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They’re Back! The Spotted Lanternfly Returns
Advice from WCU Office of sustainability Summer Bulletin No. 4: June 22, 2020 If you’ve spent any time outside in the past few weeks, you’ve likely spotted the above pictured Spotted Lanternfly Instar, or early stage nymph. The Spotted Lanternfly is an invasive species spreading throughout the state of Pennsylvania, negatively affecting agricultural crops and…
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A more rustic trellis
Here’s a more rustic trellis than the one pictured earlier and made with metal supports and nylon mesh. This one is made out of fallen branches tied together at the joints with pieces of wire or string. Pieces that fall apart are easily replaced. Very good for peas, but not recommended for heavier veggies like…
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My view of composting
by Nathaniel Smith, June 8, 2020 I have never figured out how to build a compost heap that would heat up enough to kill weed seeds. The compost manuals make it sound simple, but it isn’t! (See lots of really good composting advice from the Chester County Solid Waste Authority, though.) For me, patience is…
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“Nature abhors a vacuum”
Life tends to fill all possible niches, from the extreme depths of the sea to roofs of our homes to even our own digestive system. Gardeners know this all to well, because it’s not as if we weed once and relax. There are millions of weed seeds just waiting to be dampened, or warmed by…
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Building a backyard veggie trellis
by Justice Mogano, West Chester Here is my tip for building a backyard trellis. Purchase two pieces of 1/2” thick rebar, about 3’-4’ long. Space them appropriately and hammer them into the ground, leaving about 18” above ground. Then, slide two pieces of 3/4” diameter conduit over the rebar These will be the uprights. These…
