Chapters in Maryland

Visit us at the Lexington Manor Passive Park Cherry Blossom Festival this Saturday, March 29, from 12-4 pm. And join us at 2:30 in the Lexington Manor Passive Park Community Gardens for our last winter sowing workshop of the season.

Now is the perfect time to sow vegetable seeds and native seeds that do not need the chill of winter to break dormancy. We will have a selection of native seeds to choose from.

Winter sowing is the process of planting seeds outdoors in a container during the winter months. The container remains outdoors until the seedlings emerge in the spring. The container protects the seeds from animals and harsh weather, but the exposure to colder temperatures breaks dormancy and the seeds germinate. The container also provides an ideal environment for germination in the spring.

The best time to winter sow perennials and hardy annuals is generally December to March depending on the weather conditions in your area. These seeds require a consistent period of moist, cold temperatures before germination occurs in spring. Tender plants including annuals and vegetables can be sown later in spring (March or April) as they do not require a cold period in order to germinate.

Containerized seedlings stay more compact and do not need to be hardened off before planting in the garden. Winter sowing is ideal for those with limited indoor space for seed starting. No special lighting or equipment is required for germination.

Heather Evans of Design Your Wild will talk about how to use trees and shrubs to add structure to a native yard – creating privacy, dividing rooms, adding winter interest, blurring edges, and creating cooling shade. Trees and shrubs also generally support many times the number of native insects as wildflowers.

Wild Ones Greater Frederick Maryland is pleased to support and participate in the City Nature Challenge this year!

Join the Kickoff on April 2 and learn how you can participate either on your own or as a group. 

Sam Droege, USGS Bee Lab lead biologist, shares his expertise on native bees and community science as the county prepares for Frederick’s first-ever City Nature Challenge!

Join Team Frederick for refreshments and learn how you can support conservation efforts by putting our local biodiversity on the map.

Parking is available on the street and in the Whitesell Pharmacy and CareNet lot - see map for available spaces: https://www.hacfrederick.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/BBCC-PARKING-MAP-9.7.23.pdf

This event is sponsored by Mobilize Frederick. 

Wild Ones Greater Baltimore will have an educational table with volunteers to answer questions at this event.

Plant vendors will be offering a large variety of native flowers, trees, grasses, shrubs, vines, and ferns, all suitable for early season planting.

This Festival was created by the citizens of the Mid-Atlantic region to celebrate our charismatic Ospreys, to educate the public, agencies, and owners of structures to foster an attitude of co-existence and conservation awareness throughout the Chesapeake Bay and its estuaries.

Cost to attend: $20 - Family, $10 - Individual 

Proceeds from the Festival go to non-profit organizations who have a vested interest in protecting and conserving Ospreys, Bald Eagles, other wildlife, and natural areas.

 https://marylandospreyfestival.org/2024-maryland-osprey-festival-event-schedule/