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Hi, it’s Saige! For my last blog, I decided to talk about my winter seed sowing project. This concept was first introduced to me by Shari Guarino, the land trust’s treasurer. Winter seed sowing is a method of planting seeds in containers outside during the winter season, allowing the seeds to germinate while being protected. Seeds go through natural freeze-thaw cycles during winter months and then germinate during spring’s warm weather. Starting seeds in containers will protect them from extreme winter weather while allowing them to experience a natural cold stratification period. Winter seed sowing is an environmentally friendly, inexpensive, and easy way to start growing seeds!   Before you begin, ideally you will choose from a wide variety of pollinating plant seeds. Choose plants that are native to your region, blooming from early spring into late fall. I planted Spotted Bee Balm and Blazing Star. All you need to start the process are containers; clear plastic gallon milk or water jugs work best. Proper drainage for the seedlings is important, as well as leaving the cap off for water and snow to moisten your seeds to help keep them nourished. In general, placing the containers in an area that receives morning sunlight is important, but each seed has specific needs. Once the seedlings grow 3-5 inches tall and have at least 2 sets of leaves, they are ready to be transplanted into a pot or straight into your garden. My personal experience with this seedling process turned out positive. After getting multiple shoots per jug, I transplanted them directly into my container garden.   The winter seed sowing project is a great example of all the helpful information I gained from volunteering with the Southington Land Trust. This past year, I participated in events that ranged from cleanups to nature walks and fundraising activities, all geared towards preserving nature. Often our goal when meeting for outdoor activities was clearing invasive plants and making sure the natural ecological system is kept intact. Besides the annual Christmas Tree Recycling, other fundraisers include parking cars one night each summer at the Southington Drive-In as well as offering parking at the Land Trust building during the Southington Apple Harvest Fest each fall. The Southington Land Trust is constantly working to meet the ever-changing needs of the environment. Follow them on Facebook or check out their website to catch the next volunteer opportunity!

Some ideas for helping create and improve habitat for native plants and animals. 1. Lawns. How much lawn do you really want or need? Lawns are the highest maintenance item in the backyard. Lawns require a lot of time, attention and money. They also are heavy consumers of water, a precious and limited resource. Perhaps you can downsize the lawn to a size you really use for play and picnics and make butterfly and bird friendly flower and shrub beds with part of the yard. Use native plants, the birds and insects need them! Rain gardens are another wonderful way to reduce turf area. A rain garden collects the water from your roof and purifies it instead of allowing to flow into the storm sewer system and into rivers and streams carrying chemical residue. You can use sustainable practices to care for the lawn such as: Have the soil tested prior to applying lime or other amendments. Use slow release organic fertilizers in the smallest possible amounts. You may find out that the 4 applications fertilizer companies recommend is about double what is really needed. Treat weeds and insects only as needed and only narrowly targeted areas. Why spread expensive, potentially hazardous stuff over the whole lawn if just one area has a problem? There are environmentally safe solutions for most problems. Mulch grass clippings and leave them on the lawn. 2. Using Native Plants Increasingly native birds, insects and amphibians are becoming endangered and species are being lost. Besides using sustainable practices, planting native trees, shrubs and plants can help stem the tide. Native plants in general require very little care. They thrive here because they belong here! 3. Invasive Plants Invasive species are an ever worsening problem. Seems there is a new invader every year and the existing ones are spreading. Sometimes we don't realize how serious a problem they are until they are out of control. Asiatic or oriental bittersweet can turn a forest into a patch of dead trees covered with vines in a matter of a few years, for example. If you doubt it, look at the town open space that was Novick's Orchard. The full size apple trees are still there, but they are all dead, smothered by bittersweet. Another plant capable of destroying a wooded area is winged euonymus, also known as Burning Bush. It seeds itself all over the landscape. Japanese Barberry is another such invader. Besides being invasive it has the unpleasant characteristic of harboring the mice who carry deer ticks. Whenever native plants are displaced by these invaders the diversity of native birds, insects and animals may be decreased and the ecosystem functions may be affected. You can make your property a haven for wildlife, birds, butterflies and other pollinators. You can make your yard part of a green corridor connecting similar habitats. This will have a profound impact on the environment here in Southington. Our goal is to help you make your property more sustainable, more enjoyable and more beautiful. Southington Land Trust members, local master gardeners and Coverts Cooperators are all anxious to help you plan and create sustainable spaces in your yard. To help you get started: Invasive plants guide Remove Invasive Plants Native plants Choose Native Plants That Work In addition CT Master Gardeners has printed information on these topics available on request. They will also answer phoned-in questions. CT Master Gardeners Hartford County Extension Center 1800 Asylum Avenue Phone: (860) 570-9010 West Hartford, CT 06117-2600

Biologist Bob Kuchta and Southington Land Trust president, Al Fiorillo On May 14, 2015 the Land Trust held its annual dinner meeting at Spartans II restaurant with guest speaker Bob Kuchta. Bob spoke about the amazing geography right here in Southington, namely the kettle bog on the Tomasso property. Bob discovered the bog, also called a fen, from the ridge on the western side of town when he was a boy, hiking with his brothers. He spent some time trying to find out what caused the unusual arrangement of trees he was seeing. Kettle bogs became a lifelong interest for him. He even wrote his Master's thesis on the bog which is now a Land Trust property. To honor his lifelong protection of the fen, land trust members had the name officially changed to the Kuchta Family Fen . Al Fiorillo, our president, presented a plaque commemorating the naming and thanking Bob and his family for decades of protecting the fen. An election of officers was also held at the dinner for the new fiscal year. Al will continue as president, John Fusari will be the new vice president. Irene Murray continues as secretary and Dan Nardini continues as treasurer.