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SPRING 2021

17-year cicadas emerging this spring The 17-year periodical cicadas in Brood X will begin to emerge in many areas of Maryland when the soil 8” below the surface reaches 64 degrees Fahrenheit. This may be in early May but will depend on local weather conditions. Cicadas are not harmful to people or pets and do not cause damage to most garden plants. Learn everything you need to know about cicadas:  HGIC website: Cicadas UMD Entomology Dept: Cicada Crew UMD Cicada Crew: How to Net a Small Tree to Exclude Cicadas

Attract wildlife to your garden Wildlife needs food, shelter, and water in all 4 seasons. Learn ways to provide these basics and how to beautify your landscape for your enjoyment too. Plant native plants and remove invasives Replace some of your lawn with lawn alternatives Provide food for bees and attract other pollinators as well Create a pollinator garden, build a bat house, or install a pond Reduce pesticide use Find out how you can make your land appealing to wildlife: Attracting Wildlife to Your Garden

Updated vegetable planting calendar Wondering when to plant collards, tomatoes, okra, and other crops? We've got it covered in the newly revised Vegetable Planting Calendar. View calendar

HGIC WEBSITE REDESIGN

The HGIC website has undergone a beautiful transformation over the winter! We are happy to announce that the new version of our site is now live. The entire UMD Extension site has received a facelift. For the HGIC, this means: Bigger images Responsive design that looks great on mobile or desktop Improved search function Revised content and organization Please bear with us as we continue to sort out minor bugs and broken links here and there. Visit the new HGIC website

MARYLAND GROWS BLOG HIGHLIGHT

Building a raised bed Contributor Ashley Bodkins shares her step-by-step process of building a simple and effective raised bed. Learn how to build this raised bed

AVAILABLE WEBINARS AND EVENTS

Doug Tallamy "Nature's Best Hope" webinar recording Learn the immediate actions YOU can take on your property to protect the earth's biodiversity. We are ALL "Nature's Best Hope!" Watch now

Maryland Day online The University of Maryland invites the community to enjoy a day of learning, fun, and discovery — online! Join us as Maryland Day streams from College Park to wherever you are.  Explore our world of Fearless Ideas. Information

Upcoming Webinars Creating a Bird-Friendly Yard (Woodland Wildlife Wednesday webinar series) - Free April 21 - Online Birds are some of our closest neighbors. They share our spaces, getting on with the business of life all around us. Their songs are part of the soundtrack of our world and watching them can bring us delight. During this program, we’ll take a peek into the lives of backyard birds and learn about things we can do to invite them into our yards and help them thrive. Presenter: Samantha Pitts, Volunteer Coordinator/Teacher Naturalist, Pickering Creek Audubon Center Click here for more information and to register Choosing Apples and Pears: What Home Gardeners Need to Know - Free April 20 - Online Have you ever noticed the wide range of apple and pear tree varieties in seed catalogs or a local greenhouse/nursery? If so, you might have been overwhelmed with the options! This course will walk you through important terms, provide tips on choosing trees, and help you plan for a successful harvest. Click here for more information and to register

ASK EXTENSION

Q: What is happening to my mountain laurel? This year they all have this disease on the leaves. They are mature shrubs in an area that gets more shade than sun. What can we do about this? A: Find the answer on Ask Extension

UPCOMING EVENTS  University of Maryland Extension College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Find Master Gardener classes and activities in your county/city GARDEN TIPS & TASKS April May June ----------------- SPANISH LANGUAGE BLOG Extensión en Español Blogs de Extensión de la Universidad de Maryland

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The University of Maryland Extension programs are open to any person and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, political affiliation, and gender identity or expression.  ©2021 University of Maryland College of Agriculture & Natural Resources