Howdy, outdoorsy friends! We’re in the clear from poor air quality and we’re promised more pleasant conditions, so let’s lace up and go explore.
In this edition:
Autumn is ahead: How to create a perfect fall garden in the middle of summer.
A different type of compost: Why some people want their body to become soil in the afterlife.
Pretty planters: Get an expert’s top tips to amp up your containers.
☀️ Your weekend weather outlook: A welcomed reprieve from the heat, thanks to Thursday’s storms.
— Paola Pérez (outdoorsy@inquirer.com)
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We’re in the thick of summer, making it the ideal time to dig in and prep your garden for the next season.
Whether it’s your first or tenth time trying your hand at a fall garden, we’re all rooting for your garden’s success. To help, we pulled expert horticulturist Kira Silvestri for a guide to tackle your prepping.
Where to begin: Indoors or outdoors is fine — just consider basics like sunlight and water. You can also start with seedlings from your local nursery.
Think visual appeal and pest control: Design your garden by thinking in terms of “filler, spiller, and thriller.” Consider plants like cilantro, which help keep pests away.
Fall favorites to plant: Try the Saku Saku Cabbage, Depurple Hybrid Cauliflower, and Moulin Rouge Pansies.
Use this guide to kickstart your fall garden now, including a list of 17 varieties to plant.
News worth knowing
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society is giving away five large plants from its South Street popup garden. Here’s how you can join the raffle.
Hundreds of fish were found dead last week in Tacony Creek off Roosevelt Boulevard. A nonprofit group believes illegal chemical dumping is to blame.
Before you head down the Shore for a beach day, you should be aware of your town’s umbrella and tent rules. Some spots ban them outright.
Looking for a Philly pool’s schedule? In lieu of online details, your best bet is to stop by the pool in person.
Friends of the Wissahickon are celebrating 10 years of the All-Trails Challenge. A “warm-up” info session will be held Aug. 12 ahead of the September kickoff. Learn more about it here.
As global temperatures rise under climate change, scientists are trying to better understand the effects on managed and wild bees.
🎤 Now I’m passing the microphone to politics reporter Aliya Schneider. This week, she reported on human composting, an emerging alternative to cremation or burial that is viewed as more environmentally friendly. New Jersey is on its way to legalize it, and Pennsylvania could follow in its footsteps.
Paul Meshejian, a 76-year-old retired actor who lives in Chestnut Hill, said he never liked the idea of his body being embalmed and taking up land in an expensive box. The remaining spots in his family’s plot and cemetery have already been claimed anyway.
Cremation, he said, is “a waste of energy and throws a lot of pollution into the atmosphere.”
So when he heard about human composting, he was all in.
Meshejian has arranged for his body to be composted by the West Coast-based Earth Funeral, one of a handful of companies that legally compost bodies, with an average price tag of $5,000. — Aliya Schneider
With a few simple tricks, your humble containers can be elevated into a gorgeous garden.
Among one expert’s ideas to showcase your plants:
🪴 Pick the right pots
🪴 Skip the symmetry
🪴 Give your indoor plants a field trip
A calming view
My colleague Torin Sweeney took this at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge in Southwest Philly.
Do you recognize the bird? Send me an email with your best guess.
👋🏽 Discover any cool trails lately? What are you getting up to outside these days? I’d love to hear about your adventures. Until next time!
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