Pioneer Valley
Planning Commission

Eric Carle Museum, Amherst, MA

Media Release

CONTACT: Anne Capra, PVPC Principal Planner (413) 781-6045


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 6, 2010

Lawn Care Webinar Scheduled

The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, as part of the Massachusetts Greenscapes Coalition, will sponsor an upcoming webinar about achieving a healthy, safe lawn.

Getting Your Yard Off Drugs: How to Turn Your Yard into a Beautiful, Class Lawn Without Chemicals is a three-part series offered Tuesday evenings, April 13, May 11, and June 8, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Cost is $35; register at www.nsrwa.org/Page.126.html.

April 13
• Early spring decisions and tasks
• How to prepare and rebuild your soil for optimum grass growth
• Routine maintenance
• How to water your lawn for maximum effectiveness and efficiency

May 11
• Analysis of what causes problems in your yard and how to fix them
• How to mow properly—it’s more important than you think
• Lime and fertilizer applications
• Pest and weed control

June 8
• What to do for the lawn and plants in your yard
• Attracting birds and butterflies to your yard
• Achieving easier maintenance
• Money-saving strategies that result in higher property values

Course instructor Mike Walsh of Mike Walsh Horticultural Concepts (www.horticulturalconcepts.com) has been in the landscape industry for 28 years and has consulted and lectured on water conservation and ecological landscape design for more than 20 years. He has been featured on HGTV and has lectured for the Mass Horticultural Society and more than 100 garden clubs.

This workshop series is being sponsored by the Massachusetts Greenscapes Coalition (www.Greenscapes.org), which promotes water conservation and safe alternatives to chemical use on our lawns and yards. The Connecticut River Stormwater Committee is a member of the coalition, with representation from the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission and 11 towns and cities in Hampshire and Hampden counties. The Greenscapes Coalition also includes over 50 towns and cities in eastern Massachusetts, equally concerned about the harm landscape chemicals can have on our local waters.