If you are new to gardening in Takoma Park... October, 2006

Welcome to Takoma Park.    

If you have recently moved into a house within the City limits (if Taloma Park Public Works picks up your trash, you are living within the City limits; otherwise, your trash is picked up by Montgomery County), here is some good ole' Takoma Park information to help you along, particularly as it applies to the OUTSIDE of your house.

There is a great deal of help for you in Takoma if you are thinking about Fall Leaf Pick-ups, or mulch for your parched garden, or tree evaluation, or borrowing rakes, loppers, saws, shovels, etc. etc.

But first:

Homegrown publications

· Takoma Voice--You're reading it! Find past gardening articles and a whole lot more online at www.takoma.com.

· City Newsletter--should come to your mailbox once a month. Find out more online at www.takomaparkmd.gov or call 301/891-7101, ext. 5678.

City services and
permitting office

The Takoma Park Department of Public Works is located at 31 Oswego Avenue (off Ritchie Ave. which is off Maple Ave). For more information, call 301/891-7633. This department takes care of the following:

· Leaf Collection.   

There is free leaf collection courtesy of DPW. The City   mails a flyer with the schedule to each household in October.

· Green trash (yard waste other than leaves) from curb.

In your trash cans or in large paper bags (NOT in plastic). Pick-ups early on Mondays.

· Takoma Park Leaf Mulch ("Takoma Park's Black Gold").

Leaf Collection leaves and yard waste are ground, then composted at the DPW building.   The composted mulch is available free ANYTIME if you wish to pick it up, or it can be delivered (in the spring and early summer) for a (very) nominal fee. As of this writing, there is a mountain still available for pick-up.   Drive to 31Oswego Ave.   Take heavy trash bags or buckets!

· City Tool Library, 6 Ritchie Avenue (off Maple Ave.), 301/585-7181.

Hours:   Sat. 9 AM to 5 PM, Sun. 10 AM   to 6 PM. If you wait until the last minute to borrow a leaf rake, you may be out of luck.

· The beautiful park and gardens you see around town are groomed by City Gardener, Mike Welsh.   

There are 42+ parks (some large, some very small) in town. If you are getting rid of overgrown shrubs, or an over-abundance of daylilies or other perennials, consider donating them to the City. (No ivy, bamboo or other invasives, please.) Digging them out is on you, but pick-up can be arranged if the plants are compatible with our parks.   Leave a message for Mike at 301-891-7633.

· Tree trimming, tree removal and any work around the base of trees:   

Takoma Park has a stringent Tree Law designed to protect our urban forest.   Residents or builders wishing to remove or significantly trim a tree greater than 7 and 5/8" in diameter must apply for a permit.    A permit is also required for any work around the critical root zone of such a tree. If the tree is dead, dying or hazardous, an application is still required.   After the application is received, the City Arborist inspects the tree.   The property may be posted for a 15-day comment period prior to final decision If a permit for removal is granted, the resident must replant or contribute to the City's Tree Fund.

· City Arborist,   301/891-7612.  

The Arborist is Todd Bolten.

Other gardening help

· Takoma Horticultural Club (lovingly known as Takoma Hort): takomahort.org or 301/270-5481.

· Contact one of the garden design/yard help advertisers in the Takoma Voice. Leaf through the Voice to see the display ads or check out the Hometown Resources near the back of each issue (or online— just click).

Alternatives to
Home Depot and Lowes

· Piney Branch Hardware.   301/589-4777.   8703 Flower Avenue (Piney Branch and Flower).

An old-fashioned hardware store, where you can expect to find nearly everything you were looking for and more.    Ted Stafford has owned and operated the store for over 30 years.

· Strosniders Hardware.   301-565-9150.   815 Wayne Avenue, Silver Spring (behind Whole Foods).

Sister to the store on Arlington Road in Bethesda.

Pat Howell is a Takoma Park gardener and landscape designer/contractor.   She is available for hand-holding and answering questions through Deephaven Landscapers.

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