Tips for the Garden - March 2020

          Spring is almost here!!!!!!  What a wonderful feeling to be able to spend more time outside enjoying what Mother Nature is unfolding before our eyes. The lengthening of days is a welcome site and the warming sun on our faces is also a very great feeling.

Mowing time is around the corner.  Thin spots and bare patches in the lawn can be over seeded now if you don’t intend to use a crabgrass pre- venter on your lawn. Last summer’s heat and drought may make this a necessity this spring, if you missed the opportunity last fall.

          If you don’t over seed, now is the time to apply Fertilome Crabgrass + Lawn Food. We have long summer seasons here and recommend that you make two applications of this product (4-6 weeks apart) to keep your yards crabgrass free this summer. 

          Begin spring cleanup of perennial beds now. Cut perennials to 3” above the ground. Remove damaged foliage and old flower stalks. Ornamental grasses and hardy hibiscus can be pruned back to 6” above the ground as well.

          Once flower beds have been cleaned up, re-mulching can be done. Be sure not to mulch on the crowns of plants. Dry feed beds with a granular fertilizer, such as Osmocote, and apply a pre-emergent if you do not plan to plant any flower seeds. Pre-emergent products will put down a barrier over your flower beds that keep weed seeds from germinating, making weeding an easier job this summer. Divide summer and fall blooming perennials now, along with ornamental grasses if you so desire.

          Plant/sow peas, lettuce, radish, kohlrabi, collards, turnips, potatoes, spinach, onion sets, beets, carrots, and parsley outside this month. Set out broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, Chinese cabbage, cauliflower and pansy transplants now. This month is also great for setting out strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, grapes and fruit trees.

          Start seeds indoors this month for tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. And houseplants can still be repotted. Continue to check houseplants for over wintering insect populations.

          Nesting boxes for bluebirds can be set up as well as Purple Martin houses. Bluebird boxes are best at about 5’ off the ground on a fence post in the open with the entry hole facing away from prevailing winds. Purple Martins return to our zone 6 region between St. Patrick’s Day and the end of the month. So, now is the time to clean out those houses and be prepared.

          It is time to go, so we will “See you in the garden!!”

Sandi Hillermann McDonald

Tips for the Garden - February 2020

February is National Bird Feeding Month… this year the Audubon Society will be making national awareness of the decline of birds in North America. This awareness of loss of nature began more than several years ago with bees, then butterflies, to pollinators and this year will focus on the loss of birds and their habitat. The next will be frogs. Our world is losing nature and it’s help for human survival at an alarming rate. I truly hope by now that these declines in nature have hit home with you and that you realize that now it is time to do something about it ourselves. You will hear much more about these environmental efforts throughout the year. 

For winter care of birds one of the easiest things to provide is water. Providing shelter is another way to help. There is a shortage of nesting sites for cavity-nesting birds due to land development, and the use of pesticides. The use of birdhouses and nesting boxes has helped many species make a comeback. Landscaping that provides shelter can be a great help. Evergreen trees and shrubs provide a place out of the wind, snow or rain. Birds gather in groups towards the inside and huddle together to create more warmth.

The final piece of the puzzle is providing food. Here in Missouri, winter is a difficult time for the bird species that have chosen to overwinter here. There is little to no vegetation, and most of the insects are dead or dormant. Most songbirds feed on insects and spiders during the spring and summer; however, the non-migratory species switch to fruit and seeds in the fall and winter. Black oil sunflower seeds are preferred by the largest number of bird species. Enjoy the birds this season with these simple tips.

It is also time to think about starting any garden and flower seeds in the house that you may want to grow this year. Our last frost date is around May 1^st, so back up the weeks on the calendar for seed starting so you know when the best time for planting in the house would be. Ample light is very important for this task.

Another cold weather job is cleaning up any containers or planters that you have stored away. While doing this, make a list of the flowers that you are going to need for these containers in the spring.

Until next month,    

Sandi Hillermann McDonald

Garden Solutions - February 2017

February is National Bird Feeding Month

Now that we are in the throws of winter, and the coldest month of the year is upon us, it is a good time to assess how the birds are doing.  This time of year is especially difficult for them.  If given a little assistance, their chances of survival are greatly increased.

One of the easiest things to provide, and high on the list of needs, is water.  Adding a heater or deicer coil to an existing birdbath can provide the perfect winter oasis for your feathered friends.  Just be sure to keep the birdbath clean. 

Providing shelter is another way to help.  There is a shortage of nesting sites for cavity-nesting birds due to land development, and the use of pesticides. The use of birdhouses and nesting boxes has helped many species make a comeback.  Landscaping that provides shelter can also be a great help.  Evergreen trees and shrubs provide a welcome resting place out of the wind, snow or rain.  Birds gather in groups towards the inside and huddle together to create more warmth.  Placing food and water near these nesting or respite areas allows them to make shorter journeys for these things.  More than 50 species of birds will use birdhouses including Chickadees, Bluebirds, Titmice, Woodpeckers, Wrens, Swallows and Nuthatches.

One of the requirements for a good bird house is that it must to be able to open up for cleaning.  They must have ventilation holes in the bottom (these should be plugged up for winter roosting).  The houses should have a slanted roof to allow for water runoff, and it should NOT have perches.  Cavity-nesting birds do not need them, and the perches only allow predator access to the nest.

T

he final piece of the puzzle is providing food.  Particularly here in Missouri, winter is a difficult time for the bird species that have chosen to overwinter here.  The days are short and cold.  There is little to no vegetation, and most of the insects are dead or dormant.  Now is an excellent time to purchase a feeder if you do not already have one.  Most songbirds feed on insects and spiders during the spring and summer; however, the non-migratory species switch to fruit and seeds in the fall and winter.  Black oil sunflower seeds are preferred by the largest number of bird species.  Not only are these seeds very nutritious and high in fat, but their small size makes them easier for smaller species to split them open.  Be sure to scatter some seed on the ground and beneath trees and shrubs for birds that prefer to feed in these locations.  Feeders with platforms provide the right type of feeding station for species that do not perch, such as Cardinals.  High-energy food, like suet and peanut butter, are an added benefit for all birds and provide much needed fat.  So I hope now you enjoy the antics of our feathered friends.

Having fun in the garden,    

Sandi Hillermann McDonald