Facilitator: Joanne B
Featured Guest Speaker: Lola Horwitz
Attending: Andi P, Joanne B, Polly B, Anne F, Becky P, Carol M, Heidi Y, Henry Bi, Jean L, Jeannie H, Joyce J, Kathleen W, Linda N, Lolly M, Louise M, Maggie K
Group News:
1. Joanne B reported on a recent talk by Bill McKibben that was optimistic about the rapid deployment of clean energy.
Link to a recording of this inspiring talk HERE, (Zoom Passcode: pT2@yr?t)
2. Becky P encouraged more CCIG members to participate in 350 Brooklyn’s Power Hour, which meets most Mondays at noon. Participants make phone calls, send emails, or text messages to New York State legislators in support of climate legislation. Power Hours do require some multi-tasking and can take practice.
We will meet in person on 3/24 at 11 a.m. at Joanne B’s home, 402 7th Street so members can get hands-on experience with the Power Hour and feel comfortable joining in. Email Joanne B to sign up to join the Power Hour workshop.
3. Polly B used screen sharing to show us our group’s Info Page within the Good Neighbors site. The site is now updated monthly. Find it in 2 clicks! Starting on the GNPs home page, click on “Interest Groups”, find “Climate Change Interest Group”, and click “More INFO”.
Polly pointed out two upcoming action opportunities listed on our March Info Page.
* A meeting on building decarbonization sponsored by City Council members Shahana Hanif and Lincoln Restler. Speakers will answer your questions, and offer information on financial incentives and current building decarbonization strategies. Monday, 3/24 from 6 PM to 8 PM at PS 261, 314 Pacific Street. RSVP to attend!
* Wednesday, March 19 the Renewable Heat Now coalition travels to Albany to press our representative to pass the NY HEAT Act and the GAP Fund. Help support building electrification: Sign up to get on the Brooklyn bus.
Discussion Highlights: Planting in a Changing Climate.
Guest Speaker: Lila Horwitz
Featured speaker Lola Horwitz, gardening expert and member of the Manhattan Chapter of the North American Rock Garden Society (MCNARGS) led off with a few remarks and then answered questions.
Link to a recording of Lola Horwitz’s presentation HERE.
1. Native Plants: Lola emphasized the importance of native plants for pollinators, though some non-natives, like bulbs that flower before our native plants, also serve well. Aconite and snowdrops, for example, are pollinated by flies and some of the native bees. She also recommended spring ephemerals native to eastern North America, such as blood root and spring beauty. Since these come up early and die back in summer, inexperienced gardiners often think they have died and pull them up! These usually need to be obtained by mail-order. A good native tree is the paw paw, a favorite of indigenous communities. It bears important fruits in summer and fall.
After deciduous trees leaf out, sunny spaces turn to shade, and hostas, ferns, and other late bloomers come up. Polly wanted to know what might do well in the shade after her ephemeral Kentucky bluebells are finished, and Lola suggested royal fern, Christmas fern, and turtlehead (chelome)
.
2. Roof Gardens: If a building’s roof has sufficient strength, a garden on the roof becomes a possibility. Roof gardens can slow down rainwater runoff and reduce the load on the sewer system.They attract pollinators and offer a place for residents to enjoy the view. Joyce J has a roof garden, and though her roof access is by way of a ladder, she does go up there now and then. Roof gardens require special waterproofing fabric layers, and then a thin layer of specialized (very lightweight) soil. Sedum plants and native grasses such as Carex appalachica are often used. Kingsland Wildflowers is a large local roof garden designed by Lola’s daughter.
3. Other Challenges: Heavy rainfalls are more frequent with the changing climate, and flooding is an increasing problem.Lola mentioned a good though not cheap solution she found to deal with water coming into her basement: a French drain ($15,000) that collects rainwater and directs the excess out via a pump.The team agreed on the importance of water runoff management and the potential benefits of garden filtration systems.Replacing lawns to better absorb heavy rain is another good measure, usually a multi-year process. Louise M is starting to allow her back yard grass to revert to a more natural state. She had the advice of a landscaper to stop fertilizing and let leaves collect in a bin. That way, in time, the lawn recedes and wild plants move in. Lola advises digging up a small area at a time because trying to remove the lawn all at once could be overwhelming.
Polly mentioned the problem of heavy clay soil, and Heidi asked about renewing the soil in containers. For heavy clay, Lola suggests gradually mixing in more friable material, such as home made compost. And with containers, every few years the soil should be replaced. It is good to avoid using peat moss (which is in diminishing supply). A substitute is a moisture retaining material called “coir” which comes from coconuts. At our local Food Coop there is a good soil mix available. Henry asked if pruning lower branches of a red maple street tree might help it concentrate on growing taller. Lola thought pruning would be a good step.
4. Plant Sale Upcoming: Lola’s group, the Manhattan Chapter of the North American Rock Garden Society, will have its plant sale on May 3rd from 10 AM to 2 PM at the senior center on 7th Avenue and 7th Street.
5. Monthly Meetings: Next meeting April 8th, on the topic of this year’s NY State budget and legislation. June to October Meetings: There will be no August meeting. For Jun, Jul, Sep, and Oct, our group will make advance plans for the agenda and rotate the meeting facilitator task while Joanne is away from Brooklyn.
GNPS Members, please log in to see links to the complete March 8 minutes and previous CCIG Pages