Blue Recycling Bag Letters Hit Mailboxes Soon
Richardson’s annual Blue Bag recycling letters were mailed to residents today and are expected to arrive in mailboxes early next week. Each letter can be redeemed for two rolls of blue recycling bags, with 26 bags per roll. The letters are distributed each spring to encourage residents to take advantage of the City’s recycling services.
Free Leak Detection Kits Available Beginning Monday
The City of Richardson is participating in the Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense Fix a Leak Week March 16–22, an annual initiative that raises awareness about household water waste and encourages residents to check their homes for leaks.
Spring Monarch Migration Has Begun
The annual monarch butterfly migration from Mexico to the northern U.S. and Canada has begun, with sightings already reported in Texas. Luckily for fans of the beautiful orange and black pollinators, Richardson is in the pathway. The City has been a Mayor’s Monarch Pledge city since 2015 (a program of the National Wildlife Federation) and has established dedicated butterfly gardens in four parks—Berkner, Prairie Creek, Durham and Yale—and includes plants that attract and feed butterflies in park and landscape projects wherever feasible.
Annual Chlorine Maintenance on City’s Water System Begins Monday
The North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD), Richardson’s water supplier, will conduct its annual chlorine maintenance on its water transmission system and member cities’ distribution systems March 2-30.
Volunteers Needed for Richardson’s Trash Bash
If you are interested in organizing a community cleanup as part of the City’s annual Trash Bash (to be held Saturday, April 11), forms are now available online for sign-up. All trash collection items such as trash bags, gloves and...
Spring Pruning Tips from the Experts
Now (i.e. late winter/early spring) is a good time to prune many species of plants because new tissue forms rapidly, and, through pruning, the energy stored in the roots and stems can be directed toward forming new growth. To reduce the...
Global Bird Count is this Weekend
The 29th annual Great Backyard Bird Count, organized by the National Audubon Society, Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Birds Canada, takes place today (Friday, Feb. 13) through Monday, Feb. 16. Participants are asked to count all birds they see or hear in their backyard or anywhere they’d like for as little as 15 minutes (or as long as they wish) on one or more days of the event and report their sightings online at www.birdcount.org.
Free Shade Gardening Seminar Next Saturday
Dr. Kevin Dillard, certified arborist and Director of Landscape Management at Southern Methodist University, teaches you how to have a beautiful landscape in the shade, including how to analyze your site and choose the best plants for different types of light conditions, such as flowering plants, ground covers and grass. Sponsored by the City of Richardson.
Recycling 101: Aerosol Cans
If you’re a participant in Richardson’s recycling program, you may have wondered, “If steel and aluminum cans are acceptable, does that include aerosol cans?” The answer is no, aerosol cans are not acceptable material for Richardson’s curbside recycling program, because of fire danger they create if the can is full or partially full—a danger to staff as well as trucks and equipment.
Time to Prune Oak Trees and Other February To-Dos in the Garden
The Dallas County Master Gardener Association (DCMGA), part of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, states in its latest Garden Tasks list that oak trees need to be pruned before Feb. 15 to minimize the chance of oak wilt infestation. If you must prune them after Feb. 15 and before June 30, always “paint” the cut end with tree wound paint, being very careful not to paint over the collar of the cut.