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Garden bird-watchers get tips from RSPB at the Forum

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The RSPB Wild Garden weekend at the Forum. Allana Townsend, 10, with some cuddly bird friends. Picture: Denise Bradley

By CHRIS HILL, Rural affairs correspondent
Sunday, January 27, 2013
9:30 PM

Nature lovers were encouraged to join the nation’s biggest wildlife survey this weekend – and to make their gardens more appealing to the birds they recorded there.

The RSPB Wild Garden weekend at the Forum. Sue Stephenson, RSPB volunteer, with examples of bird seed. Picture: Denise Bradley

The RSPB, in partnership with conservation groups including the Friends of the Earth, the Bat Group Norwich, and Master Gardeners, invited the public into the Forum in Norwich throughout the charity’s Big Garden Birdwatch weekend.

The survey asked the public to spend an hour counting the numbers of birds in their garden or local park, and report back to the RSPB to help build a better understanding of species’ habitats and population.

And to help boost the counts in future years, visitors to the Forum were taught about wildlife-friendly gardening, given a “pick and mix” choice of bird seeds, and offered the chance to build their own bird box.

Aggie Rothon, Big Garden Birdwatch project manager for the RSPB, said: “The survey is about getting as many people as possible across the East region sitting down and looking out of their window for an hour and counting the birds in their garden. “The most important thing is that they then submit the results to the RSPB so we get an idea of numbers and what we may be able to do to help them.

The RSPB Wild Garden weekend at the Forum. Adam Murray, RSPB social media officer, with a tray of fat balls for the birds. Picture: Denise Bradley

“Once people have done the big garden birdwatch this weekend, what we’re asking them to do is to take the rest of the year to improve things in their garden, so they can see the difference next year.”

David Cannon was one of the RSPB volunteers selling £3 bird boxes for blue tits and great tits, made from timber kits supplied by the prisoners at Wayland Prison near Watton.

He said: “It is critical that they face north-east, otherwise the birds won’t use them. But blue tits don’t care what they look like, as long as they keep the water out, so why would you pay £30 for one?”

Among the experts giving tips on how to make gardens more wildlife-friendly was Shirley Boyle, who tends the RSPB’s Flatford wildlife garden in East Bergholt, in Suffolk.

The RSPB Wild Garden weekend at the Forum. Spiderman, 5-year-old Frankie Welander, with one of the bird boxes that customers can build, helped by RSPB volunteer, Darren Clarke. Picture: Denise Bradley

She said: “One of the easiest things to do, although this is not always popular, is to be a little less tidy in your garden. It does not mean you have to let it all go mad, but leave a small corner of the garden for the grass to get a little longer, because it provides a good habitat for insects and invertebrates which provide food higher up the chain.

“People tend to take things down the dump straight away, but we say: ‘Why not use them creatively?’ If you have got tree prunings you can lay them down to make a ‘dead hedge’. Deadwood is a great source of food and habitat for a lot of creatures and it is a greener way of dealing with your waste rather than driving it to the dump or burning it.”

The event also included a gallery of wildlife photography, as well as nature-inspired face-painting and story-telling.

Anyone who took part in the Big Garden Birdwatch survey can record their results at www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch.


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    Vegetable gardening tips for success – messenger

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    Posted: Sunday, January 27, 2013 12:00 am
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    Updated: 2:09 pm, Fri Jan 25, 2013.


    Vegetable gardening tips for success

    By Annette Meyer Heisdorffer Daviess County Extension Agent for Horticulture

    Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer

    |
    0 comments

    Growing vegetables in your own garden provides fresh produce outside your back door. This makes it easier to incorporate more servings of vegetables as part of a healthy diet. Important tips below address garden location and soil testing that may lead to a more productive season.     


    In planning the vegetable garden, select a site that receives direct sunlight for at least eight hours a day for best production. Avoid shading caused by trees and buildings. Vegetables grown in low light become leggy and do not produce very well. If partial shade is the only location available, you can grow lettuce.

