NWS Watches/Warnings/Advisories for MA
NWS Watches/Warnings/Advisories for MAINE
Latest Gardening Video
For close to a decade, Dave has produced and published a regular video blog of topics relevant to diy home gardeners. The entire, searchable GrowingWisdom library of gardening videos are available right here on this website or by visiting our YouTube Channel. Below is Dave’s latest video.
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Weekend weather: What you need to know for every activity you have planned
This post was originally published on this siteThe first full weekend of autumn will bring a change to the air, with much cooler temperatures and crisp, fall mornings.
Friday will mark the last day it’s going to feel like summer for a while. Of course, we’re into the final week of September, which doesn’t typically mean beach weather. However, Friday’s highs will reach the lower 80s, so you could make a trip to the shores if you want to start the weekend early.
There might be a few showers Friday evening and overnight, but they won’t be widespread, and some areas may stay entirely dry. A cold front will push the warm air out to sea, and it will feel quite chilly Saturday morning.
If you’re going hiking, biking, or running…
This is the time of year when all of these activities can be done almost anytime during the day. Temperatures typically aren’t very warm, and this weekend will feature lots of sunshine and afternoon highs in the middle 60s. Sunday will be the cooler of the two weekend days by a couple of degrees.
Saturday’s highs will reach the low- to mid-60s across much of New England. —Dave EpsteinIf you’re going beaching and boating…
Heading out to relax by the water is still possible this time of year—it’s just become a bit cool for swimming. Winds will be out of the north-northwest this weekend and generally under the 10 knot range. Seas will be 2-4 feet throughout the weekend, making for a nice boating day either Saturday or Sunday. High tide this weekend is between about 6:30 and 7:30 twice each day.
If you’re playing soccer, softball, baseball, or golf…
Saturday’s forecast: Fields could be wet the first hour or two from overnight showers. I expect the dry air to quickly evaporate any moisture, leaving few—if any—puddles and dry, brittle grass where rainfall has been especially lacking. Temperatures will be in the 50s through about 11 a.m. and then warm into the low- to mid-60s.
Sunday’s outlook: On Sunday, any moisture on playing fields will be from dew, and this will rapidly dry after sunrise. It will be in the 40s outside of the city until about 9 a.m., then in the 50s through noon before temperatures reach their maximum of the low- to mid-60s around 3 p.m.
Sunday’s highs will feature some of the coolest air so far this fall. —Dave EpsteinIf you’re gardening…
There’s no significant rain in sight. You can certainly plant and move things this time of year, but if you do, it’s critical that you’re watering before, during, and after you plant. The ground should be evenly moist to the depth you are planting to ensure the success of the tree, shrub, or perennial.
If you’re running errands…
Get errands done early to take advantage of the sunshine on either day, or do them in the later part of the day to avoid the biggest crowds.
If you’re going to a local farm to nab pumpkins, apples, and doughnuts…
This is going to be an ideal weekend for those traditional New England fall activities. Head to your favorite farm early to steer clear of the crowds during the middle of the day. And don’t forget the sunscreen: Even though it’s chillier this time of year, you can still get a sunburn.
I will be updating the forecast on Twitter @growingwisdom throughout the weekend.
How to help bees and give back to your community at the same time
Several years ago I watched The Bee Movie, (DreamWorks) an animated full length feature staring the voices of Jerry Seinfeld, Renée Zellweger and Mathew Broderick to name a few of the stars. I love the movie and the humor is fantastic, but the main point of the movie is to illustrate the importance of bees and how humans should care of these critical insects.
The Bee Movie (DreamWorks) has an important message about bees and their connection to the entire food chain
My passion for plants and their pollinators is powerful and extends back over 40 years. As an elementary school student I began learning about the inner connections of the natural world and how the survival of the planet depends on the success of the individual pieces.
To help the bees, I am teaming up with the Bee Sanctuary, a non-profit program in collaboration with The Best Bees Company’s beekeeping services. In short summary, this is a sponsor-a-beehive program, where select corporations, family foundations, groups of individuals or individuals themselves may sponsor honey beehives. The donation will allow full beekeeping management services throughout community gardens, schools, libraries, non-profits, farms, and low-income communities. This brings more pollinators to each area and with them more fruits, vegetables, and honey. Bees are dying nationwide and this is a way to get more bees out there.
I now have been on my own property.
We live in a time of the world when it can be easy to feel overwhelmed and frankly nearly impossible to make a difference. Further, so many organizations can use your time, talent or treasure it’s hard to know who to help.
Philanthropy in itself isn’t something easily taught. I donate my time to a couple of different organization and my treasure, what I can, to others. Donating time or money or even your expertise is very personal. Why each of us gives away something we have worked hard to achieve is unique to the each of us.
The feeling that I can make a positive chance in the world is intoxicating. The very fact I am writing this blog, hoping someone will read it, get excited about the prospect of helping bring bees to an area, which otherwise could afford to raise them, is exhilarating.
In The Bee Movie, the flowers are all dying because the bees have decided to stop pollinating. In the real world, bees are in danger of not doing their job not because they don’t want to, but because other factors, including what we humans are doing to our environment are harming this vital link to life as we know it.
Bees don’t want to stop working, but we can harm their environment so they won’t be able to do their work. (Image Credit:DreamWorks)
The Bee Sanctuary 501(c)3 nonprofit program is a tool to help reverse the trend of bee loses. It’s also a great way to give something back to those communities which don’t have the resources to do these things themselves. It’s not overstating it to say donating the bees is a gift not only to the neighborhood it will benefit but more importantly to the planet we live as well. Click here to learn more about the program.
Bees can be raised in almost any urban environment
