Bluebird Gardens Blog: February 2010 Archives

Recycle Metal Can Tabs as Birdhouse and Wreath Hooks

By Charlotte on February 28, 2010 7:22 PM | No Comments

Early spring is a good time to clean out birdhouses and other hanging garden decor, and check them for safety.

I seem to remember to get everything BUT the hangars!

To make sure birdhouses and other garden decor items hang safely, I recycle metal can tabs to reinforce and replace old hangars.

Be careful removing them; I use two pairs of plyers to keep metal can tops away from my hands.

Hammer at least two panel nails in the smaller metal tab opening to make sure the tab is safely secured.

If you have something large, open the other side of an opened tuna can and tie to the bag as a VERY LARGE tab. Run the plyers along can ridges to make sure there's nothing sharp sticking up, and wash well. You don't want cats swinging from wreaths!

Do you have tips for safely hanging birdhouses and wreaths? How about stories about cats and tuna cans??!

Charlotte
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Geez, Purple Martins Don't Even Like Mosquitos?!

By Charlotte on February 28, 2010 6:39 PM | No Comments

Remember hearing Purple Martins eat a ton of mosquitos every day so every garden needs a Purple Martin house?

Not so, according to the Purple Martin Conservation Association. The whole story about Purple Martins being natural mosquito predators was promoted by Purple Martin house manufacturers.

The campaign worked so well Purple Martins today are the only bird species to depend exclusively on manmade houses.

They eat insects but few to no mosquitos. If they eat anything interesting, these birds feed young insects and small rocks and glass pieces to help them digest.

After years of watching these birds in other yards, I bought a plastic purple martin house kit this year I thought I could easily put together and install next to my pond in a cleared area. So much for that plan; even instructions for this relatively lightweight birdhouse recommends two people install it.

I may still make it.

I usually spot Purple Martins sitting on utility lines and in Bluebird Gardens mid March, their big wing span and long, double pronged tail marking the arrival of north America's largest sparrow.

Like hummingbirds, Purple Martins winter over in Brazil and make their way back in early spring through Florida. Fun to track their way back to North America; some weather forecasters now even show this map!

For many years Fort Leonard Wood, our neighbor to the southwest as the Purple Martin flies, celebrated the arrival of these lovely purple birds with Purple Martin Day on March 14.

Whether you celebrate or not, consider getting a Purple Martin house, either for yourself or to give as a gift. Pair it with a book on Purple Martins for a gift that will keep on giving all season.

If you're handy with wood, consider making a Purple Martin house. Some of the most interesting Purple Martin houses I've seen have been lovingly handmade as gifts.

Once Purple Martins decide they like the real estate, they will keep coming back. After centuries of peacefully co-existing, Purple Martins have little fear of people and make charming, very interesting neighbors.

Do you have Purple Martins in your garden? Any suggestions for the new Purple Martin fan?

Charlotte
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American Seed packets and onion sets promise of spring

By Charlotte on February 27, 2010 8:49 AM | No Comments

It was below zero and snowing when I spotted them in the corner of the retail center: lovely bags of red and yellow onion sets, and piles of inexpensive seed packets...

American Seed Co, has offered 10 cent seeds for years; this year they went up to 20 cents but the usuals were still there: basil, lettuce, pumpkins, zinnias, nasturtiums, cherry tomatoes.

Last year, I was so excited to find them, I planted cherry tomato seeds in cardboard egg cartons a bit too early. The teenage seedlings fell over and crowded each other before it was time to put them in the garden so I transplanted them to bigger pots thinking these are "cheap" seeds, some won't make it.

By the time it was frost free, they were still all there so I shared some as Mother's Day gifts and populated my vegetable garden. I didn't name each plant but I was tempted. We'd been through a lot to get to that point; every time I picked cherry tomatoes I could taste the warmth of it not being midwinter.

There are a number of other reputable companies that offer a wider variety of seeds, and more of them. But there's nothing quite like seeing those little packets waiting to go home, holding the promise of spring.

What means spring to you?

Charlotte
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The Friendship of Books

By Charlotte on February 21, 2010 6:56 PM | No Comments

It's rained all day; now they're calling for snow - again. At least I spent part of yesterday in the garden getting ready for spring.

I plan for these days mid-summer, hunting yard sales or prowling Larry Bowen's fabulous used book store "Reader's Corner" in Rolla, MO picking up interesting books I challenge myself not to read until I'm snowbound and ready to go somewhere new.

That's one of the beauty of books; I can read a passage and see the scene in my mind's eye, relishing lush dialogue and paint strokes words leave in a paragraph. It's as easy to travel to 18th Century Paris in an art book or learn about 20th Century British gardening tips in color illustrations, all at my own pace. And I can easily turn a page and go back to see what I've missed instead of regretting not making that trip before I left.

So today was the day to take out my stash for this winter: a couple of gardening books; the story of "Rhubarb" by H.Allen Smith, a loan from a neighbor, and a charming dark brown leather-bound book I quickly tucked away in the drawer after I found it for fear I would break my promise and peek.