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    Sunday, January 27, 2013 12:00 am.

    Updated: 2:09 pm.

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    Birdwatching tips for the Big Garden Birdwatch

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    25 January 2013
    Last updated at 13:53

    Blue titsBlue tits

    Wildlife lovers across the UK are being asked to count birds this weekend for the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch.

    The bird charity wants people to spend one hour in their garden, or local park, and record the highest number of each bird spotted at the same time.

    Mistle thrushMistle thrush numbers are down, according to the RSPB

    Don’t count the total number of a species over the hour – to avoid including the same bird more than once.

    The results can be submitted to the RSPB’s Birdwatch website up until 15 February.

    How to take part

    For example, if the most you see during the hour is three blue tits in your garden at the same time, you’d record that number.

    And you’re only looking for birds that actually land in your garden, not ones that fly overhead.

    Check out the RSPB’s website for how to tell which birds are which

    The Big Garden Birdwatch is done every year to give a snapshot of how birds are doing in Britain.

    RobinA robin

    Birdwatching tips

    Birdwatching can be enjoyed any time of the year. You don’t need any special equipment – just your eyes and ears – but you can use binoculars or a telescope.

    It can also be done anywhere – nature reserves, country parks and forests are a few good bets.

    Here is some birdwatching advice from the RSPB:

    1. Put birds first – don’t get too close to birds and don’t disturb them or their habitats.

    2. Think about your behaviour – respond positively to people if they ask what you’re doing, as you may get them interested in birdwatching too!

    3. Respect the countryside – check the rules for where you’re going and respect the local residents and landowners. Don’t go onto private land without permission unless it is open for public access on foot.

    4. Record your sightings – you can submit what you see to the BirdTrack website, a project that keeps track of our birds.

    5. Rare birds – if you spot a rare bird, be careful about spreading the news too quickly. It could mean loads of visitors flocking to the spot, which might put the bird in danger. Try and tell the landowner or nature reserve warden about it.

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    Some helpful winter garden tips

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    Some helpful winter garden tips

    slideshow

    We don’t normally think about our landscapes and gardens very much during the winter months, but here are a few helpful plant tips that you may wish to consider on these cold season days:

    •Avoid heavy traffic and playing on dormant lawns now, as dry turf is easily broken and the crowns of turf plants may be severely damaged or killed. This damage may show up next spring and summer as thin or poorly growing turf areas.

    •Flower and vegetable garden seeds stored under warm, moist conditions deteriorate rapidly, and sometimes actually rot. Be sure to keep your seed stored in a cool, dry location, like a cellar or basement. If you can’t do this, it will be best to buy fresh seed each season. And speaking of ordering seed, now is a good time to check through your seed catalogs and place your orders before varieties sell out.

    •Save your plastic mesh bags in which oranges usually come because they make ideal storage bags for air-drying bulbs, herbs, onions and gourds. Check any bulbs, tubers or corms that you currently have in storage and discard any that are soft or diseased.

    •Examine the limb structure of your shade trees and remove any dead, diseased and/or storm-damaged branches now before they fall and cause damage to any plants or passers-by below.

    •While you are traveling about each day, keep an eye open for plants with interesting winter form or color that you may wish to incorporate into your own landscape.

    •If feeding birds is one of your favorite hobbies, order vines, shrubs and trees that provide cover and small fruits for your feathered friends. Consider planting species such as crabapple, hawthorn, dogwood, holly, cotoneaster and pyracantha that can help lure and feed hungry birds.

    •Clip and bring branches of forsythia, pussy willow, quince, spirea and dogwood indoors for forcing blooms inside the home. Make long, slanted cuts when collecting branches and place the stems in a vase of water as soon as possible. These plants should bloom in two to three weeks.

    •Water newly planted shrubs and trees in the landscape when the soil becomes dry if no rain occurs for more than two weeks. Pay particular attention to evergreen shrubs and trees as their leaves transpire water whenever air temperatures rise above 40 degrees.

    •Design a flower bed for the shady spots in your landscape. Plan to use shade-tolerant plants such as astilbe, begonia, bleeding hearts, browallia, coleus, ferns, helleborus, hosta and impatiens. Several good shade-tolerant groundcovers include: ajuga, hypericum, English ivy, liriope, mondo grass, pachysandra, vinca and winter creeper.

    •During cold snaps, invert large flowerpots over semi-hardy perennials such as dusty miller for protection from low temperatures and wind.

    •Reposition stepping stones in your lawn that have heaved up or sunk below the grass level. Carefully lift them up, spread sand in the low areas and then replace them. A bed of sand under stepping stones will aid in drainage and decrease sinking and heaving next year.

    •Turn or rototill your vegetable garden to expose weed seeds, nematodes and insects that are over-wintering in the soil to the elements. Exposing insects and weed seeds to cold air and drying winds will help reduce their numbers in your garden.

    •Take hardwood cuttings of forsythia, spirea, Japanese quince, mock-orange, Viburnum and other deciduous shrubs. Tie bundles of deciduous cuttings together, and bury in sand in a cold frame. Remove in early spring, and plant in a nursery bed.

    •Continue to turn your compost pile, adding leaves and yard debris.

    •Prepare beds for bare-root roses that will soon arrive in nurseries. Dig an area four feet wide and twelve inches deep for each plant, adding plenty of soil conditioner to the soil.

    •Transplant shrubs and small trees now.

    •Chop unwanted kudzu, English ivy and bamboo to the ground. Follow with weedkiller on the leaves in April.

    •Prune clumps of pampas grass down to 12 inches tall. Use a gloved hand to pull out dead stems in the clump.

    •Water pansies and ornamental kale after a hard freeze so they can re-hydrate their wilted leaves. Remember to regularly water window boxes and other outside plant containers.

    •Prune apple and pear trees and grape vines.

    Randy Drinkard is a Technical Writer for The UGA Center for Urban Agriculture and ANR Agent for Troup/Meriwether Cooperative Extension. The Troup County Extension office is located at 114 Church St. in LaGrange and may be reached at 706-883-1675, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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    Gardening column: Some tips on do-it-yourself grafting

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    Garden enthusiasts are planning for spring, spending quality time researching claims (very often outrageous claims) from garden catalogs about the latest, greatest new plants that are being advertised for the 2013 growing season.

    This year there will be more heirlooms offered and many more grafted vegetable plants to choose from than in past seasons.

    Commercial growers and hybridizers will be offering a nice variety of tomato plants in this classification. They follow the market and know that tomatoes are the all-time favorite plant of most vegetable gardeners.

    You can expect to pay more for grafted plants because the process of blending two different types of tomatoes, or peppers or eggplants, for instance, is a labor-intensive process, and also involves healing time for the plants. Even so, the results from trials (by wholesale growers and personal gardeners) of both heirloom and grafted vegetables are proving to be well worth the cost.

    I was recently told of an experience one Fort Wayne gardener had raising grafted tomato plants.

    As I’m sure you remember, 2012 was extremely complicated weather-wise — early spring, then very hot and dry. Actually, for quite a while, we had drought conditions. This gardener’s grafted tomatoes were doing well in spite of the weather, and then he had to be gone for several days.

    There was no one to continue caring for them, so he thought they would surely be dead by the time he was able to return home. Much to his surprise, they were doing just fine. They continued that strong growth and fruit production until very cold weather.

    Try it yourself

    If you are feeling adventuresome and wish to learn the art of grafting, here are a few tips on how to begin:

    •Purchase heirloom seeds and begin planting indoors by late February or early March.

    Using heirloom seeds which are more naturally resistant to disease has proved to be one of the best ways to avoid early and late tomato blight.

    •Use healthy young plants that have strong roots.

    •Use compatible plants to graft together, such as those in the Nightshade family: tomatoes, potatoes (not sweet potatoes), eggplants and sweet and hot peppers.

    •Before approaching your transplants with a razor blade or knife, watch this very clear YouTube video demonstration produced by the University of Vermont Extension on how to graft tomatoes: www.youtube.com/ watch?v= WSwTCwlhFgo.

    •Washington State University Extension has developed what they call a “healing chamber.” See pictures and more information at this website: http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/FS051E/FS051E.pdf.

    This discussion covers large chambers but also includes construction of an inexpensive small chamber if a gardener should decide to do plant grafting at home.

    What is actually being built is an enclosed high humidity, no light chamber to set the newly grafted plants in so that the healing process can take place more quickly.

    •As with any new plant that is grown in a greenhouse or indoors (and these will have been in the dark), they need to be acclimated to their new environment. After all signs of frost are past, and over several days, give them a few hours each day outside, beginning in deep shade.

    Don’t rush this process. Little by little, move them each day into a bit sunnier location, being careful to avoid sunburn. Finally, plant them in the garden on a cloudy day or in the evening.

    Be prepared to stake grafted plants immediately after grafting and during seasonal growth — and especially during fruit bearing.

    The weight of the fruit can break apart the union where the two plants were grafted together.

    Jane Ford is an Advanced Master Gardener. Email questions to jaf701@frontier.com. You also can read her What’s Bloomin’ blog at www.news-sentinel.com. This column is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinion of The News-Sentinel.

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    Gardeners’ Dirt: Seasonal gardening tips

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    • By Barb Henry – Victoria County Master Gardener Edited by Charla Borchers Leon
    • Originally published January 24, 2013 at midnight, updated January 24, 2013 at 3:50 p.m.

    • LAWN TIPS

    • January through March

      •  Water as needed because of drought; always before expected freeze.

      •  Water well; a minimum of once in January, twice in February to offset winter conditions.

      •  Mow and handpull weeds or use cool-temperature herbicide. …

    • SHOW ALL »

      • LAWN TIPS

      January through March

      •  Water as needed because of drought; always before expected freeze.

      •  Water well; a minimum of once in January, twice in February to offset winter conditions.

      •  Mow and handpull weeds or use cool-temperature herbicide. Proper lawn care wins the weed battle.

      •  Mow warm-season grasses 1-inch lower in February than last fall mowing to remove winter damage.

      •  Fertilize in January according to turf type, but not in February unless lawn is mowed twice.

      •  Check irrigation systems for proper performance; check soil moisture before setting timers.

    Editor’s note: With consistent inquiries on gardening guidelines, today’s article begins seasonal gardening tips from the Victoria County Master Gardeners.

    Oh, the weather outside is frightful and not conducive to thoughts of spring gardens or summer flowers, but the garden calls in every season, and winter is no exception. Be thankful for the cool and damp – and enjoy.

    In these unpredictable winter months, there is plenty to do to maintain and prepare our lawns, beds and veggie gardens for spring. Like me, many Texas Master Gardeners will turn to a trusted and revered book for timely tips and reminders.

    Texas-specific reference manual

    I refer to a Texas-specific reference manual – Doug Welsh’s “Texas Garden Almanac” – which is probably in every Texas Master Gardener’s library. Planning, mulching, fertilizing, pruning, some planting or transplanting should be done in these cooler months. Getting all tools and irrigation systems in working order now helps beat the spring rush for tune-ups and repairs.

    The tips here come directly from Welsh’s Almanac, though highly condensed. So, bundle up and enjoy your winter gardening. Spring will be here before you know it.

    Garden design

    Use the winter months to peruse gardening books, magazines and catalogues for ideas for additions or changes to your landscape. Plan new beds for herbs, veggies, flowers, a well-placed tree or statuary.

