Tips for the Garden - November 2019

Attracting Birds to your Neighborhood

There are a number of ways to attract birds to your garden, from planting native plants to providing safe stopover areas for them to eat, drink and nest. 

Provide water year-round - A simple birdbath is a great start. Change water every 2-3 days in summer and use a heater in the winter. Place the water container about 10 feet from dense shrubs or other cover that predators may use.

Then, install Natives Plants-- Select a variety of native plants to offer year-round food in the form of seeds, berries, nuts, and nectar. Try to recreate the plant ecosystem native to your area. Evergreen trees and shrubs provide excellent cover through all seasons, check our www.grownative.org for an amazing lists of local natives great for pollination and food sources.

Eliminate insecticides in your yard - Insects are the primary source of food for many bird species and are an important source of protein and fats for growing juvenile birds.

Keep dead trees - Dead trees provide cavity-dwelling places for birds to raise young and as a source to collect insects for food. Many species will also seek shelter from bad weather inside these hollowed out trees.

Put out nesting boxes - Make sure the boxes have ventilation holes at the top and drainage holes below. Do not use a box with a perch, as house sparrows are known to sit on a nesting box perch and peck at other birds using the nesting box. Be sure to monitor the boxes for invasive animal species known to harm or out-compete native species.

Build a brush pile in a corner of your yard - Start with larger logs and top with smaller branches. Some birds will hunt, roost or even nest in brush piles.

Put out bird feeders--Bird feeders are great sources of supplemental food during times of food scarcity, and also enhance bird viewing opportunities.  Wintertime is beneficial for this as the natural source of pods and seeds become scarce.

Remove invasive plants from your wildlife habitat - Many invasive plants out-compete the native species favored by birds, insects and other wildlife. Check with your local U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperative Extension System office for information on plant species to avoid.

I hope you enjoy these tips for enjoying more wildlife in your yards!

Enjoy every minute!

Sandi Hillermann McDonald

Incorporating Gardening and Plants Into Your Home Environment

 By Heather Viera, FamilyLivingToday.com

       Plants provide so many benefits to humans, it’s unsurprising that people are looking for more ways to incorporate gardening and plants into their homes. Plants reduce stress, improve concentration, increase happiness, and can even potentially help treat major mental and physical illness.

       Most people are familiar with traditional backyard gardens and indoor potted plants. Here are five other ways you can incorporate plants into your home environment: 

1. Hang plants from the ceiling.

Running out of places to put potted plants in your home? Hang them from the ceiling. Hanging plants can complement or substitute wall art. The best hanging plants are those that will spill out of their container so their leaves are on display, such as Grape Ivy or a Spider Plant.  

       It’s best to hang plants in corners, along walls, and away from doorways where people will not be likely to bump into them. 

2. Arrange plants on a wall. 

Like hanging plants, a plant wall is another space-saving way to incorporate plants into your home. You can put one or two plants on a wall alone or with art. You can also go the more dramatic route and dedicate an entire wall to plants. A full plant wall is especially eye-catching in the entryway or living room.

There are multiple options for affixing plants to the wall. Plants that require less water and fit in smaller containers, such as succulents, are common choices for a plant wall. Plants can be set on shelves attached to the wall, or hung from hooks. Attaching a peg board to the wall allows you to easily reconfigure your plant wall set-up without having to drill new holes.

3. Grow a container garden.

A container garden is an excellent choice for someone who doesn’t have enough room for a garden in their yard, or wants to plant a garden without disturbing their lawn. A container garden is exactly what it sounds like--a garden grown in containers. Using large pots, you can grow flowers, vegetables, or other plants from your patio, porch, or deck. 

4. Keep a kitchen herb garden.

If you have a window sill in your kitchen, that is the perfect place to start an herb garden. Sweet Basil, Rosemary, Cilantro, and other herbs can line your window sill and provide added flavor to your meals. Simply water them regularly and snip off a few leaves here and there when it fits what you’re cooking. 

5. Sprout beans, seeds, and nuts.

Sprouting is another way to bring gardening into your home. Research has found that sprouting increases the nutritional value of seeds, beans, and some grains. You can easily grow sprouts within days using a mason jar and some sunshine. Note that keeping sprouts properly rinsed is important to avoid the risk of bacteria growth.

These are just a few ideas for incorporating gardening and plants into your home environment. We’d love to read other ideas you have in the comments!

Bio: Heather Viera is a lifestyle expert and researcher for FamilyLivingToday.com. She is dedicated to achieving a balanced lifestyle, even with two small children and a full-time career. In the little free time she has, she enjoys hiking with her partner and taking her dog to the beach.

