Stonington – As part of its “Sound Friendly Gardening” program, CUSH, Clean Up Sound and Harbors, is bringing Charles “Chip” Osborne to Stonington to conduct a third round of workshops on May 14 on transitioning from chemical gardening products to natural lawn and turf management.
Admission is free. The workshop schedule is:
• 8 to 9 a.m., Town Hall: “Consultation on Specific Land Management Concerns,” a meeting with Stonington’s public works director, engineer and solid waste manager and officials from the school system to move plans forward to expand the composting effort and provide compost for feeding and dressing the public playing fields.
• 10 to 11:30 a.m., Groton Public Library: “From The Ground Up: Effective Steps to Organic Lawn Care.” Private residential and business property owners will learn the basics of what to do, when to do it, how to interpret soil tests, what products to use, and, if they use a landscaping company, how to instruct and monitor their contractors so the work is done properly.
• noon to 1:30 p.m., LaGrua Center, 32 Water St.: “Consultation on Specific Land Management Concerns.” This will provide an opportunity for playing field and public property managers to discuss alternative land management strategies. In an interactive format led by Osborne, questions, concerns, realities and expectations will be presented and discussed. One of the main objectives of this session will be to put to rest the fear of failure that is associated at times with chemical-free management. Open to towns of Westerly, Stonington, Groton and others by invitation. Lunch provided.
• 2 to 3:30 p.m., La Grua Center: “From The Ground Up: Effective Steps to Organic Lawn Care.”
• 7 to 8:30 p.m., Westerly Public Library: “From The Ground Up: Effective Steps to Organic Lawn Care.”
The workshops are made possible by grants from the United Water Co. and Mystic Garden Club. For information, call (860) 961-6424 or send an email to: osborneinfo@cushinc.org.