    With our ongoing drought, a birdbath would be helpful to wildlife in your area. Plan to plant your bare-root roses in February. Start other new additions in March.

    Soil, mulch

    Soil should be prepared for all the planting to come by incorporating good compost into the top 8 to 12 inches of currently unplanted areas. Add organic material every time you add plants. Amending your soil can be done now, but don’t overdo additives. Have your soil analyzed if you suspect major changes or you’re in a new home. Contact the county extension office for information.

    Mulch your beds and young trees to conserve moisture and heat and to protect roots from the cold. Mulch again before spring.

    Flowers, shrubs, trees

    January

    Flowering bulbs should already be planted.

    Add organic matter to the soil every time you plant (except trees). Texas heat depletes nutrients quickly.

    Plant or tend to established cool-season annual flowers.

    Fertilize established plants with a high nitrogen fertilizer.

    Plant bluebonnet transplants. Be vigilant for pill bugs or sow bugs.

    Delay pruning. Freeze damage insulates live tissue.

    Weed as needed. Avoid herbicides in cold weather.

    Remove dead plant debris, “sanitize” the area.

    Order bare-root roses.

    Plant new trees or shrubs, transplant existing ones during this dormant season.

    February

    It’s pruning month – remove dead or damaged portions of existing trees, shrubs, etc.

    This can be our coldest month – protect cold sensitive plants.

    Wildflower plantings are ready to grow and bloom. Weed carefully.

    Replace unhealthy or freeze-damaged plants

    Fertilize established cool-season annuals with a high-nitrogen fertilizer.

    March

    Divide fall-blooming perennials and grasses, if needed.

    Plant spring annuals.

    Plant trees, shrubs, vines and ground cover while cool – less stress for everyone.

    Plant spring-flowering trees like redbud and dogwood.

    Cut back ornamental grasses if new growth is emerging at plant base.

    Fertilize as last month.

    Finish any pruning now. Let badly damaged perennials gain some new growth before pruning off all dead wood.

    Move sheltered plants back outdoors.

    Beware of late freezes and frosts.

    Garden veggies, herbs, fruits

    January

    Transplant cool-season crops, and sow seeds for late-winter veggies and herbs.

    Plant bare-root fruit and nut trees.

    Plant trees, shrubs and vines as directed for each plant.

    Protect citrus from freezing.

    Fertilize lightly with high nitrogen products, preferably water-soluble.

    February

    Transplant cool-season veggies, sow seeds of carrots, beets, greens and lettuce.

    Jump-start spring planting by growing cool-sensitive giant transplants in containers that can be sheltered if freeze is predicted.

    Transplant cold-tolerant herbs like chives, cilantro, dill, fennel, garlic, parsley, rosemary, etc.

    Fertilize lightly with water-soluble, high nitrogen product. Herbs should not be fertilized, as too much growth results in poor quality.

    Make last-minute purchases of bare-root fruit and nut plants.

    Protect citrus plants from a late freeze.

    March

    If you gamble, plant warm-season crops the first week of March.

    Not a gambler? Buy transplants and transfer to larger pots easily moved indoors if temps drop.

    Plant warm-season herbs like basil and mint now.

    Fertilize veggie gardens with a high-nitrogen granular product.

    Monitor crops for insects.

    Take care of fruit blossoms, or there will be no fruit.

    The fertilizers referred to above are high-nitrogen and should be applied per 100 square feet accordingly: urea, one fourth of a pound; ammonium sulfate, one half of a pound; or blood meal, one pound.

    Let’s hope 2013 brings good conditions for healthy gardening. Follow these proven tips and reap the rewards of beauty and bounty from your garden this year.

    The Gardeners’ Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an educational outreach of Texas AgriLife Extension – Victoria County. Mail your questions in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901; or vcmga@vicad.com, or comment on this column at VictoriaAdvocate.com.




