and plant selection, mulching, pests and disease identification, staking and pruning plants and much, much more. Participants working in the garden will be rewarded with a share of the harvest, and lots of know-how, to take home. “It always brings a smile to my face when a class member reports that they tried something that they learned in class and it was a great success,” said Ron Schlecht, one of the Victory Garden Coordinators. “It is also gratifying to learn that our class has stimulated members to do internet research to extend their knowledge.” Registration for the 2017 program begins on March 10. Call 263-9226 to register. Class size is limited. - Annette Spry, Penn State Master Gardener Photos Courtesy of: Modern Farmer, Penn State MG, Missouri State University |
AuthorCarol Rhoades Kagan, Chambersburg, PA CategoriesArchives
November 2020
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2023 Franklin County Master Garden Plant Sale | our blog & notes |