Red Natura 2000

Main Menu

  • Special Conservation Zones
  • Protection For Birds
  • Habitats Directive
  • Fauna And Flora
  • Capital

Red Natura 2000

Header Banner

Red Natura 2000

  • Special Conservation Zones
  • Protection For Birds
  • Habitats Directive
  • Fauna And Flora
  • Capital
Protection For Birds
Home›Protection For Birds›Decorate living trees with edible ornaments to feed the birds

Decorate living trees with edible ornaments to feed the birds

By Joyce B. Buchanan
January 2, 2022
0
0


After Christmas, your living cut tree can be moved outside and redecorated for birds. Anchor the tree in a bucket filled with wet sand or tie it to a fence or tree. Put on strings of popcorn and cranberries. Apples, oranges, leftover bread and pine cones covered in peanut butter and then dipped in birdseed can also be added. For best results, push edible ornaments well into the tree so they don’t come off as easily.

While the outdoor gardening season is over, with the exception of pruning and watching for animal damage, you can still garden indoors trying to grow herbs. Sow seeds of parsley, oregano, sage and dwarf basil in terracotta pots. Once they’ve sprouted, place them under grow lights and water them when they’re very dry. Fertilize the plants with a half-strength solution of a liquid fertilizer.

• Consider repurposing your natural Christmas decorations by recycling Christmas tree branches (cut into 2-3 foot sections), garlands, wreaths and other evergreen materials as mulch for the garden and beds. -bands of perennials. It is best to remove non-plant items, such as garlands and wire, before placing them in the garden. Light, open evergreens allow moisture to reach the ground, but also help insulate plant roots and crowns from the freeze-thaw-freeze cycle of Midwestern winters. Greens can also be arranged in containers for winter interest.

• It is easier to notice animal damage in the garden when you see the tracks. With the lack of snow so far this winter, it’s a good idea to walk around the garden once a week or so to watch for animal damage and install or adjust gates as needed. Look for the gnawed bark at the base of trees and shrubs.

Rabbits can cause considerable damage during the winter by feeding on shrubs. As the snow accumulates, they may reach higher and higher to eat. Chicken wire will work well to exclude rabbits. Hanging soap or hair in the branches will generally not be a deer grazing deterrent. Use physical barriers such as wire or netting to protect plants from deer.

Yews and arborvitae are deer favorites and will likely be grazed in areas where deer are active. Repellents can be applied when temperatures are above 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Rain will wash away repellents over time, so a fall application may not provide protection for the whole winter.

• Tim Johnson is director of horticulture at the Chicago Botanic Garden, chicagobotanic.org.


Related posts:

  1. Endangered birds ‘Monty’, ‘Rose’ lay eggs at Chicago Beach: Great Lakes Piping Plovers expand their flock
  2. Man indicted for selling protected bird feathers
  3. Peacocks, peacocks among 18 poisoned birds in Akola | Nagpur News
  4. International Bird Rescue celebrates 50 years of wildlife protection

Recent Posts

  • PVAS helps neighborhoods and landowners take green initiatives with habitat stewardship programs | News, Sports, Jobs
  • You can help these Vermont animals
  • Wildlife team treats injured songbird in glue trap
  • Saturday Guided Hike at Cape Perpetua | Community
  • Mojave Basin groundwater table hits record high

Archives

  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • March 2021

Categories

  • Capital
  • Fauna And Flora
  • Habitats Directive
  • Protection For Birds
  • Special Conservation Zones
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy