native plants

Volunteer with Friends of Alum Creek and Tributaries

| strausbaugh.76

Upcoming opportunities to remove invasive plants and plant native trees

Friends of Alum Creek and Tributaries (FACT) has upcoming service opportunities! Put on some sturdy shoes, grab your garden gloves and help improve the green space of your local communities.

Make a Difference Day, Saturday, Oct. 26th 9:00am-12:30pm

Boyer Preserve, 452 E. Park St. Westerville 43081

  •   Remove honeysuckle bushes and other invasive plants, clean up a hidden woodland oasis and waterways.

Honeysuckle Removal, Friday, Nov. 8th, 9-11am

Hoff Woods Park, 556 McCorkle Blvd, Westerville, OH 43081

  •   Remove honeysuckle along the tree line next to the parking lot near the playground.

Plant 60 Large Trees  Saturday, Nov. 9th**  10:00 am -2:00 p.m.  

Pathways Park Alum Creek Trail, Final Third Foundation

4475 Sunbury Rd., Columbus 43219

  •   Dig, plant and water native trees along the Alum Creek Greenway Trail, between Chiller Lane-Easton Way.
  •   Volunteers – please wear sturdy work clothes and footwear. Bring your own beverage container, favorite gloves, and long shovel for tree planting. FACT will provide some loaner tools, gloves, snacks & beverages.
  •    **Make up & rain date – Sunday, Nov. 10th, or the following weekend

Learn more about FACT here.

EPN Earth Day event: ‘Eat This Earth Day! Ohio’s Native Plants for Food’

| Susannah Kistler

Eat this Earth Day! Ohio's Native Plants for Food

The Ohio State University’s Environmental Professionals Network is holding an event from 4:45 to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, April 22, examining “our place among Ohio’s native food web and explores the work of leading gardeners, educators, herbalists and foragers, amateurs and other groups stewarding native plants for food.”

Learn more about the free event, available in-person but also livestreamed, at epn.osu.edu.

Webinar Series: Gardening for Conservation

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Are you passionate about preserving our planet’s natural beauty and biodiversity? Curious about how you can make a difference right from your own backyard?

We’re thrilled to announce our Gardening for Conservation webinar series, brought to you by The Nature Conservancy and Ohio State University Extension. Learn how to create wildlife-friendly habitats, manage invasive species and promote sustainable practices right in your own green space while engaging with experts who will share their insights on practical conservation strategies tailored for your local environment.

All events held on the fourth Wednesday of each month from 6:00 to 7:15 pm ET.

Wednesday, April 24th

Homegrown Conservation: Gardening for Bees, Butterflies and Birds

Wednesday, May 22nd

An Update on Ticks for 2024

Wednesday, June 26th

Growing Your Own Food for Conservation

Wednesday, July 24th

Rooting Out Trouble: Managing Invasive Plants in Your Landscape

Wednesday, August 28th

The Good, The Bad and the Hungry: Dealing with Wildlife in the Garden

Wednesday, September 25th

Everyone Loves Free (plant) Food!

March 2024 webinar: Planning and Planting the Spring Vegetable Garden

| Susannah Kistler

Do you have a New Year’s resolution to start your own garden or do you just want to hear tips on how to improve your current garden?

Join the Green Team ERG on Tuesday, March 19, from 1-2 p.m. where Tim McDermott, DVM, will give us tips on planning and planting the spring vegetable garden.

Dr. McDermott joined the Ohio State University Extension at Ohio State in 2017 as an agriculture and natural resources educator after 20 years in private practice veterinary medicine and surgery. His area of specialization is local food production systems, and he is passionate about teaching people how to grow their own food.

The webinar will cover the following topics:

  • Getting started in spring gardening
  • What you can plant now
  • Soil testing
  • How to fertilize your spring garden to maximize your harvest

Register for the webinar here.

Dr. McDermott will be available to answer questions at the end of his presentation. Feel free to submit questions ahead of time to Judy Gregory, our new webinar moderator and Green Team education chair, at gregory.177@osu.edu.

Not part of the Green Team yet? You can join at go.osu.edu/greenteamsignup.

— By Judy Gregory