Invest In Our Planet is the EARTHDAY.ORG Earth Day theme for 2022. Click the button below for more information on actions and tips that you can do to make a difference – every day of the year.

The spotted lanternfly is an invasive insect that causes damage when they feed, sucking sap from stems and leaves. This can weaken the plant and eventually contribute to the plant's death. 

Spotted lanternfly lay their eggs in the fall, and the first instar nymphs hatch starting in April. The newly hatched nymphs are black with white spots, and starting in July the oldest nymphs will have patches of red. Shortly after, they will begin to assume their adult forms, which have wide colorful wings.

Spotted lanternfly poses a significant threat to the U.S. economy and environment. To stop its spread, the Maryland Department of Agriculture and other neighboring states have issued quarantines for counties where the presence of this pest have been confirmed – Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Cecil, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Kent, Montgomery, and Washington counties as well as Baltimore City. Businesses operating in the quarantine zone must have permits to move equipment and goods within and out of the zone.

If you see something that looks like a spotted lanternfly, take a picture and send it to DontBug.MD@maryland.gov or call 410-841-5920. Eradicating invasive species is a costly and challenging task, but stopping them from spreading and keeping tabs on where they are makes that job easier. If you can, try to catch the bug. There is a simple and effective way to catch the spotted lanternfly, as the Integrative Ecology Lab at Temple University explains in the video below. It is called the empty water bottle method.

For more information on the spotted lanterfly, click the button below.

Guest speaker Peggy Riccio, Chair of the Potomac Unit of the Herb Society of America, gave an instructional talk, One Dozen Herbs to Use and Grow. For each herb (dill, cilantro, basil, fennel, rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano/marjoram, chives, mint, lemon balm, and parsley), she discussed the best season to plant, when to start harvesting, preservation techniques, and methods for using each herb in the kitchen, and included a few tasty recipes. These herbs are so easy to grow, you can even grow them in containers for the summer.

For more information on herbs and gardening in general, click the button below to visit Peggy's website Pegplant. There you can subscribe to Pegplant's Post, a free monthly e-newsletter. The newsletter lists gardening events in the area, including virtual events in other mid-Atlantic states, recently published gardening books, articles, and tips.

To read Peggy's article, Breeding Better Herbs, published in the March/April issue of The American Gardener, the magazine of the American Horticultural Society, click the button below.

For a copy of Peggy's basic culinary herb recipes, click the button below.

District II, Federated Garden Clubs of Maryland, Inc. and The American Daffodil Society presents, A Daffodil Star is Born, a Daffodil Show and NGC Standard Flower Show. The show takes place at Our Shepherd Lutheran Church, 400 Benfield Road, Severna Park on Tuesday, April 12 from 2 PM to 7 PM and Wednesday, April 13 from 10 AM to 3 PM. The show is free and open to the public and handicap accessible.

Crofton Village Garden Club participated in the flea market at the Crofton Cherry Blossom Festival. All proceeds from the sale will be used to purchase additional cherry trees for the Crofton Cherry Trees Project.