Merrimack Valley Magazine

The Backyard Naturalist – BEHOLD!

December 27, 2021 by Sarah Courchesne Leave a Comment

The Unbreakable, Unshakeable Air Plant

I keep many houseplants, but I do not always keep them well, or long. As I write this, the remains of a jade plant sit in silent rebuke beside me. The plant had flourished for months, and I had started to feel a measure of pride that I found its preferred water and light levels as new, fleshy leaves continued to sprout at semiregular intervals. Then, during one of the unbroken stretches of stifling humid weather this summer, the stalks of the plant began to soften and then molder. Now it’s a pile of gray mulch in a pot at my elbow.

I’ve had other plants that were dead and I couldn’t even tell. A cactus I continued to water, sparingly as instructed, was not growing, but was still green and perky. Then one day I knocked into it and the cactus tipped over and rolled across the floor, unconnected to the soil and, it turned out, hollow inside. It was a long-dead husk of its former self.

These experiences have led me to be leery of the impulse-buy plants that garden shops put right near the registers. Venus flytraps and an array of sensitive plants, all presented as novelties your kids would beg you to buy like they do packs of gum at the grocery store. I resist these plants, knowing my skill set and their certain fate if they come home with me. The one exception to the rule I have ever found are the air plants.

While at a local garden and gift shop one day, I saw a weathered box beside the register with a jumble of air plants in it. These were labeled “Tillandsia,” which is the name of a genus that includes several hundred different species. These plants do not need to root in soil, living instead as epiphytes or aerophytes — plants that draw water and nutrients through their leaves. The air plants in the shop tousled in the box, their clusters of silver gray spears elegantly curving, soft and felted to the touch. I succumbed to the retail trick and bought three of them, taking them home and setting them up in a cracked clear-glass Christmas ornament I found in a box of free stuff outside a thrift store. The Tillandsias have been hanging in my kitchen window ever since, and I am fairly certain they are still alive.

The plants came with the kind of simple instructions that appear straightforward at first and then prove to be wildly and inadequately nonspecific when put into practice. Phrases like “bright, indirect light,” “moderate temperatures,” and “water when needed” leave me in paroxysms of doubt, knowing that I have killed so many plants before, some by drowning, some by fever, some by too little attendance, some by its excess. An orchid I received as a gift months ago is the first one I have kept alive that long, and only because the tag read “water once a week by placing two to three ice cubes in the pot,” though even the latitude of choosing between two or three ice cubes gives me weekly pause.

For the Tillandsia, the instructions were to soak them for 10 minutes a week. I let mine float in my fish tank for their baths, and they seem none the worse for the head-buttings the fish give them. Sometimes their leaf tips get a little browned and crispy, but then it goes away. They’ve been in the globe in the window for more than a year, not really growing, but not really dying, either, and that, if you were to ask the jade plant, looks like victory.

Wellness Wednesday – 4/7/21

April 7, 2021 by Kristin Cole

One might assume that after growing up with a garden in my yard, I would’ve had a greater appreciation for growing fruits and vegetables. However, it was not until years after the backyard weeds took over that quarantine-inspired boredom encouraged me to try growing again. Three green peppers and two handfuls of strawberries later, I was reminded of the immense pride that stems from growing your own food.

One of the few good things to come out of quarantining at home last year was the uptick in gardening. Whether you tilled your yard or planted some flowers in plots, nurturing life during tumultuous times can provide much-needed relief and positivity. In fact, there are many benefits of gardening that go beyond simply growing one’s own food. So let’s kick off April, the month of Earth Day, by talking about gardening: the physical, the mental, and how to get started.

Get Up and Grow

Creating a garden may seem like hard work, but the rewards are worth it. Gardening is a great way to get a workout in without having to drive to the gym. Working outside in a garden, which the American Heart Association considers a moderate exercise, burns calories, increases cardiovascular activity, and, according to this article from Healthline, “uses every major muscle group in the body.” Michigan State University reported that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends 2.5 hours a week of moderate activity to “reduce the risk for obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease, stroke, depression, colon cancer and premature death.” Gardening is an easy way to get that 2.5 hours while also doing some good for the planet.

Tending to some greenery outdoors also increases your exposure to vitamin D, which many of us New Englanders lack during the brisk colder months. Vitamin D is essential to hundreds of body functions, and a healthy amount of it may help maintain healthy bones and teeth, reduce one’s risk for breast cancer, dementia and other diseases, and support brain and nervous system health. It is important to note that too much sun exposure can be damaging to the skin, so remember to wear sunblock when tending to your plants.

Mental Growth

In addition to boosting your activity levels and vitamin intake, gardening also provides a variety of mental health benefits. According to UNC Health Talk, gardening can reduce stress, depression and anxiety, boosts self-esteem, and increases happiness. Furthermore, Healthline argues that gardening helps protect your memory as you age, provides a sense of agency and empowerment, manages “ecoanxiety,” calms the mind, and can even help recovering addicts. It’s a well-known fact that spending time in nature can reduce stress, and for those who may have a busy schedule or limited access to nature, planting a garden brings you nature that you can retreat to when feeling down.

