Horticulture Chair Nancy Percivall gave an informative presentation on Ollas: Self-Watering Systems for Plants. An Olla is an unglazed porous clay pot used for irrigation. The pot is buried in the ground and filled with water to supply water to surrounding plants. The roots will grow towards and around the pot. The process works by soil moisture retention – when the soil is dry, water is pulled out and when the soil is moist, water remains in the Olla. 

For more information on how to create an Olla, click the button below to view Lovely Greens video.

EARTHDAY.ORG’s mission is to diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide. The 2021 Earth Day theme Restore Our Earth focuses on natural processes, emerging green technologies, and innovative thinking that can restore the world’s ecosystems. The challenge is for each of us to restore our earth not just because we care about the natural world, but because we live on it. We need a healthy earth to support our livelihoods, health, survival, and happiness. A healthy planet is not an option – it is a necessity.

Click the button below to view 51 actions and tips that you can do to make a difference, every day of the year.

Horticulture Chair Nancy Percivall gave an informative talk on Soap Nuts and How to Use Them.

Soap nuts (sometimes called soap berries) are the fruit of the Sapindus mukorossi tree found naturally growing at the foothills of the the Himalayan Mountains. The soap nut is actually a berry that forms a hard shell when dry and resembles a nut. The berry shells contain saponin, a natural surfactant that is released when the shell absorbs water giving it the ability to produce soapsuds.

Soap nuts are considered a natural detergent and have become a popular environ-mentally friendly alternative to chemical detergent. Place about five soap nuts into a small muslin bag, typically provided with your purchase, pull the drawstring tight, and throw it in the wash with your clothes. Each bag of soap nuts should last for about five washes.

To make liquid soap, use one cup of water for each soap nut used. Boil water, add soap nuts, simmer for 20 minutes, cool and store in a jar. Use ¼ cup liquid for one load of laundry. You can also pour the liquid into ice cube trays and freeze for later use.

At the October meeting, JoAnn Cook briefly mentioned that she would send an update to members regarding the opportunity to recycle certain Styrofoam products right here in Crofton at EPS Industry Alliance.

The collection bin is well marked and easy to find -- close to the Post Office, in the back parking lot of the SECU Credit Union Building. They accept Styrofoam food packaging, cups, egg cartons, meat trays, and coolers. Just be sure there is a #6 stamped on the product and that it is clean and doesn't have any labels or tape. 

If you have any questions, please contact JoAnn. Feel free to spread the word to your friends and neighbors.

A map and additional information on the products they accept is available by clicking the button below.

Nancy Percivall, Committee Chair for Horticulture, encouraged members to think out of the box when purchasing plastic wraps and shared better alternatives –– wax paper, parchment paper, reusable sandwich and snack bags, wax paper bags, silicone bags, and beeswax wraps.

Plastic wrap was invented in the 1940’s by a chemical company and was originally made with toxic PVC plastic. Plastic wrap is now made primarily of LDPE (low-density polyethylene) which is deemed safe by the FDA but safety concerns about plastic wrap still exist. Many film plastics are recyclable, however, cling wrap is not – the chemicals and resins added to make the cling wrap "clingy" and stretchable cannot be removed, making it too complex a plastic to recycle. Because cling wrap is not recyclable, it ends up contaminating the environment by sitting in a landfill for years.