MCMG Bay-Wise Program

The University of Maryland Extension (UME) Bay-Wise Program is now in Montgomery County! Our Montgomery County Master Gardeners have taken 12 hours of advanced training in Bay-Wise Landscape Management. We perform site visits to certify county landscapes as Bay-Wise, & provide recommendations for a more sustainable landscape.

Most Maryland residents live within a half-mile of a storm drain, stream, or river.  Most of these waterways eventually drain into the Chesapeake Bay.  What we do to maintain our own landscapes can affect the health of our local waterways (drainage ditches,     raingarden – MoCo Rainscapes program, streams, rivers), the Chesapeake Bay and our environment.  By changing a few simple landscape practices, you and your family can keep Maryland communities healthy. 

Bay-Wise will help you learn to: 

• Fertilize wisely and only when needed

• Control stormwater runoff butterfly garden – Bay-Wise

• Water efficiently

• Mulch appropriately

• Compost indoors or outdoors

• Recycle yard waste

• Manage pests with Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices

• Select appropriate plants, with emphasis on native plants

• Encourage wildlife

• Protect the waterfront