With the many areas of the country experiencing a harsh winter and heavy snow(the Northeast in particular), many people assume that their local deer are struggling to stay alive. Some homeowners will attempt to feed local deer to keep them from starving. This however is actually detrimental to the deer and can actually do more…
So we may only be a month into winter, but for many of us, our thoughts have already turned to spring. And with the spring will come planting our gardens, which is an exercise in patience; after laboring through months of cold, ice and snow, waiting further weeks or months for vegetables to sprout seems…
Apparently, an ongoing debate rages; is it best to stack firewood bark up or bark down? While Norwegians seem evenly split 50/50 on the topic, some say it is all semantics and still others are evaluating the psychology of a person based on which way their firewood is stacked, the direction of the bark really…
Winter weather extremes can be difficult for plants, wildlife and humans. Landscape plants can incur extensive damage and require appropriate care preceding, during and following an intense winter season. Damage from wildlife, browning and desiccation are the most common issues afflicting plants and trees due to winter weather. Deep snow cover in place for an…
The first record of a decorated Christmas tree was found in Riga, Latvia in 1510 where men of the local guild of merchants decorated an evergreen tree in the town square with artificial roses and then set fire to it. The next time the historical record mentions the intentional selection of trees which were subsequently brought…
Beginning on December 14th 2014 and running through January 5th 2015 the Audubon’s Annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is the longest running citizen science survey in the world. Thousands of volunteers across the country will contribute critical data on winter bird population trends. This data is entered into the database and is vital to the…
During the first frost, berries that remain on the tree will ferment producing alcohol held within the sweet fruits. When birds feed on fermented winter berries they can become intoxicated. And recent research indicates they may be getting more drunk than first thought. While most birds may get slightly tipsy from ingesting fermented berries and…
For many of us winter consists of long months filled with cold, grey days where we can only dream of warm, green spring days filled with flowers. However, there are some plants that grow indoors which brighten our lives by blooming during the holiday season. The Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) and the Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) are fall and…
The diversity of birds that breed, winter or migrate through the northeast is tremendous, somewhere around 400 species. Landscaping specifically to attract birds to your property is an interesting and fast-growing trend that provides a healthy landscape, habitat and forage for many species of birds and a diversity of flowers, fruits and greenery that have aesthetic…
The time of year is fast-approaching when many will begin bringing greenery inside to decorate for the season. There are many beautiful and fragrant choices, some last longer once harvested and some may be messier than others. The balsam fir, Abies balsamea, is a gorgeous, aromatic quintessential green conical Christmas tree option. However, almost all…