Tips for the Garden - October 2019

Wow! Fall is the perfect time to evaluate the garden for improvement, and it is the perfect planting time. The cooler crisp days of October are great for these following garden tips:

Lawn seeding should be finished by October 15th to insure germination and growth yet this fall. Choose a seed mix for your lawn area. Fescue blends are spread at a rate of 5-8 lbs. per 1,000 sq ft on bare ground and 3-5 lbs. per 1,000 sq ft on a lawn with a 50% stand of grass.

Be sure to aerate and renovate your yard when over seeding for BEST results. Without these steps, it is like throwing grass seed on to concrete. Have questions??? Ask the experts at your Hillermann’s.

Winterize your lawn mowers before storage, by draining gasoline from the tank and the gas line.  It is also a great time to sharpen the blades so you will be ready for spring.

Put a Winterizer fertilizer on all lawns from mid October through November to promote early spring green growth.  Now is a good time to apply lime if your soils indicate the need. (Acidic soils require lime, a pH of 6.8 or below.) Use the recommended rate of 50 pounds per 500 square feet per treatment.  Free pH testing is available at Hillermann’s.

YOUR HOME’S CURB APPEAL can be enhanced with pumpkins, gourds, corn stalks, mums, pansies, kale, and the great selection of other plants grown for the fall season.

The average first frost October 15th to October 20th. A few degrees of frost protection can be gained by covering tender plants with sheets, newspaper, burlap or lightweight fabric row covers. DO NOT USE PLASTIC; this tends to “draw in” the cold temperatures.

Plant bulbs now for spring bloom. Plant into groupings for a massed effect of spring color. To fertilize them, use bone meal.  Bulb container gardens can be planted with a lasagna type planting arrangement (layering of bulbs in potting soil).

October is an excellent month to plant trees, shrubs and perennials. This gives the plants a great start in the warm soil and cool weather of fall with plenty of moisture in the spring to become established before the harsh summer heat and drought. The plants’ roots will continue to develop under ground until freezing of the soil stops them.

DON’T take hummingbird feeders down before mid October. The bird’s biological clock tells them when to migrate south. THEY ARE NOT dependent on us removing the feeders at a certain time.  Hummingbirds who have started their migration will appreciate finding your feeders along the way.

            Enjoy your yard and garden in every season!

Time to go… See you in the Garden…
Sandi Hillermann McDonald

Garden Solutions - August 2019

Here are a few health benefits of enjoying the great outdoors. Activities like carting mulch around in a wheelbarrow, digging in the soil, plus all that bending and lifting involved in planting really does burn calories. Studies show that depending on the activity, gardening can burn between 250 and 500 calories per hour. For many people gardening is a creative outlet, for others it is the change of scenery from the daily grind that makes a difference. Still others find that the satisfaction of reaping the rewards (those tasty fruits and vegetables, and beautiful flowers) of your efforts is what helps to reduce stress levels.

We have been blessed with great moisture this year, even going into summer. But water is important for Wildlife in your yard, as well as all new and established plantings. So, keep a close eye on these things.

Here are additional tips for August:

• Keep deadheading spent annual and perennial flowers for continued bloom.

• Feed garden mums and asters for the last time.

• Monitor plants for spider mite activity. To check for spider mites, hold a white piece of paper under a suspected branch. Tap on the branch and then run your hand across the paper. If you get red streaks, you have spider mites!

• Prune to shape hedges for the last time this season.

• Once bagworms reach full size, insecticides are ineffective. Pruning off and burning or discarding of large bags provides better control.

• Watch for fall webworm activity.

• Cultivate Strawberries and apply weed preventer immediately, after fertilizing to help with fall germinating weeds such as henbit or chickweed.

• Pinch the growing tips of gourds once the adequate fruit set amount is achieved. This directs energy into the ripening fruits, rather than vine production.

• Broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower transplants should be set out for the fall garden. Also, sow seeds of lettuce, radish, beans, beets, spinach and turnips now. (Spinach may germinate better if the seeds are refrigerated.)

Time to go... See you in the Garden!!
Sandi Hillermann McDonald

Garden Solutions – July 2019

Tip for the month of July—Sit Back and Relax!! For many of us, the 4th of July date marks the beginning of the entertainment season. We plan, we phone, we shop, we decorate, we mow, we clean, we check supplies, we shop again, we cook, we carry lawn chairs and coolers outside, and we fret about the weather. When the guests arrive it, all starts over. Pouring, serving, clearing, fetching, and recycling can fill hours, if we let them. So, part of the planning needs to include ways to have some time for you to sit back and enjoy your party, too. Making your event a potluck will eliminate much of the shopping and cooking. Have everyone bring their own beverages. And finally, don’t mow. Your lawn will do better with foot traffic if it is left a little bit longer. Now that we have talked about having parties and enjoying your yard and garden, let’s get down to other tasks at hand for July.

It’s not too late to plant shrubs, perennials and annual flowers, but you will need to give them a little TLC for the summer. If you have Japanese beetles, you have several options for controlling them, from handpicking (not my favorite) to trapping (the safest) or spraying them. Japanese beetle traps are readily available and do a fantastic job of eradicating the problem naturally.

Hot, dry weather is ideal for spider mite development. Damage may be present even before the webs are noticed. With spider mite damage, leaves may be speckled above and yellowed below. Evergreen needles appear dull gray green to yellow to brown. Spray with permethrin to control this critter. Sweet corn is ripe when the silks turn brown. Blossom-end rot occurs on tomato and peppers when soil moisture is uneven and the calcium level in the soil is not right. Adding lime to the garden soil will help these issues next year.

Water conservation is of the utmost importance during our dry summer months. Water where it counts, at the roots, not the leaves. Drip irrigation systems do wonders for water conservation and are easy to install. Trees and shrubs would also benefit from a deep root watering this time of year. You can use a deep root feeder (without the fertilizer). Water them around the drip line of the tree for best success. Water frequently enough to prevent wilting. When you mow your grass, cut it less frequently and at a higher level. Longer grass blades shade the soil and conserve moisture.  Plant drought tolerant, native plants where possible.

Check your plant containers daily for dryness. Put your finger at least one inch down in the soil, if it is dry, water thoroughly. Hanging baskets will need a drink at least once a day, sometimes even twice a day, depending on the weather. Provide water in the garden for birds during dry weather and they will repay you with wonderful antics and bird song. Enjoy nature and your gardens this summer. You won’t regret it.

See you in the Garden,

Sandi Hillermann McDonald

Garden Solutions - May 2019

Photo: www.provenwinners.com

            Times are changing and everyone is busier than ever; with kids to coach, meetings to attend and work to do. So “coming” home at the end of a day can be even more important to us then ever. Enjoy daylight savings time and extend your living quarters to your yard and garden. Think of your outdoor spaces as an extension of your home. And in doing so, consider the floor, walls, and ceiling per se. Outdoor fire pits, grill and bar centers, rugs, clocks, décor and more are available to add a cozy room effect to outdoor living spaces. Adding resting areas is easy to do…hang a hammock in a tree, set a bistro set in the perennial garden, or put benches in your hosta beds. Then invite friends over and have a cook out. Let the nature in your yard tickle your senses with the sounds of birds, smells of flowers, sound of running water, and splashes of color. Hardscapes can enhance your outdoor rooms by adding a “floor” to your area of enjoyment. 

Photo: www.provenwinners.com

Begin planting summer annuals to add color and spice to the landscape, and don’t just stop with the flowerbeds. Container gardening continues to be a trendy thing. The many choices, styles, shapes, and colors of containers make great accent pieces for inside or out. Learn to mix annuals and perennials for great combinations. Try hostas with begonias and impatiens….or hydrangeas with groundcovers. These containers can make great accent pieces on the front porch, the back deck, in a flower bed, around the pool, or at the end of the driveway.  And you can rearrange them as often as you wish. No room for a vegetable garden? Try one in a container. You can enjoy fresh tomatoes easily this way.

There are many safe options to treat pests in the yard and garden. Treat slugs in your garden with organic diatomaceous earth. This is a powder product, 100% safe, and is good for the treatment of slugs, ants, fleas and ticks outside, as well as roaches and ants indoors. Check out the chemical-free options available to you today. Then sit back and watch your kids and pets enjoy the beautiful outdoors.

Other May tips include:

·         Plant hardy water lilies now.

·         Begin fertilizing annuals now and continue at regular intervals all season long.

·         Keep bluegrass lawns cut at 3” high, fescue lawns at 3.5” high and zoysia at 2” high.

·         Apply post-emergence broadleaf weed controls to the lawn now if needed.

·         Begin planting sweet corn, tomato plants, peppers and sweet potatoes as the soil warms up.

·         Keep asparagus harvested for continued spear production.

·         Remove rhubarb seed stalks as they appear.

·         Birds eat many insects so attract them to your garden by providing good nesting habitats.

·         Herbs planted in average soils need no extra fertilizer. Too much may reduce flavor and pungency at harvest.

·         Watch for fireflies on warm nights. Both adults and larvae are important predators.

Until next month,…Enjoy connecting with nature and….see you in the garden….

Sandi Hillermann McDonald