Those of you who have been following Yard Talk over the years know how special Christmas Time is at Martin’s Yard & Garden. It is a very special, magical time, a time for sharing with our friends and family old and new.
Unfortunately, all good things come to an end. Cookies grow stale, the brightly decorated presents are opened, family and friends go home, and all the decorations come down. Even the Santa Bears go into hibernation until next season. A very depressing time around our household, especially for people young at heart like Marty and I.
Well, it does not have to be if you are lucky to be one of those people that still believe in the magic of having a real Christmas Tree. For you the fun is just beginning as you can now start decorating the tree all over again. I am not talking about covering it with Shamrocks or Easter Bunnies either!
Actually that is not such a bad idea but a more rewarding project would be to decorate the evergreen for our feathered friends. You do not have to use anything fancy, just edible.
Begin by driving a 4-6 foot metal pole into the ground then tie your old tree to it. Preferably, this should be done away from shrubs and trees that could shelter animals which feed on birds such as cats and hawks. Once this is done, simply attach items which birds normally eat such as strung berries, suet cakes, fruit, or just spread peanut butter on the branches then sprinkle with sunflower seed.
Do not be afraid to experiment, believe me the birds will not care. Why not make it a family project and get everyone involved ?
Tips of the Month
Here are some of the wildlife decorations we have made through the years.
- Cover pine cones with peanut butter and roll in birdseed, hang by a string.
- Save your orange or grapefruit halves, fill with a suet birdseed mix and hang by a string .
- String cherries, cranberries, or blueberries on a string and hang as garland.
- Collect stale donuts from local bakers and hang from branches.
- Hang chunks of bananas, pineapple, or apples on the limbs.
- Popcorn can be strung on thread and draped over the tree.
Many companies such as Wildbirds Unlimited sell ready made decorations which can be purchased and hung on the evergreen.
Flower of the Month
Abies concolor “Lowiana” White Fir
It is an attractive conifer and outstanding landscape plant. It has a formal pyramidal shape. Its silvery blue-green foliage makes it an ideal candidate for use as a specimen or accent plant in the landscape. The 1 1/2 inch long needles are slightly flattened, curve up from the stem, and are soft to the touch. Prefers a rich, moist soil with good drainage. Tolerates drought and heat better than most firs. Full sun is best, but will tolerate some shade.
Featured Web Site
National Wildlife Federation’s Backyard Wildlife Habitat’s web site offers a lot of exciting information not only on decorating for the birds but other wildlife as well. We encourage you to visit and learn more about how you can landscape your home and at the same time help the environment. This site is fun for the whole family, we only wish we had young ones to share it with.