Horticulture January 2024 Newsletter
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Bird Feeding by Kara Back
Winter snow days are just around the corner and many people have already started feeding the birds. As you remember it wasn’t too long ago when songbirds were mysteriously dying. Proper sanitation and methods of feeding can help keep disease pressure low. When you clean your bird feeder you are eliminating any birdseed that has become wet. Wet birdseed can be a suitable environment for bacteria, which can be easily ingested by a songbird. Also, cleaning your bird feeder and moving the location of it will keep feces from continually dropping in the same place.
Just as chronic wasting disease in Western Kentucky can be slowed in deer by not feeding them corn or salt; using different feeding methods for songbirds can help with the spread of diseases. Having multiple feeders in different locations can help. I personally only feed the birds during snow fall when it is more difficult to find food. Join us on Thursday, January 11th at 5:30 p.m. or Tuesday, January 23rd at 1:30 p.m. to learn how to make some birdseed “cookie” feeders to keep handy for snowy days.
Sometimes birdfeeders attract some unwanted guests. Rodents also love birdseed. Some songbirds are picky and will move aside bird seed they do not like. This birdseed will fall to the ground and be food for rodents or become contaminated and risk spreading disease to songbirds that eat it. Sunflower seeds are often the first seeds to be eaten by songbirds, so consider feeding just them to your birds to eliminate waste.
Lastly, please remember the natural way birds feed during the winter. Consider planting native plants that will provide a strong food source for the birds. This will allow the birds to be spread out as they feed. Some top flowers are: Goldenrod, Joe Pye Weed, Asters, Sunflowers, Cosmos, Black-eyed Susan's, Purple Coneflower, Zinnias, and Coreopsis.
String of Buttons by Jennifer Tungate
Crassula Perforata which is considered a succulent; also known as a String Of Buttons is a fairly fast-growing, shrubby, and sprawling succulent with stems and leaves that appear stacked on top of each other. The gray-green leaves can take on a pink hue when exposed to sufficient light.
String of Buttons is a great plant to stand the neglect often suffered with an inexperienced plant owner due to the fact that it can handle less than ideal light, water, and extreme temperatures. This is due to the fact that the plant’s native area is South Africa where it grows among the craggy flora. This plant will do better if it has plenty of indirect sunlight; if not it will lose the coloration of the plant’s foliage.
Crassula Perforata needs a well-draining mix of sand, pumice and bark or a ready made cactus mix that mimics its natural habitat. It’s not recommended to frequently repot succulents because they do not like disruption. Repot in warmer months if necessary using a slightly larger pot. Gently take the plant out of its pot, tap away the dirt and inspect for root damage. If the roots are wet, let the plant dry out for a day or two in a brighter spot with harsh light before replanting. Do not water the plant for a couple of days to give the roots time to settle.
Fungal disease and root rot may develop due to overwatering, leading to death of this versatile plant. Overwatering will cause the leaves to become mushy, and under watering will cause the leaves to shrivel. Simply soak the soil, drenching it until water runs out of the bottom of the pot. The leaves of succulents store water so be careful not to get the leaves wet when watering. This plant does not need to be watered often unless kept in more elevated temperatures.
String of Buttons makes an elegant plant for a container plant or hanging basket. This plant can be planted in the ground in the correct temperatures but needs to be protected from frost or temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. The hardiness zones for this plant are 9-12. The mature size of the String of Buttons is one to two feet tall and two to three feet wide. The String of Buttons flower during the spring and summertime, though they rarely bloom indoors. The flowers are small and inconspicuous. The plant sends out tall stems with small tubular flowers at the tips.
String of Buttons does not attract many pests with the exception of scale, spider mites, and mealybugs, all of which can be effectively eliminated with the use of neem oil. This plant can be toxic to humans and pets.
String of Buttons can be propagated by dividing the plant, stem cutting or a whole leaf. To propagate from stem cuttings, cut off a healthy stem and let the end heal before replanting, keep away from direct sunlight, and water soil every few days. In about two weeks, you will notice new roots growing and in about four to six weeks the cuttings should be fully rooted and you will see new growth for the tops or the sides of the stem.
Upcoming Events Flyers:
Busy Bloomer Garden Club
Bird Seed Cookies
Basic Plant Botany & Plant Identification
Soils
New Year, New Ideas by Karen Redford
It may seem like everything outside is like a frozen popsicle right now, but there can be good things that come from that. January is a time for new beginnings, and for a new start of something different for 2024. It’s time for New Years Resolutions, and a time to reflect on what we have done and have not done in 2023. We can look back on what worked and didn’t work out well for us. January could be a perfect time to plan new things for you and your family to do. Like Gardening! :)
If you are new to gardening this could turn out to be beneficial to your whole family. Growing your own fresh food can improve your dietary habits for the rest of the year. That might help you stay on that New Years Resolution diet that you started. My diets usually last less than 24 hours. But the vegetables you will have coming in, may help you stick to a healthier menu. Having fresh produce on a regular basis is bound to help with that.
Gardening helps also with increased activity! It gets you up and moving. It helps keep those muscles toned up. Being outside planting potatoes, instead of being a couch potato, should be good for something.
It can also reduce stress and anxiety. In turn, it will help with mental health. Who doesn’t need a little help hiding their crazy sometimes? I know I do! Digging in the dirt, chopping a few weeds, can help blow off some steam at times. This reminds me of the song, by Elevation Worship, that’s called “Graves into Gardens”. I guess we all can make gardens out of our ugly if we put our heart into making good come from bad.
Gardening can get you outside in the fresh air. It’s said that you take deeper breaths when you are outside in the fresh air. This helps allow more air in your lungs, which takes more oxygen to your brain, and into your blood supply. Which helps with brain fog! Getting outside in the sunlight also will help increase your Vitamin D levels, which most of us are deficient in.
Gardening is a great way to get the whole family involved in doing something together. Kids and grandkids can be a big help. Most kids love playing in the dirt anyway. Give them choices of their own. Let them pick certain seeds, or plants they want, or even a certain section of the garden to tend. Who knows it could actually teach them something that will benefit them for life. They need to learn how to be able to do these things for themselves. A little hard work is like a lost art these days, but it might be helpful in the future to know how to grow your own food too. Its good to pass on to the next generation. Having fresh food for them now, is bound to be healthier than all the processed food that fills the grocery store.
If you are an old pro at gardening, then try planting things you have never tried before. Go for the gusto and plant new varieties or things that you have never heard of. When I look at the seed catalog, there is definitely a lot more than just beans and potatoes to pick from. LOL!
Gardening can also help your neighbors, extended family and friends as well. How about setting out some extra plants, to help with someone you know who needs a little help. Maybe someone who’s shut in, or are just in need of food. That ex-tra plant you put out could help feed the hungry or the home-less. When you really look at it, there are a lot of benefits to throwing some seed in the dirt! Let us al be a helping hand to someone, just like all of us need a helping hand at times.
Happy New Year to each of you, and may the year of 2024 be FULL of BLESSINGS to ALL, and let us BE a BLESSING as well. HAPPY GARDENING!!
Smashed Potatoes Recipe