Settled into the sofa with a cup of tea, a blanket and a couple of cats, I opened the pages of "The Friendship of Books," dated 1911. Tears came to my eyes as I thought about all the people who almost a century ago must have prized this little publication of poems and essays about books, the chapters echoing books being "friends at home, inspirers of heart, educators of the mind, teachers in life, companions in pleasure" and "silent friendly spirits." They don't have to be many; I remember my mother telling me about my grandmother's three prized books she had growing up, reading them so often some of the page edges were worn thin and crumbled.

Today when we're all twittering and so "connected"; it's refreshing to sit back, set all troubles aside and be reminded of the wonderful, quiet friends sitting on shelves.

Back to "Rhubard," the story of a cat who inherited a baseball team...

Charlotte
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Master Gardener classes sure warm up cold winter nights

By Charlotte on February 16, 2010 8:05 AM | No Comments

It's something I've wanted to do for years.

Phelps County Master Gardener classes were offered in spring and summer, bad times for me until this year, when University of Missouri Extension scheduled classes starting in January.

I wasn't sure how well this would work; we're usually covered in ice and snow, and after a full day of Monday work the last thing I usually want to do is add another 3 hrs....(Well, it IS a Monday.)

The first delicious surprise was Phelps County Master Gardeners have a home-cooked meal waiting every session.

Then guest lecturers are knowledgeable, open and engaging, some old friends and colleagues now retired who I miss - and classmates have so much to offer themselves, from talking bees with a long time goat farmer to rain gardens with former Michigan residents trying to appreciate the charm of gardening with a pick ax.

Master Gardener classes are offered through University Missouri Extension throughout the state. If you're interested in becoming a Master Gardener, or just learning how better to garden, contact your local Extension Office for course dates. They usually also have a number of free and low fee gardening information pamphlets.

Now I find myself trying to get to class early, and it's not just because of dinner. It's fun to talk gardening in the middle of winter!

Charlotte
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Moth Orchids easy to grow - really!

By Charlotte on February 14, 2010 7:37 PM | No Comments

Almost a year ago this February, I was given a basket full of moth orchids in pots.

They were lovely - pinks, peaches, pinks and whites, even chartreuse...and I panicked, trying to think about how I would explain their most likely demise.

A year later, all 8 moth orchids are in various stages of re-bloom, in spite of several falls; missing a couple of weekends of watering, and in another case a couple of weekends of over-watering. Not to mention periodic pats on leaves and nudges to the blooms by a curious cat.

What I've learned to love about moth orchids is how easy they are to care for and how long the blooms last - literally months. And once they're through, snipping the stem at a node encourages stem regrowth.

In terms of care, few plants are easier. I water mine on Sundays with 1/2 cup of lukewarm water and periodically check for bugs and give leaves a sponge bath. I've also given them diluted orchid food every 6 weeks or so.

Resting plants sit on a window sill with southern exposure during winter; in summer they spend several months on a shaded deck where they can get rain.

When they start to bloom, I move them into a room where I can enjoy them again.

So if you received a lovely moth orchid for Valentine's Day, enjoy. These lovely plants require very little care and will give you months, and years, of enjoyment.

Charlotte
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Sale Xmas cactus in full bloom for Valentine's Day

By Charlotte on February 14, 2010 3:23 PM | No Comments

Remember seeing Christmas cactus on sale after the December holidays?

I found some on sale at a local hardware store for 75 cents each and brought a couple of them home.

Not only were they budding almost a week after I settled them in a southwest window under a corn plant, (photo) but they bloomed again for Valentine's Day, a lovely unexpected gift!

I'm periodically surprised at people who say these plants are hard to grow. There are native to Brazil so they are not winter hardy; they need dispersed direct light from a southern window and 1/2 cup of water every 2-3 days.

With the right light and watering schedule, Xmas cactus will keep blooming almost all year around and make a lovely flowering gift any time of year. The Xmas cactus flowers look like long-necked orchids.

And what an extra treat, the Xmas cactus sale pots each had three different Christmas cactus colors: pink, red and white.

Charlotte
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Bluebird Gardens Easy Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

By Charlotte on February 9, 2010 10:40 PM | No Comments

Valentines Day is a great day to tell people how special they are to you. In these tough times,

personalizing whatever you give will make the gift extra special.

Whether it's making something or buying a gift, include their name in some way so they know the gift is special and just for them. Writing poetry is a nice way to tell someone how you feel.

Better photographer? A small photo album of your photography with your heartfelt thoughts written under each photo of your valentine can be a lovely, intimate gift.

Can't afford red roses? Give something less expensive but still red. Local retail stores usually have fresh flowers at discount prices. Moth orchids make great inexpensive gifts and flower for months.

Prefer to cook? Have you tried to revise a recipe and name it after them, especially if it has their favorite ingredients? Make the dish for a meal, or surprise them with a batch of their very own cookies!

Trying to get his/her attention? Give the pet a gift, such as a handmade catnip toy or a bag of fresh, dried catnip. Make a heart pillow out of red fleece with his or her name on it. Over the years, we've made a number of custom red fleece pillows for suitors hoping to pop the question on Valentine's Day. (And yes, they were successful!)

The best gift is giving of yourself. Give a card with a certificate to volunteer to babysit, to drive someone to the movies, work for a day in the garden.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Charlotte
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