The photos below show results of the work done from July through October 2011. Several Raintree homeowners and board members, along with oustide volunteers, prepared and planted six plots to help absorb and redirect stormwater runoff in the common area between the soundwall and our houses.

Native trees (Silky Dogwood), shrubs (Chokeberrys), perennials (including Scarlet Bee Balm, Blazing Star, Butterfly Weed, Gray Goldenrod) and grasses (mostly Little Bluestem) have established deep roots and provided flowering habitats for butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. As the plants go through their growth cycle, seeds will attract other birds and berries will attract birds and wildlife.

As the photos show, most of the plants are two to three feet tall (some almost six feet tall). The plots have been very effective in “sponging” up excess stormwater runoff. Maureen Goodfellow has been keeping most of the weeds out of the plots but it is an ongoing project. Before winter sets in, sometime this fall, volunteers are needed to weed and mulch all the plots. Volunteers are also needed to weed and remove briars from the Chokeberrys and Red Eastern Cedar trees planted parallel to the soundwall by the auxiliary parking lot.

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2:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Plot A (upper parking lot area) work is completed. During recent rains, runoff was captured in Plot A thus reducing some of the runoff onto the slope between the upper parking area and our townhouses on Carrousel Court.

Plot B (small plot along driveway) will be completed during the week of October 24^th. Work on the 30^th will include Plots C, D and E:

• Filling the large sink hole and smaller sinkholes
• Planting remaining Black Chokeberry shrubs (12-14 plants)
• Planting remaining grasses and herbaceous (15-20 plants)
• Other work as time and volunteers permit
  

  Volunteers and RHOA volunteer Maureen Goodfellow (second from right) completed soil preparation of Plot A on Sunday, October 2, 2011.

Tentative Reschedule Date:
Sunday afternoon, September 25th (2-6 PM)

(More Stormwater “Garden” Plot Work)

Recent and ongoing rain throughout the week (4-10 Sept) has forced a rescheduling of plot work. It will be far too muddy and wet to accomplish the work outlined below. We need to get Plot A (by upper parking lot) prepared for planting later this fall.

We hope to have additional volunteers on the 25th and as many Raintree volunteers as possible. We will plan on working from 2-6 PM, Sunday afternoon. Come for a half hour, an hour or more. Meet at the upper parking lot. Bring gloves and sun protection. Water, Gatorade and snacks will be available.

Raintree volunteers and equipment (especially shovels and wheelbarrows) are needed.

Work will include:

• Remove turf and weeds
• Wheelbarrow removed material to eroded access road along soundwall
• Screen for rocks and debris
• Till plot
• Mulch plot

Additional volunteer workdays for our stormwater runoff and erosion projects are:

Sunday, October 2nd, 2-6 PM
Sunday, October 16th, 2-6 PM

Possible short notice weekday work opportunity … will need 1-2 or more Raintree volunteers.

Starting 9 AM, Friday, September 9th, a volunteer work group (from DC Cares Organization) will assist us in preparing the plot by the upper parking lot. We will work until 12:30 or 1 PM. Meet at the upper parking lot. Bring gloves and sun protection. Water and Gatorade will be provided.

Raintree volunteers and equipment (especially shovels and wheelbarrows) are needed.

Work will include:

• Remove turf and weeds
• Wheelbarrow removed material to eroded access road along soundwall
• Screen for rocks and debris
• Till plot
• Mulch plot

If time is available, we will address as many sinkholes as possible. Volunteers will need to remove any trash and all plant material from each hole, then place 4-6 inches of fill dirt and tamp down (have two heavy 4 x 4’s available) and continue process until hole is filled.

This was Saturday, July 23, 2011 - staking plot at southwest corner of upper parking lot

Eight Raintree volunteers made the extra effort to get up early Saturday (August 13^th) morning to complete the first of three steps to control the erosion on the southeast slope of our property.  The photos below show the steps taken to complete this portion:  staking the area, laying the Terra Tubes, staking the tubes; caution taping the area.  It took about 2 ½ hours to get this done.

Terra Tube Installation for Erosion Control.  Terra Tubes are a cost effective, storm water treatment product designed to trap, filter and treat sediment-laden runoff while reducing the force of run-off during heavy rains.  Our slope has eroded as much as a foot recently.  Terra Tubes are composites of wood fibers, crimped man-made fibers and performance enhancing polymers encased in a heavy duty, knitted cylindrical tube.  Our volunteers staked 195 feet of the tubes.

The next step, later in the fall when it is cooler, is to plant native plants along the upper ridges (“above” the Terra Tubes).  Doing this will further stabilize the slope and “hide” the tubes.  It may not look very nice now, but lower Wheatwheel residents will appreciate the reduced flooding.  Read more at:  http://raintreehoa.info/hoa

Pet owners:  Please do not let your pets inside the taped areas.  The areas need to be left undisturbed.

Sinkhole Caution:  Anyone walking on the slope between the parking lot and our townhouses should take care.  Several more sinkholes have been staked and caution taped.  Others will also be marked as they are found.  Let the board know when you find a new one, at:  http://raintreehoa.info/hoa

Most of the volunteers also finished mulching the stormwater runoff plots.  Work on the plot at the corner of the upper parking lot has been delayed.  The soil is too compacted and will have to be tilled.  Look for updates at:  http://raintreehoa.info/hoa

Three homeowners and three Raintree board members made the extra effort to get up early Saturday (August 6^th) morning to complete the second of four steps to establish our plots.  The photos below show the steps taken to complete this portion:  placing a layer of 10 sheets of newspaper over the plot, watering down the paper, and spreading three inches of leaf mulch.  This will allow the sun to heat the plots and slowly kill the weeds, grasses and seeds.

