It makes sense that we eat food that will keep us healthy and strong.  Why should it be any different for birds, butterflies and insects?  Therefore, if we want to encourage the birds and insects, we must provide for them.  Sure, they may eat what is provided, but they probably will go somewhere else.  An interesting thing, is that the plants that are most preferred and necessary for these animals are often less beautiful, and we may ignore them.  Mike Yanny, horticulturist at Johnson’s Nursery, discusses this in http://johnsonsnursery.com/Plant_Talk.aspx   “the main point, as I heard it, was that if we don’t have the native plants in our landscapes, we lose the native insects and animals that are associated with those plants. The non-native plants will not substitute for the native species in most cases.  The native plants will attract the various native organisms and allow them to complete their life cycles . . .If you want Monarch butterflies, you must have milkweeds.” . . .” If they (the birds) do not have the preferred food for their babies, namely the insects, they aren’t as successful rearing their young.”  To learn more, check out Bringing Nature Home by Douglas Tallamy professor of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at University of Delaware  http://www.plantanative.com/

 Designing your landscape with natives becomes a different challenge.  You are probably wanting to have full season color and texture.  Be creative.  Plant the beautiful flowers where you can see them, and then intersperse with the others that are important but less beautiful.  Or one can create a thick native plant border at the edges of your property, using it as a screen and to enclose your site.

 Take planting natives one step further and create a wildlife habitat.  You have already covered three of the four things birds and animals need –  food, a place to hide, and a place to nest.  Just add water.  There is certification for this from the National Wildlife Federation.  http://www.nwf.org/Get-Outside/Outdoor-Activities/Garden-for-Wildlife/Create-a-Habitat.aspx

 This blog just scratches the surface of  how one can use native plants.  What will your native landscape look like?

Christmas greens.  The aroma of live greens in the house.  The feelings they inspire.  I like to use them in arrangements with fresh flowers – poinsettia, but rather carnations, hypericum, and alstromeria.  Adele at A New Leaf Flowers in Madison has the knack for creating beautiful arrangements.

Our Christmas tree is really short, but covered in lights and ornaments that the kids made.  By the way, did you buy a “live tree” – one with roots – for your Christmas tree?  It’s really important to keep it cool, say on a 3-season porch, so it will grow when you plant it outside next spring.

We watch the birds.  Many of the water birds have not left for warmer climates.  I would think their feet and bellies get cold swimming.  The crows have gathered and are having a raucous time.  The hawks perched on light posts have a clear view of the field mice.

I think this says it all about December in Wisconsin: “Heap on the wood! – the wind is chill; But let it whistle as it will, We’ll keep our Christmas merry still”. – Sir Walter Scott

My best wishes for a happy holiday and a super new year.

- rain, so that perennials and shrubs grew more, faster and thicker. Flowers bloomed earlier and more profusely. Very few plants died over the winter.

- rain,  so that at the lake the pier decking is being removed and water is rising and beginning to creep into yards. We will be repairing and adding to “sea” walls to keep water out. P.S. know your local DNR codes, or work with someone who does – us.

This scene and my awakening feelings are the basis upon which my day will evolve, develop and blossom into good memories. This is the moment which I have personally designed to greet the day.  I feel fortunate that my natural surroundings create the backdrop to support these morning feelings.

Are other people are so fortunate as to have created a natural living space for their personal (morning) development?  Have they considered changing and sculpting their environment – to be happy with the start of their days?  It doesn’t take much – a place to sit, perhaps the sound of water, and plants that surround you for you to enjoy.

As part of my booth, I asked children why they thought trees were important.  The children ranged in age from 5 to about 11.  Here are some of their answers:

• Trees remind us that it’s not just us in the world, but that were sharing it.
• Provide shade for plants and animals.
• Provide homes for birds.
• Provide oxygen for us.
• Provide fruits and nuts for humans and animals to eat.
• Provide beauty.
• Provide wood if necessary.
• Provide a privacy screen.
• Make beavers happy.
• Climb.
• Trees are good for keeping us in balance and cleaning the air we breathe.
• Shade.
• They take CO2 out of the atmosphere.  They put Oxygen into the air, and they make our planet look pretty.
• They are the lungs of the earth !!
• Trees are for birds to live in.
• Trees can make shushing noise when the wind blows.

