Woods Words~ The original plan of the Meditational Woods included an area with native flowers and grasses next to the Woods. This spring we will try a non-chemical approach to preparing a pilot area near the transmission tower at the northwest end of the woods. We will use a technique called solarization, by putting down clear plastic to use sunlight to kill the grass and weed seeds underneath and prepare for a fall planting. We received a small grant from the Central Indiana Chapter of the Indiana Native Plant Society for this pilot.
We are still waiting for an estimate of repairs for our recirculating fountain in the Meditational Circle. Hopefully, repairs will occur soon!
This week in the Woods: Join Mindy on Friday, May 12 from 9:30-10:30 am to cut back last season’s growth in the pollinator garden or Mary at 1:00 to tidy up near the fountain area. Bring gloves and wear long sleeves- all this rain is helping the poison ivy grow in a few places!
Not-So-Good-News (From Katharine Hayhoe’s newsletter): Warmer temperatures and higher carbon dioxide levels are causing plants to release more pollen into the air. Weedy plants thrive in high carbon dioxide levels — and in the case of some species, like the infamous ragweed, more carbon dioxide makes them actually produce more pollen. It’s a one-two punch that’s causing more people to develop seasonal allergies, and making conditions worse for those who already suffer from them.
So if it seems like your seasonal allergies are lasting longer and growing more intense, that’s because they probably are. In North America, pollen season now starts about 20 days earlier, lasts roughly eight days longer, and involves 21 percent more pollen, compared with three decades ago. Adults in places where spring starts earlier than the historical average have a 14 percent higher chance of developing seasonal allergies than adults in places where the onset of spring is within the normal range. In Europe, forecast studies suggest that people sensitized to ragweed will more than double by 2041 because of climate change. (From Katharine Hayhoe’s newsletter).
Please contact your legislators and utility companies and let them know how these warming temperatures are affecting you. Start a conversation now that the legislative session is over.