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    Filed Under: garden tips

    RI Flower Show Turns 20

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    Get Daily discounts and offers on sporting events, plays, concerts, museums and other events around town

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    Master Gardeners offer January gardening tips

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    Mailboxes filled with gardening catalogs signal the beginning of another new gardening season. With gardens blanketed in snow we have time to think about the upcoming year and what changes we want to make in them. A shrub or perennial plant might need to be relocated, you may want to add some new plants to an existing planting, improve lawn health, or increase yields in your vegetable garden. This is a good time to think about these things as well as how your plants grew last year. If you kept a journal reading through it now may offer some insight.

    Many who grow vegetables and perennials have problems with plant diseases or insect pests. Keeping notes on what insect pests and plant diseases you have and when they are first detected in your plants can help with future plant maintenance. Before treating plants you should make sure the pest is correctly identified – if pesticides are needed for control it’s important to know the best time to apply them so they are most effective.  

    Buying disease resistant varieties when ordering seeds or purchasing plants is another way to reduce your pesticide exposure as well as plant maintenance costs.

    Below we have included information about our upcoming events, garden and landscape tips for January, and an article written by one of our Master Gardeners. Should you have questions please call or e-mail.

    Upcoming events:

    Gardening Hotline: During the winter months we receive many questions about insect pests inside homes, tree and shrub pruning and questions from people who want advice that will help them avoid problems they’ve had in their gardens and landscapes in the past. If you have a question please leave it on our voicemail 331-8415, Ext. 107 or e-mail us at mgwayne@cornell.edu Please leave a daytime phone number where we can reach you with any additional questions we may have.

    Master Gardeners are a great resource for new gardeners and for troubleshooting home garden and landscape problems including weeds, lawn issues, wildlife, insect pests and plant diseases along with control recommendations. Plant and insect samples can be brought to the office for identification or diagnostic work. During non-hotline hours you can leave your sample with our secretary or in the drop box at the end of the building. Please put insects in a sealed plastic container (so they won’t get crushed) and plant samples in sealed plastic bags. Remember to label them with your name and daytime phone number where we can reach you. We also offer soil pH testing (cost is $3 per sample) and can help you with soil test interpretation.

    Saturday, May 11: CCE Wayne County Master Gardener’s 24th Annual Plant Sale – 8 to 11:30 a.m. Got Turkeys? The New Your State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is looking for landowners to help with a large-scale study of wild turkey movements, survival, and harvest. The DEC will begin a four year study by capturing and banding hens between January and March. For more information contact the DEC at (518) 402-8886 or by e-mailing fwwildf@gw.dec.state.ny.us.

    Info for woodlot owners: Free Woodlot Visits: Call 331-8415, Ext. 107 to schedule a free woodlot site visit. These free site visits typically last up to 3 hours with our Master Forest Owners providing woodlot management information to Wayne County woodlot owners including best management practices for achieving management goals. During the visit our MFO’s can also provide you with additional sources for assistance and information. For information and webinars on forest health visit www.cornellforestconnect.ning.com.
    Federal Income Tax on Timber: Tax Tips for the Forest Landowners for their preparation of the 2012 tax returns can be found at www.timbertax.org.

    Monthly garden and home grounds tips:

    It’s Seed catalog time! Part of an Integrated Pest Management plan is selecting resistant varieties- when ordering seeds you should be able to find this information. Go to www.blogs.cornell.edu/horticulture for Cornell’s 2013 selected vegetable varieties for NYS. Call or e-mail us for a free “Seed Starting” fact sheet 331-8415 ext. 107 or e-mail mgwayne@cornell.edu. Please include your name and mailing address. Test the germination rate of old seeds by placing some in a moist paper towel placed into a plastic bag. Put the bag in a warm place. Check in a few days for germination.

    Garden guide for January –By Dave Reville, Master Gardener, CCE Wayne County

    Happy Gardening New Year to you and may it be a productive one!   At this time of year we make many lists of things to do. I have assembled some garden tips for you to consider.

