I finally procured a copy of the "Request for Exemption from Adult Mosquito Control Services" form. It's rather anti-climactic in that there is no essay question asking you to explain why you don't want your area sprayed. (Okay, maybe I'm the only one who would actually want to write that essay.) You simply fill out your name, address, and phone numbers, add your signature, and then mail it to the Department of Agriculture.
The form is supposed to include a page that explains what the Maryland Department of Agriculture's policy is toward people like me who don't want our yards sprayed with adulticides. Of course, this page is missing. According to the Department's website, however, "an individual may have his/her owned or leased property excluded from nuisance mosquito control. This exclusion will include a buffer of approximately 300 feet around the property."
As for getting my neighbors involved, I haven't taken that step yet. But the website does say that "if the number of individual objectors and/or the location of the excluded property precludes an effective mosquito control adulticide service for a community, the service will be suspended." In other words, if I convinced enough people to object, our entire neighborhood would be excluded from spraying.
By myself, I cannot cover the entire development, which contains approximately 3700 homes. So I have decided that my next step will be to contact my homeowner's association board of directors and ask them to address it. I hope to find someone on the board who agrees with my point of view. Again, I'll update my blog with what happens next.
As for the cats in the garden, I've found that if I refresh the orange peels once a week or so, the felines stay away. Now if only citrus worked to repel the slugs and snails who are eating my purple dragon. But I have some tricks up my sleeve for them as well.
Thanks again for reading!
Jenny
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5 comments:
You should check out the NPR radio show "You Bet Your Garden" produced by WHYY in Philly. The host was the editor of Organic Gardening Magazine for a long time, and he only preaches natural solutions. http://www.whyy.org/91FM/ybyg/
Jenny, I wonder if the big bad HOA would consider bat houses to space out along the edges of the nature preserves. I know a way they could save a shitload of wasted money - I'll tell you about it next time I see you!
I was wondering if bat houses would work around here. I keep seeing them in the Real Goods catalog and wondering. Besides, there's a wetlands feeder right in our backyard, so if there are bats in the area, mebbe we could put one up ourselves!
You know we are having some issues with slugs here. They like to enter our house through the fireplace at night and leave shiny little trails around the hearth.
Mary
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