Starting Your Own Garden

Now that I have you convinced to test out your green thumb, I will provide some helpful links with the best tips for starting your own garden. Personally, my stepmother and I bought a seed starter kit and a bunch of seeds (which are much cheaper than buying the actual plants.) We planted the seeds last Saturday, and by now my green beans, spinach and cucumber plants are over an inch tall. When the nights get a little warmer, we will transfer these plants to larger pots in my backyard. Here’s more advice from around the web:

9 Things to Know about Starting a Garden From Scratch (From The Spruce)

10 Top Gardening Tips for Beginners (From Miracle Grow)

5 Gardening Tips and Ideas that Actually Work (From Epic Gardening)

For those in apartments or urban settings:

Beginner Tips for Apartment Gardiners

Growing Food in Urban Small Spaces

Consider Your Community

In one of my college courses, we have been discussing the benefits of community gardens, something that I regret to say is an entirely new concept for me. Community gardens are a not only a great vehicle for promoting healthy eating and sustainable living, but are also a way to revitalize communities, beautify public spaces and foster a spirit of collaboration and trust as these gardens bring members of a community together. For more information on local community gardens in the Merrimack Valley and how you can contribute, visit the Groundwork Lawrence website.

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GOOD READS

A Change of Scenery. A recent research study, detailed here, has found that the “more varied locations people visit, the better they feel about their emotional and psychological well-being — even if their mental health symptoms are still there.”

On the Rocks. 61-year-old Dutchman Wim Hof became a “wellness guru during the pandemic” because of his unique approach to alleviating stress: hypoxic breathing, ice baths and cold showers. Read more about him here.

But Now I See. Medical experts have given a patient born with a genetic form of blindness the ability to see, thanks to an experimental RNA therapy injection. Visit here for more on this revolutionary technology.

100 Years of Horticulture: North Andover Garden Club Celebrates its Centennial

August 3, 2020 by Jaden Mendola

For 100 years, the North Andover Garden Club has been dedicated to encouraging interest and active participation in civic beautification, horticulture, flower arranging and conservation.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, interest in the art of horticulture swept across the nation. Many organizations, such as the local North Andover Improvement Society (1893), focused on the beautification of public gardens and buildings. The genesis for the North Andover Garden club began in the midst of this intrigue with Mrs. Lewis S. Bigelow, who was a member of the Garden Club of America. Residing in North Andover during the spring and summer months, her interest in starting a club became a reality when she called a meeting at her home on August 5, 1920, where she was chosen as the first club president.

As the club developed, members became more accustomed to getting their hands dirty, and garden activities became more hands-on. The club has been responsible for the design and maintenance of garden beds at police and fire stations and public schools. There have been annual tree plantings on Arbor Day. Two-thousand were planted at the NA Middle School. Volunteers spent countless hours planting, weeding and pruning at landmarks such as Stevens Memorial Library, Patriots Park, Parson Barnard Historic House, and the Stevens-Coolidge Place.

In 1984, the club hosted its first annual Plant Sale, which draws customers from throughout the Merrimack Valley. Proceeds from the sales are distributed in numerous ways. Funds are used for conducting garden therapy workshops at local senior center facilities, decorating holiday wreaths for town buildings, providing a $1500 scholarship to a North Andover High School graduate, and the sponsoring of lectures on horticulture-related topics. Even during the COVID-19 crisis, the club managed to have a successful plant sale in June, raising over $1,000.

“Having been a member for half the club’s existence, participating in and observing the evolution of the club, it is to the credit of the strong women who have led and worked to make the club the vibrant group it is today,” says club historian Harriett Osgood. “I have every confidence that the club will continue to nurture gardens and friendships for the next 100 years.”

Off The Beeten Path

May 14, 2019 by Jaden Mendola Leave a Comment

Kesiah Bascom Introduces Waste Management Alternative to Greater Lowell

“When your soil is happy, your belly is happy.” That’s the motto of the grassroots waste management company OffBeet Compost. Founder and owner Kesiah Bascom, 31, started the Lowell-based organization in April 2017 to provide an environmentally conscious alternative to traditional waste facilities such as landfills and incinerators. For two years, OffBeet has been collecting waste from local households, restaurants and businesses of Greater Lowell, converting their food scraps into eco-friendly fertilizer for local farmers and landscapers.

Kesiah Bascom (right) collects the organic waste of clients from towns including Lowell, Haverhill, Andover, North Andover, Methuen, Dracut, Tyngsboro, Chelmsford, Tewksbury, Billerica and Westford. Clients put their waste into one of OffBeet Compost’s 5-gallon buckets and leave it on their porch for Bascom to collect. It’s like having your trash collected, except the waste will be used to grow healthy plants for the community.

Compost is a mix of organic waste, such as plants, paper and spoiled food, that is used to fertilize soil. This process introduces vital nutrients to the soil in a safe and environmentally friendly way. Bascom calls it “black gold” because of the valuable role it plays in stimulating healthy plant growth.

“If you support local food and agriculture, then it’s important that you support composting also,” Bascom says. “You want your food to be grown well so whatever you’re putting into your body is delicious and nutritious.”