    Plan the vegetable garden, flower gardens and landscape plantings now and order seeds this month. Make this your year of action and not procrastination! Prepare paper plans and make lists of changes you wish to make in the landscape so you have a blueprint to follow. Check out the new plant varieties in myriad of catalogs that you receive and make a list of the plants you like with attention to hardiness.

    It is a good idea to check stored bulbs, tubers and any vegetable produce and discard any that are moldy.

    If you have stored potted bulbs in October for forcing, now is a good time to bring them out of cold storage or from sites you buried the pots near your foundation in order to initiate growth and flowering.

    Plant Amaryllis bulbs in pots and watch them grow. Expect flowering to occur in about six to eight weeks.

    Bulbs that have flowered for Christmas should be watered and fertilized. Allow foliage to grow all summer, and then dry off in the fall.  Give the plant a three-month resting stage then resume watering in January and return to more light.  Plan on repotting every few years.

    If you saved coleus and geranium plants from the garden, this is a good time to pinch them so they remain bushy and not tall and spindly.  Monitor then for whitefly outbreaks and take action with organic insecticides for houseplants should you find a large population of insect buildup.

    This is a good month to bring spring indoors by forcing small branches of flowering shrubs and trees to bloom inside. Great plants for this include: pussy willow, forsythia, flowering cherry and crab apples and quince as well as others you care to experiment with.

    Continue to be miserly with feeding and watering houseplants at this time of year, unless they are flowering. If your houseplants are growing at all now, they’re growing slowly and they require minimal food and water. Too much of either combined with the low light conditions at this time of year can cause problems. Locate your houseplants in a sunny, south window in order to make the most of the light that is available and turn them occasionally to promote even growth. Remember to not place plants directly on cold windowsills  as roots will become chilled and in some cases even frozen. This is especially critical where drapes or blinds can seal off the plants behind them at night.

    If you have not already done so, plant your living balled and burlapped Christmas tree as soon as possible. Mulch the tree following planting and stake if necessary in a site that is windy. It is a good idea to wrap the tree in burlap the first year or two, to prevent wind damage, which will cause drying and dying especially on the windward side.

    Is your old Christmas tree on the burn pile or at the roadside for pickup?  if so retrieve it and use it as a shield to protect rhododendrons and other broadleaved evergreens from the drying sun and wind. Branches of discarded trees can be used as a protective cover in the perennial bed or over strawberries where it will help trap the snow which is a great insulator. Old trees also make great bird feeding stations as well when a feeder is placed within or near them.

    If you need to use de-icing materials, do not use sodium chloride –salt- as it can damage plants, concrete, and pose problems for the water table. Try to use calcium chloride melting products, which are easier on plants and the environment. Read the labels on all the ice melting products and note the caution statements.

    As you continue your “arm-chair gardening” at this time of year, visit bookstores and libraries to note what is new in the trade as well as contact the Cornell website at www.cornell.gardening.edu.

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    Free Ecological Lectures for the Urban Gardener

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    By Carol Stocker
    CAMBRIDGE – As invasive species and habitat loss continue to threaten our native birds and other wildlife, our urban and suburban gardens could become their last refuge. Grow Native Massachusetts, part of the new environmental movement that advocates for the creation of habitat in our own front and backyards, is again offering its free public lecture series “Evenings with the Experts” at the Cambridge Public Library. Now in its fourth year, this series has been well attended by gardeners and gardening enthusiasts of all ages who care about biodiversity and want to make a difference by improving the ecological value of their landscapes. Come. Get inspired. Every garden matters; every landscape counts. Lectures are on the first Wednesday of each month from February through June, and begin at 7:00pm.

    Here’s this year’s lineup:

    February 6: Managing Invasives at Home and Around Town.