Neat, yes?

Have you seen the magnolias blooming?  WOW!  Seems as if they waited until the sleet had finished.  I bet the flowers will hang on for about two weeks.  Enjoy these beautiful days – even the rain.

If the thatch is really thick, or the ground is compacted, consider aerating your lawn. By next weekend we should be ready. Aeration should be done in spring just before grass begins to grow rapidly. An aerator pulls out small plugs 1 to 6 inches deep of soil and grass roots.

For detailed how to information on lawn aeration, go to http://www.bladeslawncare.com/mowers/lawnaeration.html

You can rent a power aerator from companies like A to Z Rent-all. Look for a core aerator which will give you the most benefits.

Now that you have created “plugs” and holes in the soil, use a rake to break up the pieces. Then apply a pre-emergence herbicide to prevent weeds, and especially crabgrass, from germinating. One of the best and most eco-friendly products is Corn Gluten. Corn Gluten is effective, but is not as effective/strong as herbicides for the same use. HOWEVER, it will not harm your children or pets. It acts as both a pre-emergent and a fertilizer. It is not a problem if it gets into a lake. AND it will make you feel good and green to use it.

Purchase Corn Gluten from the Monona (Wisconsin) Elementary PTO at their spring sale and fundraiser. Purchasing here is for two good causes — the children and your lawn.:
“WHAT IS CORN GLUTEN? Corn Gluten is applied to the lawn to prevent the germination of weeds. Corn Gluten is the powdery substance that is a byproduct of milling corn. It is often used as a supplement in hog feed. This natural protein is very effective for lawns and gardens as a plant food as well as a weed suppressor. Corn gluten meal products offer a non-toxic alternative to traditional, chemical based weed and feed products.
TIPS FOR USING CORN GLUTEN Corn gluten can be used twice a year for pre-emergent weeds and as a natural fertilizer.
FALL APPLICATION: It can be used as a fall fertilizer up until mid October.
SPRING APPLICATION: To minimize the appearance in your lawn of annual crabgrass and dandelions, it is best to spread corn gluten during the month of April, ideally before the Forsythia blooms.

Spreading the corn gluten is easy. You can do it by hand or use a spreader to apply it. Spread the gluten when it is dry and not raining. The gluten comes in 50 pound bags. Spread it at the rate of 20 pounds per 1000 sq.ft. The average Monona lawn front and back would use about 2 bags. One of the larger lawns on the lake may use three to four bags.”
Order, and spread, your corn gluten now. Contact Patty at patty.s@charter.net who is the contact for the Monona Elementary PTO. A 50 pound bag costs $22 dollars.
The corn gluten will be delivered there the following week. Patty will send an e-mail for the exact date and time, so please make sure to include your email address. Submit your order through her with checks made out to the “Monona Elementary PTO”.

What worked? What didn’t? What will you move in the spring? Where are the holes you’ll need to fill in? How has your life changed – or the way you use your yard changed – that will result in additions and deletions to your landscape? The new catalogs begin arriving in late January and a few notes now will go a long way!

When we have a bit more snow cover, notice the paths the rabbits and squirrels take through the snow. Where are they hiding? Do you want to provide food and water for them and for the birds? At the BOD residence, we keep our waterfall running as long into the winter as we can. Rabbit (the one who lives under our deck) knows this and has been looking for the flowing water under the snow.

Write a few notes and send them to me for safekeeping, and then put your garden firmly to bed until after the holidays!

Stay warm!  Jane

WI Christmas Tree Growers Help Deliver Christmas Spirit to Troop Families

Trees for Troops program will deliver Real Christmas Trees for the fourth consecutive year.