Growing up in Sunapee, New Hampshire, Bascom witnessed the crucial role agriculture plays in communities; her father was a farmer, and she was always growing food on her own in high school and college. But it wasn’t until she began working for The Food Project, a Massachusetts-based nonprofit that introduces farming skills to young adults, that Bascom realized she could make a career out urban agriculture.

“I had planned on going into adoption and foster care after college,” Bascom says, “but when I graduated [from Northeastern University] and began working for The Food Project, we were working with urban farming and I realized I could get paid for doing my favorite hobby.”

Now, Bascom drives her white Toyota pickup truck around Greater Lowell three times a week, picking up 5-gallon buckets of organic waste from the homes and businesses of clients. The collected waste is then brought to the company’s composting site in Haverhill, where the food scraps and organic material are converted into valuable fertilizer. Once produced, OffBeet sells the compost to local farmers and landscapers.

On April 1, OffBeet Compost purchased Roots Compost, a similar composting organization that served Greater Lawrence. With the merger, OffBeet has become the largest composting service in the Merrimack Valley.

Clients who provide waste to OffBeet can choose from two service plans. They can either leave food scraps outside their home for pick up, using OffBeet’s 5-gallon buckets, or they can save some money and bring their material to one of the three designated drop-off points in Lowell. Either plan offers clients the opportunity to receive a free 5-gallon bucket of fresh compost twice a year upon request.

OffBeet Compost does more, however, than just produce and sell fertilizer. Bascom makes a strong effort to educate local communities about the importance of composting and urban agriculture. By holding workshops for aspiring gardeners, she aims to teach the ins and outs of backyard composting while also explaining the process’ vital role in reducing harm to the environment. This March, OffBeet attended the Environmental Youth Conference at Lowell High School and gave kids an opportunity for a hands-on experience with composting and gardening.

“OffBeet is a mission-based, community composting organization, so we try to conduct our business in a way where we’re engaging with the community,” Bascom says. “I don’t ever want to be the type of company that collects from people who only put their buckets out and don’t think about where their waste is going, which is happening now with trash and recycling.”

As of December 2018, OffBeet Compost had diverted more than 115 tons of food waste away from landfills and incinerators, and the company plans on moving much more in the future.

OffBeet Compost
Dracut, Mass.
OffBeetCompost.com

The Backyard Naturalist – The Seeds of Winter

February 26, 2019 by Sarah Courchesne Leave a Comment

Gardening is always a strange temporal exercise. Tasks need to be done that require attention in the present moment, and not on a human schedule. Pruning needs doing before the buds appear, or after, but can’t wait, whenever it’s time. There is much of the now in gardening. There is also long delay, and generational patience sometimes, like in the planting of a tree you know you will not live to see reach its full height. There are tasks that require now-thinking for future rewards. Starting seeds in the nadir of winter is one such task.

I hadn’t managed my time well enough to start seeds in the past few years, but this year I was determined. I have a couple of grow lamps wired to rickety frames in my basement, but they are set above a bench that had been subsumed gradually by junk we’ve thrown down there, and by the end of the holidays it looked like the wrack line on a beach after a strong storm. We spent a long weekend sorting things into trash, donation and reorganized piles until we had a clear path to the bench. I swept and cleaned and kicked up a cloud of dust and mouse droppings that hung in a haze under the fluorescent lights, and finally the place was made ready.

There isn’t very much that I want to plant that requires starting seeds quite this early, and the only packet of seeds I still had was for yellow bush beans, but they don’t need an indoor head start, content to go into the warming soil in late April. After all the cleaning and airing, I was craving green shoots in the gray and brown cement-floored landscape, so I got a bag of wheatgrass seeds and set them up in the dark.

The first snowstorm of the year hit around that time, and I was sitting at my dining room table when the plow guy arrived to ram the snow around into big piles. It had been many months since he’d been to the house. When our yard is under snow, it looks like a featureless ocean, with no indication of what gardens lie underneath. Without landmarks, he plowed snow deep into the middle of the yard and onto raised beds at the edge of the driveway that he couldn’t have known were there. It was too late to tell him to stop, and as I stood at the window, listening to the scrape and grind of gravel and dirt being dragged up and on top of my garden, I felt my stomach lurch.

I was in tears, feeling ridiculous about it, and later in the day my husband texted the plow guy to try to delineate what we did and did not need plowed, but finding it hard to explain. The garden in winter is an act of imagination, and the terse text we got back (“Less in yard Avoid septic tank OK”) showed our failure to conjure for him the drifts of daisies and black-eyed Susans, or the small azalea and juniper.

A few days later, the wheatgrass shoots started up. Beginning in darkness, they were white as cave worms so I set up the lights on a timer so they could start the real work of growing. Looking out at the melting piles of snow in the rain, I know the yard will be a stone-strewn moonscape come spring, requiring digging out, redoing, repairing the damage, seeing what plants can be salvaged. The plow guy was only one catastrophe. After all, winter is always this way, visiting disaster on the empty land, in ice storms and fallen trees, and still, some seeds make it.