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2. Winter Bird Feeding
By Don Janssen
, UNL Extension Educator
A great pastime during the winter is bird watching. The trees have lost their leaves, new species have migrated into our area, and there just isn’t that much to do outdoors. So let’s watch birds.
One of the best ways to get birds to come to us is to place a bird feeder at a good viewing distance from our home, with protection nearby for the birds. So how do we do that? Check out the attached web site for details.
Backyard Wildlife: Feeding Birds, http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/wildlife/g669.htm
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3. Birds Need Water In Winter
By Sarah Browning, UNL Extension Educator
Water in a birdbath, small backyard pool or pond attracts birds and supplies water needed for drinking and bathing.
Although in winter some birds may get water from snow, snowmelt is chilling. Heated birdbaths can be especially important to birds during winter months, when little unfrozen moisture is available.
Choose a birdbath that isn’t too deep. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the best birdbaths mimic rain puddles- shallow and with gradually sloping sides. This makes it easy for birds to wade into the water. A maximum depth of no more than two inches is ideal. Look for a birdbath made of tough plastic so it won’t crack and is easy to clean. And remember to keep your birdbath clean and the water fresh.
Birds seem to prefer birdbaths placed at ground level, but if you are concerned about neighborhood cats you can raise the bath 2-3 feet above the ground. Place clean sand or gravel in the bottom of the basin to give birds a sure footing. Arrange a few perches in the birdbath, using small branches or stones. These give birds a place to perch and drink without getting wet, and are especially important during winter.
If possible, place your birdbath near trees or shrubs, giving birds a place to hide if predators show up. Birds with feathers wet from bathing don’t fly well, so woody shrubs offer a place to sit and preen until their feathers dry off.
Heated birdbaths come in a variety of styles, including those on pedestal bases and some that attach to deck or porch railings. Each has a built-in heating element that is thermostatically controlled to keep the water temperature above freezing. Heated pedestal birdbaths have an extension cord running up out of sight through the center of the pedestal while mounted birdbaths have the cord tucked under the bowl. Removable, immersion heaters can be added to existing, unheated birdbaths to keep the water from freezing. Or a lightbulb placed in a flowerpot beneath an unheated birdbath will provide more than enough heat to keep the water from freezing.
Finally, the sight and sound of moving water is irresistible to many birds. Birdbath drippers are a new innovation meant to attract even more birds to your bath. Commercial drippers or sprayers are available, or you can make your own. Simple punch a small hole is a plastic container, such as a liter soda bottle, and hang it so that the water drips into your birdbath.
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4. All About Birds- Cornell Lab of Ornithology
By Sarah Browning, UNL Extension Educator
Looking for a great web site with information about birds? Well, check out ‘All About Birds’ from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
It includes information on bird identification, a detailed section on individual bird species, suggestions for attracting birds, building birdhouses and landscaping to create habitat. A great reference for backyard birders!
Cornell Lab of Ornithology,
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/programs/AllAboutBirds/
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5. Shelter For Wildlife
By Don Janssen, UNL Extension Educator
What does wildlife need? They need food, water, and cover. Whether in your backyard or on a sizable acreage, these three requirements for life must be provided to attract and hold wildlife. If one is missing, an animal will not be able to take up residence on or around your property. Of the three, cover is the one that is most often overlooked.
Below are web sites giving information on how build wildlife shelter:
Building Shelter For Wildlife, http://www.sfws.auburn.edu/extension/Publications/ANR785.htm
Rabbitat: Brush Piles For Wildlife, http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/wildlife/publ/rabitat.pdf
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6. Homes for Wildlife- Bird, Bat & Butterfly Houses and Squirrel Den Boxes
By Don Janssen and John Wilson, UNL Extension Educators
A great activity for the winter is building houses for birds, bats or butterflies and squirrel den boxes. They are made from many different materials and come in all sizes and shapes. Some of the dimensions for construction of birdhouses are important such as entrance and inner cavity size. Location and placement may also be important to some wildlife species.
Most people understand the advantages of attracting birds and butterflies to their property, but there still exist many common misconceptions about bats. Actually, these friendly
flying mammals can assist efforts to keep mosquitos and other flying
insects under control. They are fun to watch as they swoop through the
twilight sky. Watching their graceful darting forms
zigging over your yard against the last ruby light of a summer sunset, is a pleasure for knowledgeble homeowners. Okay,
so you might scoff at this attempt to romanticize a yard full of bats, but it sure beats swatting mosquitoes!
Bat Conservation International (BCI) has some helpful hints on building bat houses. This organization promotes
understanding and protection of bats through publications and products. If
you want more information on bats, including an article on building bat
houses, visit the BCI web site at www.batcon.org.
The following publications give guidelines for building several different types of wildlife houses:
Basic Survival Needs, http://www.birdnature.com/survival.html
Build a Bird House, http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/tools/birdhous/birdhous.htm
Build a Bat House, http://lancaster.unl.edu/enviro/pest/factsheets/265-95.htm
Butterfly Houses, http://butterflywebsite.com/farming/house.htm
Den Boxes for Squirrels, http://www.ces.purdue.edu/extmedia/FNR/FNR-95.html
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7. More Harm Than Good- Winter Feeding of Deer
By Don Janssen, UNL Extension Educator
Feeding wildlife during winter when the snow is deep and the temperatures are very cold seems like the thing to do. But State Game Divisions across the nation feel supplemental winter feeding is not a good thing. In fact they feel it can be a very bad thing. Even with the many deer we have in Nebraska it is best to let them make their own way.
