Copyright 0 2005 Tammy ClaytonThis brightly colored bird has always been a romantic symbol for their unusual coloring as well as their gentle loving nature. In Victorian times, they were a common artful addition to romantic floral artwork on greeting cards and calling cards. Today, it is a rare thing to see a Bluebird flitting about.The Bluebird is a native American. When European colonists originally settled this land, they had been here for thousands of years. It is believed that when the virgin forest on the east coast was in the first stages of being cleared, the Bluebird flourished and became more abundant. Its original adversary the Wren also became more plentiful right along with them though. The Wren is far more aggressive that the Bluebird and searches for a very similar type of abode. So as both species multiplied, the wrens made it hard for the Bluebird to make a home unless it faced due east.Two events in history caused the dwindling of our brilliant blue native0s numbers. The ships that carried the influx of human immigrants to our shores in 1851 and 1890 also gave passage to two feathered immigrants from Europe; the House Sparrow and the Starling. […]
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Are your making mountains out of your molehills? Although lawn moles are underground creatures, the benefits they add to your garden are clearly visible and far outweigh the disadvantages.Of the six species of mole found in North America, the Eastern mole (or gray mole) is the most common. Moles are about the size of chipmunks and weigh from three to six ounces. A tiny creature, its total length is just six to eight inches.Many gardeners and groundskeepers are under the mistaken impression that lawn moles eat the roots of their plants and turf grasses. However, moles are insectivores. Their primary diet is earthworms and grubs and a single mole can eat more than 140 grubs and cutworms daily. They also feast on destructive garden pests like snails, beetles, and millipedes. In fact, at just over a quarter-pound, a mole can consume 45 to 50 pounds of worms and insects each year. The greatest harm that mole tunneling does to turf grass is by separating soil from roots. Still, the mole0s digging actually improves soil quality by turning and aerating the soil and mixing accumulated nutrients throughout the excavation. Moles don0t continually dig each time they forage for food. Once a […]
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Are Your Geraniums Turning Yellow?The geranium, like any other garden plant, needs proper care to flourish. Planting in a sunny spot, making sure the plant gets enough water and fertilizer and checking for disease and pests will help your plant to be healthy. One problem with geraniums is that they can turn yellow, wilt and drop leaves. Here0s some things to check for if this happens to your plant.1. If your geranium is in a planter, it could be that the plant has outgrown the container. Make sure the pot is big enough and if it looks like the plant is outgrowing it, then transplant into a bigger pot. Make sure the container has adequate drainage and that you water once a week or as needed in hot weather.2. Check for disease. Some disease include:Leaf Spot - leaves fall off after becoming spotted.Remove infected leaves, water with a soaker so as to avoid getting water on plant.Rust - rusty looking spots, plant turns yellowTreat with fungicidal spray.Dropsy - mostly a problem with indoor plants that show lesionsDon0t water the plant so much and put it in the sunniest spot you can find.3. Look for pests such as caterpillars, flys, […]
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