bayscaping in Pennsylvania

Yup, the Susquehanna runs from New York, through Pennsylvania and right into the Chesapeake Bay. Home of the blue crab, the single most important reason (for me anyway) we will do our little part to improve water quality.

Crab cakes, crab fluffs, crab imperial, steamed crabs. All from a fairly sensitive little creature, the blue crab.

Right now, in 2013, homeowners and property managers are allowed to use 10 times the amount of pesticides a farmer can use. TEN times the amount per acre. Or square foot. However you prefer to measure.

The EPA figured out a while ago that farmers were using more than was really needed, and helped set in place best management practices.

The homeowner has no such constraints. Miles of lawn with no weeds. Looks good, but the run off might not be so great for those lovely blue crabs.

Bayscaping. I attended a talk at a local library the other day, and the room was packed. What can be done? Reduce your yard a little bit by adding a couple of shrubs: a witch hazel wood be blooming right now, a viburnum in a month or two, a holly would stay green year round and a blueberry has lovely flowers and then fruit that is delicious!

York County extension is taking orders now, as are most extension offices, for trees and shrubs at ridiculous low prices: 5 for $9?! And beauty and flowers to boot?! Sign me up, I've got $9!!