Fall Garden Tips
Save some time cleaning up your garden and yard this fall, and help visiting wildlife find food and shelter in the coming winter.
1. Winter Refuge: Cover and Protection for birds is important. Use scrap wood to make brush piles. Place large limbs first to create open areas under added layers of branches. Also recycle the Christmas tree by propping or laying it close to a food or water source.  Dense thickets of brambles or hollies offer cover from weather and predators. 2. Food from the Garden: Save yourself time in the flowerbed by NOT dead-heading flowers. Birds will feed on the seeds of flower heads such as coneflowers, tall marigolds, zinnias, cosmos, coreopsis and sunflowers. Leaving the plant material for the winter also provides protection for birds. 3. Additional Food: Place various types of feeders and food in your yard. Birds will not only dine on the food you offer, but will also find over wintering garden pests quite tasty. Chickadees love over-wintering aphids. 4.Water: Place a shallow water dish two inches deep near bushes or overhanging branches. A slow dripping noise will help attract birds.   5. Leaf Litter:Use your mower to mulch leaves in an area where you can leave them. The leaves will attract insects and provide food for foraging birds. Or place the leaves right in the garden to compost so that you will not have to move the decayed “brown gold.” You can easily turn in or mulch with the composted leaves right on the spot. 6. Dead Branches:Save time by not pruning all dead branches. Birds like to perch and view an area before sampling food and water. Besides, it is easier to see birds next summer if you have a few branches without leaves. 7. Wind: Use plants or fences to create a south-facing windbreak. The sun’s warmth and protection from the wind will attract birds to the shelter. 8. Avoid Systemics: It’s worth repeating.  DON'T use systemic pesticides such as Dimethoate, which can poison birds eating the berries. Instead, try hosing off the plant and then use an insecticidal soap or superior oil. 9. Trees:  Save time by letting a dead tree that does not threaten your home stand in your naturescape. Woodpeckers will be attracted and soon holes will be created for natural birdhouses. 10. Exposed Soil: Save time by not reseeding bare patches of soil near shrubs.  Birds scratch for insects and tiny pebbles for their crops.

BERRIES FOR BIRDS

During the cold winter days, think spring and start to plan your landscape or naturescape. How can you restore and enhance what nature once put in your yard? Focus on your own backyard to help give plants and wildlife a fighting chance. It is “in vogue” to GO NATIVE. Native species are better adapted to local soils and climates. Natives require less water, fertilizer and pest control. Let plants grow naturally and create a controlled untidiness in your naturescape. Plant trees and shrubs which offer food and protection for birds. Birds need a constant and varied food source. So plant a variety of early and late blooming flowering plants for a steady food supply. The plants also attract insects for spring and fall migrants to feed on as well. Here is a short but powerful native tree and shrub list for northeast zones 5-7. Remember to plant in groups for best food production, protection, and graceful design. Have fun and create a very berry bird attraction!
 

TREES	SHRUBS
Dogwood Eastern red cedar Black cherry Hackberry Hawthorn American holly Maple Oak Ash Willow Mulberry Tulip tree	Sweet pepperbush Highbush blueberry Elderberry Virginia sweetspire Arrowwood vibernum Chokeberry American highbush cranberry Winterberry Vibernum sieboldie Serviceberry Wayfaring (nannyberry) vibernum Blackhaw (Juneberry) vibernum