Spring Weather = Cleaning Up, Gardening, and Lawncare

Let's Make Some Changes to Help Move #WestonAhead

Lawn Care

Let's think differently about those grass carpets.

Traditional lawn maintenance of fertilizing and mowing is just not great for the environment. Excess fertilizer can wash off the lawn and ends up in streams and lakes causing algae growth that harms our aquatic wildlife. Most grasses require modest nitrogen levels to grow and thrive, so instead, utilize what nature has already provided.

Aerate your soil and scatter fresh grass seeds to help block out weeds. Leave those grass clippings where they fall, which serves as mulch to conserve soil moisture. Spread compost as an alternative to chemical fertilizers. Or better yet, mulch your autumn leaves instead of raking them up. The mulched leaves provide excellent nutrients to the soil and grass.

When it comes to mowing, bring the blade up to encourage deeper roots. This saves on watering, too. Grass only needs an inch of water per week. Using more, and the roots aren't as healthy.

Your best alternative to lawn care? Forego the grass and plant native ground covers, shrubs, or a pollinator meadow instead. The traditional manicured green lawn is high maintenance, is not particularly beneficial to the environment, and uses a lot of water. Learn more about how you can help pollinators survive by making a few adjustments to your lawn care.

Talk to your landscapers if you're hands-off in this department. You'll find that you'll save money, water and backaches. The state has some great information on how lawns and landscapes impact our local watersheds and provides guides to help you become more environmentally responsible.

Drought 2021

Today, the Massachusetts Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs declared drought conditions in most regions of the state due to below-normal precipitation, streamflow and groundwater. We're just in April. Lawncare in Weston is an excellent place to start making changes by adopting more sustainable and environmentally-friendly practices.

Community Care: Cleaning Up

4th Annual Weston Town Cleanup

The Sustainable Weston Action Group (SWAG) invites all interested residents to collaborate on what has become an annual tradition. Now through April 18, just in time to beautify our roadsides, trails and fields for Earth Day on April 22. And, to officially kick off the weeklong event, Weston PTO‘s Green Team is hosting a school-wide Cleanup Day on Sunday, April 11, with already great participation expected at all our schools.

As in years prior, the focus of the Town Cleanup will be to unite friends and neighbors around our common cause – reducing the amount of litter in our environment - while respecting each individual’s comfort level and continuing to follow COVID-19 guidance.

This year, early bird participation began spontaneously during the first nice days in March, perhaps a testament to a growing tradition, but also to the fact that many Weston residents have used the limitations the pandemic has placed upon us all as catalysts for positive change. So, grab your gloves and a trash bag and don't forget to take a photo of your loot and share it on the Town Cleanup Facebook page.

Going Electric for the Greater Good

Technically, this would fall under lawn care, but when we're discussing gas-powered lawnmowers and leaf blowers, we are talking about community care too.

Those gas-powered lawnmowers and the dreaded leaf blowers are a blight to our peaceful, rural town. The noise alone is awful, but the pollutants are terrible, too. This change would make a great impact on the neighborhood and to the environment.

The New York Times has a great article on the latest in technology for lawn care.

If you're looking for some more suggestions and recommendations on electric mowers, The Spruce lists out its top eight.

Annihilating Garlic Mustard

Who doesn't want to participate in an event with the word "annihilate" in the name? AND it's a good one for Earth Month! On Sat., April 17 from 11-12 pm, join

Weston Forest and Trail Association - WFTA

Trustee Kristin Barbieri and Conservation Commissioner Rees Tulloss for an outdoors tutorial on identifying and removing one of Weston's most persistent invasives, garlic mustard.

If not removed, garlic mustard can crowd out important native plants. If removed properly, it can be made into a garlic mustard pesto, or fed to chickens! This is yet another small step you can take a part in during Earth Month in Weston! No need to sign up, just meet out at the steps on the north side of Town Green. Bring a little shovel if you have it, your gardening gloves, and of course, wear your mask!

If you can't make it or want to know what you're getting yourself into or get a jump start while you're out for the Town Cleanup, watch this video from Weston Media Center and prepare for battle!

Annual Street Sweeping

Every year, our wonderful Dept. of Public Works starts up the street sweeping program in April. Last year, 92 miles of roadway in town had 261 yards of material swept up, tested, and properly disposed of. Sweeping the roadways is not just about aesthetics. It helps keep debris out of the storm drains to improve the quality of stormwater runoff. Cleaner stormwater means happy, healthy streams, rivers, lakes and the wildlife that depend on them.

Gardening Care

Attract birds and pollinators with a new garden.

You can easily convert an outdoor space—large or small—into a bird-friendly landscape by adding a few important habitat elements. Mass Audubon tells us why and how:

You'll see more birds
You'll help save wildlife
You'll benefit people, too

MassAudubon will also help guide you on the importance of planting a pollinator garden. Even small outdoor spaces can provide quality habitat and help us fight climate change. A pollinator garden can range from a decorative planter with native flowers on your porch or small flowerbeds to larger vegetable gardens interspersed with flowers.

All these florae are also part of nature’s climate toolkit because they soak up excess carbon dioxide, one of our most rampant greenhouse gasses, like a sponge.

Sneak Peek

Brush Dump opens for 4 consecutive weeks starting April 10
The PAYT report and recommendation will be presented to the Select Board on April 13th at 7:50 p.m.
The Tree Advisory Group recommends the USDA Forest Service webinar on Trees, Woodlands, Lawns and Right of Ways: Best Practices for Biodiversity on April 14th at 1pm
Join the Weston PTO Green Committee & Parent Education on April 14th at 7pm for this online forum on sustainable spring cleaning. Register in advance.
The Weston AIC is hosting its Fix It First Bike Clinic on April 17th from 1 - 3pm on the Town Green
Land's Sake Birthday and Earth Day celebration is April 24 from 10 -2pm
Weston Forest & Trail Assoc. with the Garden Club garden walk is May 2nd
Country Garden Club's Annual Garden Mania Plant Sale begins May 6th at the Golden Ball Tavern