EASY STEPS TO WINTERIZE YOUR RAIN GARDEN
For rain gardens, little to no maintenance is required during the winter. According to http://www.lakesuperiorstreams.org/, dead foliage can be left untouched throughout the winter months, which can add to the landscape. Remember, though, to remove dead foliage in the spring as the new growth begins.
However, if you would like to be proactive and get a jump start on your garden for when the weather gets warm again, follow the tips below from the Pittsburgh
Tribune Review:
Mulch to protect your plants
Since new plants don't have established root systems to anchor them, perennials and shrubs that were planted this year should have a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch added to its base. This will help moderate the ground temperature and prevent the soil from heaving and thawing. To withhold moisture, add an even layer of mulch – don’t pile it around the base of the plants.
Compost early
Now is a great time to compost. You can use vegetable plants from the garden that aren’t diseased, leaves, grass clippings and annuals that have either stopped growing or already have been bit by frost. These items will turn into food for the plants next spring.
Don’t over prune
Pruning now will make plants more susceptible to winter damage later. Wait until spring to prune. Enjoy the foliage that remains on the plants until winter arrives.
Test your soil
If you haven’t tested your soil for nutrients in a few years, now is a good time to do so. You local garden center should carry test kits. You need to analyze the state of your soil in order to determine how to treat it. For example, sometimes in the fall, adding lime is more beneficial than adding fertilizers.
Check garden equipment
Don’t forget about your precious gardening equipment. Remove fuel from the gas tanks of your lawnmower and tiller, sharpen your blades and be ready to dive into gardening next spring.
Let it snow!
Don’t worry about removing snow from your bushes. It’s only when snow alters the shape of your plants that it harms them and removal is needed.
PREPARE YOUR RAIN BARREL FOR COLD WEATHER
In order to preserve your rain barrels this winter, either bring them inside or turn them upside down to prevent freezing water from cracking or damaging the barrels. It is a good idea to disconnect your downspouts before the first hard freeze. In addition, consider connecting your downspout to an elbow extension so that water will divert away from your house. Don’t forget to protect your hoses and screens, too, by placing them in storage.
B&V WATER RAIN GARDEN UPDATE
Progress has been made on the next phase of the corporate rain garden — a bio-detention basin located at B&V Water’s Kansas City headquarters on the West side of the building near State Line Road. Earlier this fall, an outside contractor began cleaning up and landscaping the large hole near the building. The garden is now completely installed and ready to bloom next spring.
The Kansas City Rain Garden Brigade will be called upon next year to help re-plant B&V Water’s existing rain garden near Ward Parkway with about 100 new plants. These plants will be more sustainable to the climate changes typical for the area and are expected to last longer. More details will follow after the beginning of next year.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
B&V Water takes pride in helping introduce and educate the community on the “10,000 Rain Gardens” initiative in Kansas City. Recent community outreach activities this past summer include a visit with representatives from a local retail store to discuss beginning the rain garden program in the Kansas City area.
In addition, last September, B&V Water representatives met with professionals from a Kansas City-based communications’ company to discuss the planning, implementation and maintenance of rain gardens. Information, such as marketing materials, ideas on how to engage local youth and funding opportunities, was shared. The face-to-face meeting also allowed company representatives to ask several questions about possibly launching their own corporate rain garden. They wanted to know, for example, how to recycle wastewater runoff, how to catch rainwater runoff from roofs and what would be the estimated costs for various aspects of building and owning a rain garden.
DeLaSalle Academy
Also this fall, B&V Water project engineers delivered an interactive “Water and Wastewater Learn-In” seminar to a dozen high school students at DeLaSalle Education Center in Kansas City, Mo. The students are participating in the Environmental Connection Opportunities for Students (ECOS) class, and the seminar was part of the Urban Water module. Black & Veatch’s participation resulted from publicity from its Rain Garden program.
In class, students have been learning about water and wastewater treatment processes, problems caused by excessive runoff in urban areas, Kansas City’s combined sewer system and rain gardens and rain barrels. The students worked with the B&V Water engineers to prepare “wastewater soup,” create a filtering system and solve water pressure challenges. The class planted a rain garden on school grounds in October. To view a picture gallery of the day’s events, please click here.
Like what you see? Sign up for the Rain Garden Brigade here. Have tips to help bring your rain garden and rain barrel out of winter for the spring edition of the newsletter? Please submit your ideas to the Black & Veatch Water Global Communications Team.
FYI
For additional information on the Black & Veatch rain garden program, visit www.bvRainGardens.com.
To read the WEFTEC Black & Veatch Rain Garden Overview, click here.
For more information about Kansas City’s "10,000 Rain Gardens" initiative, visit www.rainkc.com. The Web site serves as your main source of information on everything related to rain gardens.
For additional rain garden information via the “Green” Resources page on the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Web site, click here.
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