If we had more used newspapers, we could have completely covered and mulched all the plots except the plot by the upper parking lot.  The smallest of the plots next to the driveway was treated with RoundUp and will be treated again in two weeks before covering with black plastic.  Saturday’s work took about three hours.

The upper parking lot plot was sprayed with RoundUp.  [Note:  RoundUp is not harmful to pets or animals once it has dried … 10 minutes after spraying.]  This plot is so hard; it will have to be roto-tilled before mulch is applied.  With much effort, we could only dig to about 2 inches.

When it is cooler (mid-September or later), these plots will be planted with plugs and potted plants.  These plants will have root systems that extend well beyond or turf which extends 2-3” deep.  They will anchor the soil and slow the stormwater run-off.

Pet owners:  Please do not let your pets inside the taped plots.  The plots need to be left undisturbed.

Sinkhole Caution:  Anyone walking on the slope between the parking lot and our townhouses, take care.  Two sinkholes have been staked and caution taped; others will also be marked.

Need:  >  Lots of used newspaper
Need:  >  At least 2 volunteers to provide water source to wet down paper (Carrousel Court and Towerbell Court – facing auxiliary parking)
Need:  >  Any number of volunteers to apply the mulch (extra shovels and  wheelbarrows greatly needed)

The first phase of this project was completed two weekends ago.  The next step will take place early (anytime after 7 AM) Saturday, August 6^th.  A member of the Audubon Society has graciously donated used newspapers.  Anyone who has extra old newspapers is asked to bring them up to the auxiliary parking lot early Saturday morning.  The mulch will be delivered Thursday, August 4^th.

This Saturday’s step is to place a layer of 10 sheets of newspaper over the outlined areas and cover with three inches of leaf mulch-compost.  Wetting the newspaper aids in keeping down and ensures a more successful solarization.  The combination of newspaper and mulch will allow the sun to heat up the plots and slowly kill the weeds, grasses and seeds.  If you are interested in helping, contact Richard Sun (richard.sun82@gmail.com) or Maureen Goodfellow (mmmteg@aol.com) (703-560-1127).

When it is cooler (mid-September or later), these plots will be planted with plugs and potted plants.  Our volunteers will plant right through the mulch and newspaper (which eventually decomposes) and combine soil and organic matter in the holes, plant-by-plant.  The planting holes will be generous to enable young plants to root without problem.  We will choose mostly native plants that are hardy and meet recommendations.  These plants will have root systems that extend well beyond or turf which extends 2-3” deep.  They will anchor the soil and slow the stormwater run-off.

If you are interested in what might be planted in the area between the VDOT soundwall and our townhouses, you have three opportunities to come see what the options are.  You may also bring any idea that you think could work or that you particularly like.

When:

• Friday, July 29^th, 2-3 PM    and/or
• Saturday, July 30^th, 2-3 PM    and/or
• Sunday, July 31^st, 2-3 PM

Where:

• 7902 Towerbell Court (Maureen Goodfellow, Landscaping Chair)

Maureen will have examples (photos) of plants approved by VDOT, Virginia Dominion, and recommended by Fairfax County Restoration Project and the Audubon Society.  She will also have examples (photos) of many of the recommended meadowland plants approved for our meadowland stormwater runoff plots.

Knock, ring the door bell and come on in on Friday afternoon, Saturday afternoon or Sunday afternoon … or all three afternoons.

Maureen Goodfellow:  mmmteg@aol.com

Three homeowners and two Raintree board members spent an hour Saturday morning to stake and tape plots for future stormwater control between the auxiliary parking area and townhouses.  The plots will undergo several steps before becoming beautiful “gardens.”  Ultimately these plots will be attractions for butterflies, birds and many pollinating insects.

Our next step is to place a layer of newspaper over the outlined areas and cover with three inches of leaf mulch-compost.  The combination of newspaper and mulch will allow the sun to heat up the plots and slowly kill the weeds, grasses and seeds.  If you are interested in helping, contact Richard Sun (richard.sun82@gmail.com) or Maureen Goodfellow (mmmteg@aol.com).

When it is cooler (mid-September or later), these plots will be planted with plugs and potted plants.  Our volunteers will plant right through the mulch and newspaper (which eventually decomposes) and combine soil and organic matter in the holes, plant-by-plant.  The planting holes will be generous to enable young plants to root without problem.  We will choose mostly native plants that are hardy and meet recommendations.  These plants will have root systems that extend well beyond or turf which extends 2-3” deep.  They will anchor the soil and slow the stormwater run-off.

Once the young plants are in the soil, they will need to be watered (usually daily if there is no rain) to keep the root systems alive.  We will need two volunteers to make their backyard water available.  Future information will be posted as well as explained during the monthly Board meeting.

For the smaller plots, some tried and true native species are:  Rudbeckia, coneflowers (Echinacea), bee balm (Monarda), a couple native grasses and shrubs to anchor then and provide cover for birds.  If you are interested in learning more about this project and other landscaping projects, contact Maureen Goodfellow (Landscaping Chair) (mmmteg@aol.com).

The three photos show our volunteers early on Saturday morning.  Anyone who may have a concern that dog walking areas are significantly reduced can see by photograph C, there is plenty of mowed area remaining.