We’re saying good-bye to 2021 and ringing in the new year. Like most of you, we’re looking back at the past 12 months and acknowledging our big moments. Thanks to support from this community, we’ve been able to host some great events, resume our educational classes and continue to grow as a resource for gardening, water conservation, mosquito control, recycling and more.
And we want to share some of 2021’s best resources. Below are the top 5 most read articles published on The Woodlands Township Environmental Services Department Blog this past year. Whether you missed it the first time around or it’s time for a refresher, these top-rated reads are worth a look.
1. A Better Way to Keep Mosquitoes at Bay
In addition to flavoring your favorite dishes, garlic is known for its many health benefits:
- Lower blood pressure and cholesterol
- Reduce risk of heart disease
- Improve memory
- Natural antibiotic
That’s not all this allium can do! You can use garlic to rid your backyard of mosquitoes. Find out how to put this superfood to use here.
2. Native Plant Spotlight: American Beautyberry
Each fall, nature puts on a beautiful show. As we slowly move into cooler temperatures, leaves begin to change colors and show-stopping berries appear on many native plants. These berries provide a critical source of food for birds and mammals preparing for winter.
For a gorgeous pop of color each fall, consider adding American Beautyberry to your landscape. Learn more about this magenta berry producing native, perennial shrub here.
3. 6 Ground Covers to Replace Turf Grass
Tired of looking at that bare area under trees, where grass just won’t grow? Fed up with fighting brown spots and disease in your lawn?
Are you ready for a yard that needs less maintenance so you can spend more time enjoying the outdoors?
Consider adding some of these native ground covers to your landscape this spring. We’ve pulled together our top 6 ground covers for you here.
4. Bad guys are stealing water from our forests, right before our eyes!
One of our most precious resources is in danger of being stolen! Just who, or what, is threatening to disrupt our ecosystem?
Learn how you can help protect our forest from the ‘bad guys’ here.
5. Can your freeze damaged plants recover?
Winter Storm Uri won’t soon be forgotten. Texans were hit hard with one of the most devasting winter storms in history and the costliest winter storm on record. One of the longest lasting effects was the impact on vegetation. To help those feeling overwhelmed by the losses in their landscape, we compiled a one-stop resource to address your freeze related gardening questions here.
That’s it! Our top 5 most viewed articles for 2021. Check back weekly for new articles and hot topics in 2022.
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