Wisconsin Christmas tree farmers are donating Real Christmas Trees as part of the nationwide Trees for Troops program, sponsored by Wisconsin Christmas Tree Producers Association, the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation and FedEx Corp.

This holiday season, Trees for Troops is expected to collect and deliver more than 16,000 Real Christmas Trees from 29 states to military families across the United States, as well as to soldiers serving overseas. Consumers will also have the opportunity to purchase trees to donate to the program at FedEx trailer drop locations across the nation.

The Trees for Troops program was launched in 2005, and with the help of FedEx Corp., delivered more than 4,300 Christmas Trees to five U.S. military bases, as well as an overseas shipment to the Middle East. Since 2005, the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation and FedEx have delivered over 34,000 Real Trees to military families at over 40 bases in 17 countries and FedEx has driven over 90,000 over-the-road miles to deliver trees to deserving military families.

The collection and delivery of trees will take place from the end of November through December.  Consumers may make contributions to the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation at www.ChristmasSPIRITFoundation.org.  More information is also available at www.TreesforTroops.org.

A note from BOD:  The Trees for Troops weekend in WI was Dec 5-7th but there is still time to donate much needed money to get the trees to our troops.

This winter help your kids create play areas in your yard. Enjoy fun times – outdoors!

Snow Angels:  There is nothing more charming than a yard decorated with snow angels.  Creating snow angels is a great way to burn off “kid energy” prior to your holiday festivities or to build an appetite for your holiday feast!

If it’s been awhile since you created a snow angel, we have a few tips and tricks for you. 

First, find a patch of snow that is large enough for your entire body.  Carefully lay back in the snow, with your arms and legs outstretched.  Move your arms back and forth across the snow, keeping them straight.  As you are doing this, move your legs in and out. Slowly and carefully get up. It helps if you have another person near that can help you.  Stand back and admire your beautiful snow angel!  If you’re a perfectionist, you can brush out your footsteps with a small broom.

Variations: Add Santa’s sled tracks with 2×4’s.

Snow fort:
Be the envy of your neighborhood with the biggest fort on the block.  All you need is a square or rectangular Tupperware container filled with “wet” snow.  Pack the snow firmly into the container until you have a strong, sturdy snow brick.  Stack the bricks on top of each other to form walls.  Keep making them until the walls are as high as you want.  Use additional snow to fill in the cracks in between the snow blocks – a mortar of sorts.

If it’s cold enough outside, gently pour cool water onto the snow bricks.  This will help your wall to ice over and last longer.  Layer your bricks with more snow after you’ve done this.  You can even use longer branches – preferably evergreens for their insulating properties – twined together as a roof.  We guarantee that making the snow fort will be just as much fun as playing in it!

For the truly ambitious: Make a backyard skating pond
Wayne Dawe gives great instructions which we’ve excerpted here:

There are two major techniques for building a backyard ice rink, the traditional method and the high-tech method.  Both methods require you to find a relatively flat spot to place the rink and to tromp down the snow in the area where you want the rink.

In the high-tech method, you then ring the area with scrap 2x4s and use a large plastic sheet as a liner, like a tarp.  Fill the plastic sheet with an inch or two of water, and, if you have a suitably cold night, the next day you have a rink.  It’s important not to use the cheap black plastic or you’ll have no grass at all next spring.

The more traditional method requires you to spray the tromped down snow base that you prepared above with water over a few days to “seal” it.  It’s important that you also make some banks around the future ice surface and spray these with water so that you have something to hold the water in when you start adding more volume.

Important notes:  Kids are small.  The rink doesn’t need to take up your whole backyard…it can be the size of a playground sandbox.  Don’t try to make a backyard rink unless you’re sure of below-freezing weather.  And it works much better if you spray or flood your rink at night so you’re not fighting against the sun.

Last but not least – (our favorite winter memory):
Before the outdoor clothes are wet and the kids are cold and it’s time to come inside, prepare mugs of hot chocolate. We found 20 phenomenal recipes to share with you, including several that will stay warm in the slow cooker.

We hope you have a great holiday weekend and we’ll be back next week with another great tip.