This Saturday (April 24th), compost bins and rain barrels will be on sale for $50.00 each at the Tallahassee Mall parking lot. The sale runs from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm, but you might want to get there early as the line tends to get long.

Ecorazzi has a super cool gallery of some of the world’s oldest living plants.

The plant above is the Welwitschia Mirabilis. This plant is estimated to be between 1500 and 2000 years old. The Welwitschia Mirabilis are considered to be “living fossils.” They have a short woody trunk and just two leaves that grow continuously from the trunk. Amazing! Check out the gallery link above for the complete collection of images.

Saturday, April 17 (same day as the Wisteria field trip)

10:00 am to 6:00 pm

The first 100 people to make the Earth Day pledge will receive a free pepper or tomato plant.

There will also be representatives from Waste Management with information on local recycling practices.

Friday, April 2

1pm to 3 pm

Bring clippers/loppers

It’s that time of year again! Time to open the windows, roll up your sleeves, get down and dirty (or clean), and aim for all those little dusty and dingy corners. But if you find your eyes burning and all that chlorine has singed off your eyebrows, you may want to consider greening up your spring cleaning tasks. By implementing a few simple changes you’ll be able to leave the haz-mat suit in the closet this spring.

Commercial cleaners are not only expensive, but contain lots of nasty chemicals that can pollute the air in your home. And, we all know where all those chemicals go…down the drain (along with your money) into the water supply. The U.S. Geological survey reported in a 2002 survey that 66% of streams sampled for contaminants contained disinfectants. Yuck!

Because knowing is half the battle (thank you, G.I. Joe), here’s a list of some things you may want to replace:

• Tile Cleaner – contains sodium hydroxide. Sodium hydroxide, also know as caustic lye, is found in many cleaners and detergents (including drain cleaners). Sodium hydroxide can cause chemical burns and blindness. Some tile cleaners also contain monoethanolomine (can you even say that?). Monoethanolomine may cause liver, kidney, and reproductive issues, while inhalation can cause dizziness or coma.

• Toilet Bowl Cleaner – often contains chlorine bleach. Although most scientists agree that the use of household bleach doesn’t harm the environment, the production and transport of chlorine is toxic. And, who wants their house to smell like a pool anyway?

• Multipurpose/Glass Cleaners – contain ammonia. Ammonia is a known eye and respiratory irritant. Chronic exposure to ammonia can result in respiratory diseases like bronchitis and pneumonia. Also, mixing ammonia and bleach products creates poisonous chlorine gas and can burn the eyes and nose.

• Detergent – (really? detergents?) can contain phosphates. Just like the phosphorus in our fertilizers, phosphates in detergents could potentially get into the groundwater and pollute the waterways with phosphorus. If you’re unfamiliar with the phosphorus issue: Too much phosphorus in the waterways produces an environment perfect for growing–algae! The algae reduce the amount of oxygen in the water, thereby killing the fish and crustaceans.  Many detergents have already removed the phosphates from their formulas. Be sure to check the label.

The great thing about greening up your spring cleaning is that it doesn’t take a lot of money. Our grandmothers were the Queens of Green, believe it or not. Use these tried and true (I won’t use the term “old fashioned”) recipes to green up your cleaning products:

• Mean-Green Tub & Tile Cleaner – 1/4 cup baking soda +1/2 cup white vinegar (also good for making volcanoes). You can also use 1 cup of baking soda mixed with a teaspoon of liquid soap, a little water, and a few drops of an antibacterial essential oil (tee tree, eucalyptus, rosemary, or peppermint) for a delightful smelling bathroom cleanser.

• Squeaking Clean Tushies Toilet Bowl Cleaner – (1-2) denture cleaning tablets, let sit overnight. Or, 1 cup borax + 1/4 cup vinegar, let sit overnight.

• The No-Stank Multipurpose/Glass Cleaner – 1/2 tsp liquid castile soap + 3 Tbsp vinegar + 2 cups water (if you don’t like the smell of vinegar, use lemon juice).

If all of this sounds like too much work for you (see: lazy pants), there are still greener options for you at the store. Method brand products contain all biodegradable products and are manufactured and packaged in an environmentally responsible way (and, as a bonus, not tested on animals). You can find Method products at Target, Lowe’s, Costco, and even some Publix stores. For a detergent, just go with one that’s phosphate free. Ecos is a great brand (and they sell it at Costo–win!).

Another great line (although a bit more pricey) is Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day. Mrs. Meyer’s products come in scents like lavender, basil, and lemon verbena. Much better than “pool.”

And, don’t forget about the good old Simple Green products. Available at most home improvement and big-box stores.

For more information on what the safety of household products, along with more recipes for healthy alternatives, visit the Guide to Less Toxic Products (thanks, Canada).

Visit to FSU Arboretum
David MacManus from FSU will present on plans to make the campus an outdoor classroom

Jubilee Cottage, 12:00 pm

Free to all visitors. Visitors are also free to bring a bagged lunch.

Saturday, April 17
9:00 to 1:00
Plan to show up at 9 for the sale. Lunch afterward.

89^th Annual Flower Show to Open in Thomasville Friday, March 19-Saturday, March 20

Sponsored by Thomasville Garden Clubs, Inc.

Friday, March 19 1:30-5:00pm and Saturday March 20 10:00am-4:00pm

Thomasville Garden Center, 1102 South Broad Street, Thomasville (Old Monticello Road)

Theme:  “Through the Garden Gate” Entry garden courtesy of Gecko Gardens

Features:  6 design classes with 4 entries in each class in addition to General and Youth Horticulture

Horticulture entries accepted Thursday, March 18 from 3:00-7:00pm and Friday, March 20 from 7:00-9:00am.

Events:  Luncheon/Fashion Show Friday at 12:30pm. $15 tickets, advance reservation required

Show opens Friday, March 19 at 1:15 with Ribbon Cutting-Thomas University Jazz Band will perform.  Show open till 5:00 pm

Saturday show hours are 10:00am-4:00pm

Show Chairman:  Helan Huddleston, Killarney Queen Garden Club

For Luncheon Tickets and more information, call the Thomasville Visitors Center toll-free at 1-866-577-3600 or 229-228-7977

Questions: call Julia Singletary, 229-225-9711.

Spring Vegetable Gardening
Saturday March 6, 2010
10:30 am – 11:30 am
Location: Mission San Luis Class Room
Street: 2100 West Tennessee Street
City State Zip: Tallahassee, FL 32304
Phone: (850) 245-6406

BEFORE THE DIGGING, THEY WILL BE GIVING A BASIC WORKSHOP

Helena Sadvary, John Maiers, and Ed Schroeder present various aspects of starting a spring garden for the first time gardener. Topics include location, types of gardening, irrigation, compost, soil, what to plant when, seeds vs seedlings, advantages, opportunities to get involved, and much more! They will be available during and after the presentation to answer questions. All three presenters are Master Gardeners with a special interest in vegetable and herb gardening.

This event is sponsored by New Leaf Market.

March 19 and 20.

Guided tours, art, and living history of Wakulla Basin. For more information and to sign up for tours, visit http://www.wakullawildlifefestival.org/.