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Are you looking for something to do now that the holiday season is over? Like most people this time of year, you may yearn to be outside but it's too cold to stay there long. You should think about putting up a bird feeder. An overlooked gift card to a garden center or big box home improvement store can be beneficial to you, giving you a project, and helpful to some wildlife when they need it most.
By adding a feeder to your yard you can make their lives easier. As plants die back or go dormant, coupled with a snow cover, a bird’s food source is diminished. If you provide a feeder and seed during the winter time, you sustain our feathered friends which gives you a productive task during the bleak months of winter. A bonus would be to take up bird watching as a hobby too. You find anywhere from twenty-five to thirty-five different birds.
With that many kinds of birds, comes different feeding habits and food needs. It might be good to put up different styles of feeders to be most helpful:
- Hopper feeders: It looks like a house with Plexiglas sides on top of a platform where the seed is dispensed as birds eat it. The Plexiglas makes it easy to tell when more seed needs to be added. The seed is protected against the weather but not so well against squirrels.
- Tube feeders: Hollow Plexiglas cylinders with multiple feeding ports and perches. These hanging feeders attract species that typically feed off the ground. You can attach a tray to the bottom to catch scattered seeds and to allow larger species to feed.
- Tray or platform feeders: Simple flat, raised surfaces on which you spread seed. Easy to make, they are one of the most popular feeders. Birds that typically feed on the ground are particularly attracted to this type of feeder. A disadvantage of platform feeders is that they are not squirrel-proof or weather resistant. They should have drainage holes for water and need to be cleaned often to remove bird droppings. Only one day’s worth of food should be put out at a time.
Taking care of our feathered friends is an enjoyable way to mark the time as winter progresses. Winter feeding isn’t just for the birds. For more information on this please contact the Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County and request a free copy of “Winter Bird Feeding”. If you are interested in becoming a master gardener, we are having a new training class beginning February 24. We can be reached at 570-963-6842 or email: LackawannaMG@psu.edu.
Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
It is a well-used trend to start any new year with resolutions: things we want to do, should do, and even some we even some bad habits to break. It is all for the sake of improvement. For the home landscape, we can make and carry out resolutions to make our yards and gardens better.
For 2014, here are ten resolutions for you to consider integrating into the garden hobby:
- Test your soil: Your growing success or failure depends on the quality of your soil. If you take a soil test you will know what nutrients are lacking and the soil pH. You can easily correct any deficiencies. Your garden will thank you. Penn State Extension has soil test kits for purchase in our offices.
- Compost: This is nature’s recycling program. Take your grass clippings, fallen leaves, and spent healthy plant material, and turn it into a free amendment that your soil will thank you by increased yields. Finished compost has natural inoculants that benefit the landscape. In addition, you save time by not bagging your yard waste, and it does not take up valuable landfill space.
- Use less chemicals: Before reaching for a spray or powder, know what the problem is. Sometimes a small sign of a disease can be tolerated without the use of chemicals. Remember too, just because a product is labeled organic, it does not mean it is harmless. A pesticide, regardless of its origin, is still dangerous. Pyrethins, a common and popular insecticide, will kill bad bugs, but also good ones like honey bees. Please read the label!
- Plant natives: Choose a perennial well suited for this area. These plants are tolerant of our weather changes, soil conditions, and pests. They tend not to be invasive so they will live in reasonable balance with the other parts of your landscape. There are trees, shrubs, perennials, ferns, and flowers from which you can choose at your local garden center. The Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County have lists of natives we can send to you.
- Plant for pollinators: Bees and butterflies depend on your garden for sustenance. For them, it can be feast or famine. A lot of native plants are great for the pollinators too. Besides the plants, pollinators need a source of water and shelter. Visit http://ento.psu.edu/pollinators for a wide variety of information.
- Learn to identify insects: You see all sorts of bugs around your garden. Can you tell the difference between a nuisance and a beneficial insect? Some may be doing damage while other bugs are keeping the bad ones in check. Make sure, if you are going to use a pesticide, what the insect is, if it is damaging anything or if it is a beneficial bug helping you.
- Plant extra to give away: Plan ahead to grow some extra vegetables for a food pantry. There always seems to be an abundance of fresh food and hungry people. Think about finding and helping someone in need. Giving something from your garden, or dividing a perennial is a great way to make friends with someone new in your neighborhood.
- Plant some flowers in your garden for cutting: You can have fresh flowers on your table just about every day during the summer. Give them as a gift to brighten someone’s day. You will be amazed how much of a boost you will get from a beautiful bouquet you grew yourself.
- Cut your grass a little higher: Most homeowners mow their turf too short. Generally, two and half to three inches is the optimum height for a lawn. This benefits the roots by keeping them cool and crowds out the weeds. You mow less often so you win too. Remember to let the clippings lay. They will break down easily and are great source of nitrogen for the soil. If not, you should compost them instead of sending them to the landfill.
- Learn something new: Whether you educate yourself on a new plant variety, an emerging gardening trend, or a technique, there are vast arrays of resources of reliable information. The Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County have plenty of learning opportunities coming up.
The Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County have free publications on most of the above topics. If you would like to know more about any of them, please contact us at 570-963-6842 or email: LackawannaMG@psu.edu. Happy New Year!
Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
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