Below is a web site giving the reasons why you should not feed deer:
More Harm Than Good, http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Wildlife_Journal/WJ_sample_stories/WJ_f01_More_Harm.pdf
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8. Wildlife Damage Control
By Don Janssen, UNL Extension Educator
When you attract wildlife to your property you may get to much of a good thing. Wildlife damage control may be needed. Below is a website devoted to wildlife damage control in Nebraska. Check it out for some good information.
Wildlife Damage Control, http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/wildlife/
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9. Windbreak Repair
By Don Janssen, UNL Extension Educator
The pine wilt disease is devastating many windbreaks in southeast Nebraska. The loss of windbreak trees is being felt on winter days especially those accompanied by blowing snow. If your windbreak is suffering from decline consider renovating it. Below is a web site for a NebGuide focusing on windbreak repair and future good health and function.
Windbreak Maintenance & Renovation, http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/forestry/g923.htm
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10. Fruiting In Plants- When Two Plants Are Needed For Success
By Kelly Feehan, UNL Extension Educator
It's time to make landscape and garden plans. If you select a plant specifically for its ornamental or edible fruit, it will be important to know if one or two plants are needed for fruit to develop and if the plants are self-fruitful.
Some plants are male or female. Such plants are called dioecious, meaning two houses. Male plants have staminate flowers which have stamens and pollen. Female plants have pistillate flowers which have ovaries that develop into fruit when pollinated.
Examples of dioecious plants grown for their ornamental fruit are bittersweet, holly, pyracantha, clove currant and sumac. Of the edible fruits, hardy kiwi and persimmons are dioecious. For fruit production to occur, both a male and a female plant need to be planted within reasonable distance of one another.
Some dioecious plants are selected because they do not bear any fruit. Examples are cottonwood, honeylocust, mulberry, ash and gingko. Seedless varieties of these trees are male plants whose flowers bear pollen, but no fruit.
Plants that bear male and female flowers on the same plant are called monecious, meaning one house. Monecious plants either have perfect flowers which contain stamens and pistils within the same flower; or imperfect flowers which are have either stamens or pistils, but not both.
Monecious plants, for the most part, are self fertile and two separate plants are not required for pollination and fruit production to occur.
Some monecious plants, like fruit trees, are self-unfruitful. When planning fruit tree plantings of apple, pear, sweet cherry and plum, two varieties are recommended for planting to increase pollination and fruit set.
Plant at least two varieties of apple trees near one another. Haralson and Golden Delicious, self-fruitful types, are two of the few exceptions to this rule. Poor pollen-producing types, such as Red Delicious, Grimes Golden, Jonagold, and Winesap, need to be planted with at least two other varieties to insure adequate pollination.
Of the sweet cherries, Starkrimson and Yellow Glass or Gold are self-fruitful. Bing, Lambert, and Napolean (Royal Ann) cherry trees do not pollinate one another. Plant a pollinating variety such as Black Tartarian or Republican, Stella, Van, or a sour cherry such as Montmorency nearby.
Many varieties of pears are completely or partially self-unfruitful. For adequate pollination, plant at least two varieties together. Be aware Bartlett and Seckel pears will not pollinate each other, and Magness cannot be used as a pollinator.
Stanley and Green Gage plums are self-fruitful, but most varieties of Japanese and American plums are self-unfruitful, so plant two or more varieties together.
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11. Frequently Asked Questions for Winter
Landscapes & Houseplants
By John Fech, UNL Extension Educator
Question- What should I do for my newly planted trees this winter?
Answer- Consider if they entered the winter well-watered. If they did not,
water on days with temperatures in the 40's and above to make sure the
roots don't dry out. Also, lean a light colored board against the
southwest side of the tree trunk to prevent sunscald.
Question- I saw some of my newly planted coral bells heave out of the ground
already. Should I worry?
Answer- Don't be too concerned, dump about a bushel basket full of wood chips or
pine needles over it to reduce winter damage. If the weather is in the
50's for a week or so, consider loosening the soil and replanting it.
Question- How can I prevent my holly and boxwood from browning out this winter?
Answer- Apply an anti-transpirant/anti-dessicant such as Wilt-Pruf or Dwax or
Foliocote monthly now through April. Apply it on warm days above freezing,
so that it can dry on the leaves without freezing.
Question- Can I re-bloom my poinsettia or should I just toss it out?
Answer- Sure, re-bloom it. After Christmas, simply grow it as a houseplant.
Move it outdoors on the patio for the summer. In September, start limiting
the amount of light the plant receives – no more than 12 hours each day.
It should start turning color in mid November.
Question- Why do my houseplants get so long and spindly in winter?
Answer- Lack of light. Install grow lights, or if you don't want to spend the
money, ordinary shop lights will suffice. Place the bulbs about 12 inches
away from the leaves.
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12. Why Septic Systems Don’t Freeze in the Winter
Sharon Skipton, UNL Extension Educator and Jan Hygnstrom, UNL Biological Systems Engineering
Septic tanks and drainfields are typically installed fairly shallow. Have you every wondered about, or worried that yours would freeze up in our cold Nebraska weather? Water freezes at 32 degrees, of course. But sewage contains nitrogen and other components which affect the freezing point. In addition, the bacteria at work in a properly functioning septic system tend to provide resistance to freezing. The end result is that properly designed, installed, and maintained septic systems that are receiving sewage on a regular basis are not likely to freeze.
Information from “Pumper” October, 2005.
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13. Winter Deicing Agents
By Don Janssen, UNL Extension Educator
Slick sidewalks and roads are hazardous. Removing compacted snow and ice with shovels or snow blowers is not always an easy task. Deicers can help by "undercutting," or loosening the snow or ice because they lower the freezing point of water.
Check out the attached web site for important information about materials used to help keep your sidewalks and driveways safe.
Winter Deicing Agents For The Homeowner, http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/horticulture/g1121.htm
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