    A talk by Eric Olson Josh Ellsworth of Brandeis University. Founder of the Newton Invasive Plant Task Force, Dr. Olson has led substantial volunteer efforts to control invasive species in Newton and Waltham. He will discuss this management challenge, especially the importance of building trust with local Conservation Commissions, and the risks and pleasures of depending entirely upon volunteer labor. Josh Ellsworth will explain the ecology of invasives, along with specific techniques for controlling the species most commonly encountered in Greater Boston.

    March 6: Meadowscaping in Urban and Suburban Spaces.

    Catherine Zimmerman, founder of the Meadow Project, describes why meadow and prairie habitats are so beneficial, both economically and environmentally. She is passionate about getting Americans to move away from their devotion to a monoculture of pesticide-ridden lawns. Get a step-by-step primer on reducing lawn size and installing a beautiful meadow instead. No space is too small. Join the movement to bring back native habitat! Ms. Zimmerman is the author of “Urban and Suburban Meadows.”

    April 3: Landscape Design with the Climate in Mind

    Sue Reed, author of “Energy-Wise Landscape Design” discusses how to manage our landscapes to save energy and reduce our carbon footprint—essential actions in this era of climate change. You can: reduce costs for home heating and cooling; save energy on your gardens and grounds; and choose products with lower embedded energy costs. Your property is full of opportunities to conserve, even if you’re not doing a major renovation or landscape redesign. Ms. Reed is an author and landscape architect.

    May 1: Go Botany! Plant ID for the 21st Century

    Imagine identifying plants in the field with your iPad or smart phone. Go Botany is the new definitive on-line Flora of New England for just that. Botanist Elizabeth Farnsworth will introduce and demonstrate this richly illustrated interactive key to over 3,500 native and naturalized plants of our region. This tool also includes PlantShare for reporting discoveries, exchanging checklists, and more. This evening will equip you to ID and better understand the many plants you encounter.

    June 5: The Restoration of Consecration Dell

    At the heart of Mount Auburn Cemetery, Consecration Dell is a landscape of great beauty and a hot spot for birding. Yet not long ago, it was overrun by invasive species and worn from erosion. Come hear Dr. Dave Barnett, President of Mount Auburn, describe the Dell’s restoration— requiring decades of work to establish a thriving community of native plants and vital habitat for wildlife. It is complex and intriguing tale, full of lessons about the challenges and rewards of ecological restoration.

    For more about Grow Native Massachusetts and the Evenings with Experts lecture series go to www.grownativemass.org.

    Filed Under: garden tips

    Tips for indoor winter gardening

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    You don’t have to wait until spring to have a home filled with gorgeous greens. Fill your rooms with herbs, ferns and other indoor plants during the colder months.

    Twinkle's Garden

    You can have fresh greens and herbs all year long inside the house. Germinate your seeds in a damp, dark place (you can place trays inside paper grocery bags.) Once the plants have grown to at least 1” seedlings, transfer into pots and place on windowsills and around your home.

    Don’t forget the sun in winter. Inside plants need at least six hours of natural light a day, or 14 hours of artificial light. Without enough light, you might see a little herbal
    Seasonal Affective Disorder in your once-perky plants.  

    Twinkle's Garden

    Ease back on fertilizer and water during the shorter days of the winter season, but when the days turn longer, you can begin adding a bit of compost.  

    Good drainage is important, especially if you are using pots or containers without a built-in drainage system. Using a fork, occasionally break the soil up very gently to ensure good drainage and prevent the soil from packing down over time.

    Twinkle's Garden

    Winter means less humidity in many regions. Heating systems can make your home arid and dry, and your plants brittle. Adding a humidifier will help keep the air moist throughout the drier, colder months and benefit not only your houseplants, but also everyone else living in your home.

    Another way to keep your plants from drying out is to occasionally mist them with water with a sprayer, once or twice every 3-4 days.

    When February rolls around, your plants will love all the extra sunlight, and by March they begin to flower. Start migrating them outdoors in April. Soon, you and your plants will be back outside, in the sunlight and in the garden.

     

    Twinkle's Garden

    Filed Under: garden tips
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