image from Youtube.com>Johnny A

       ​    How are all of you are doing getting ready for the Christmas holiday?  I along with 5 other adults took our Sunday School class caroling to the care center and assisted living on Saturday.  We had 9 young men along with a 4 year little girl.  Boys range from 2 grade to 7th grade so it was awesome.  So proud how they acted and they were great with the ones we sang to.  That is what Christmas is all about.  Boys all enjoy it and they felt the same way with the Christmas spirit.  Hope all of you have that same Christmas spirit as that is what it is all about,birth of Christ and sharing the news.  Here is an easy Christmas house plant to grow.  This one I have never grown.  So let us know if you do?  Thanks  
 
Cyclamens (Cyclamen persicum) are attractive, easy-care houseplants that will bloom continuously throughout the winter months. They are a unique alternative to the traditional holiday poinsettia.
 
C. persicum have brightly colored flowers of white, red, or pink suspended above attractive, heart-shaped leaves on slender stems. Some people think they resemble butterflies in flight!
When selecting this winter-blooming houseplant, choose one with lots of buds that are just starting to open and sturdy, succulent leaves.
Cyclamens will bloom near the Christmas season and continue blossoming for two to three months.
 
Cyclamen Plant Care
The most important things to know about cyclamen plant care is to give these houseplants bright, indirect light, fresh air, good humidity, and moist soil without keeping the tuber so wet that it rots.
•Place plant in an east window or a southern exposure. Day temperatures of 60°F to 65°F and nights at 50° to 55°F are ideal. Do not let temperatures get about 70 degrees or the plant will think it’s time to go dormant.
•To keep the plant moist, water cyclamen thoroughly when the soil looks and feels dry on the surface, however, avoid watering the leaves or tubers in the center, which may rot if it remains too wet. A safer method is to place each pot in a saucer of water for about five minutes, or until the soil is uniformly moist.
•Half strength fertilizer is best, or you will get mostly leaves with few flowers. Use a half-strength portion of liquid houseplant fertilizer every two weeks while plant is in bloom.
•As each flower fades, remove the entire flower stalk from where it attaches to the tuber by giving it a sharp tug. New flowers will emerge from one of the many buds waiting just below the foliage.
 
After Cyclamens Stop Blooming
Some folks just treat cyclamens as disposably holiday plants, similar to poinsettia. If you wish to keep your cyclamens growing, here are tips:
•In early spring, cyclamens stop blooming; leaves will turn yellow as the plants go dormant. Gradually reduce water until June and pick off the dead leaves. Set the plants outside in partial shade, and water and feed regularly. Do not wet the center of the plant.
•In early June, stop watering altogether and expose the corms to full sun.
•At the end of July; then begin watering again. When the corms begin to develop young leaves, replant in a larger pot.
•Bring them back inside in early fall. They will usually start producing new leaves and flower buds soon, and you will have recycled your cyclamens!
taken from https://www.almanac.com/content/cyclamens-christmas-houseplant
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net

image from www.wikihow.com

      ​ 
Why You Should Clean the Leaves of Houseplants
 
 By Marie Iannotti  Marie Iannotti is an author, photographer, and speaker with 27 years of experience as a Cornell Cooperative Extension Horticulture Educator and Master Gardener
   
Plants grow in soil, so why bother keeping it off their leaves? As anyone who has gone away for two weeks knows, it doesn’t take long for dust to accumulate. A layer of dust on the leaves of houseplants will block sunlight and reduce the plant’s ability to photosynthesize. Photosynthesis is how the plant feeds itself.
 
Fun Fact
 clean plant that’s photosynthesizing at optimal levels will be a healthier plant and healthy plants don’t get diseases and pest infestations.
 
So periodically cleaning the leaves of your houseplants actually, makes less work for you in the long run. And it will make your home look better.
 
Frequency 
That really depends on how much dust is in your air. Folks with dirt roads, construction, and a lot of wind will need to clean their houseplants more often. The best way to tell if a plant needs cleaning is to rub your fingers on the leaves. If you can feel or see dust more dust than you can blow off the leaves, it’s time to clean.
 
 Instructions 
When it comes to cleaning your houseplants, there are several ways you can go about doing so. Some of the options include the following:
 
Spray
The easiest method for cleaning houseplants is to move them to the kitchen sink or shower and hose them off. Test the water before spraying to make sure it is lukewarm. Both hot and cold water can injure the plant’s leaves. If your plants are really grimy, you can spray them with a dilute soapy water mixture and then hose them off. Use about 1/4 tablespoon dish soap per one quart of water. Small plants that can’t handle the force of a spray can be cleaned by holding the base of the plant at soil level, inverting it into a bucket of water, and swishing the leaves about. Watering the soil beforehand will help prevent the soil from falling out when the pot is inverted. You could also wrap plastic wrap around the base of the plant to contain the soil while cleaning. Again, be sure to use lukewarm water. Let the plants drip dry before moving them back.
Wipe Leaves
For plants that are too large to move, you can simply wipe the leaves off with a damp cloth. After the initial cleaning, you can help keep dust from building up on the leaves by using a soft duster on them whenever you dust your house.
 
Brush Softly
Some plants have sticky or fuzzy leaves that just don’t lend themselves to easy cleaning. And in the case of plants such as African violets that don’t like getting their leaves wet, neither spraying or wiping is the answer. For fuzzy-leaved plants, use a soft brush such as a mushroom brush to very gently coax the dust from the leaves.
 
Trim
While washing plants, it's easy to further tidy them up by getting rid of their dead, brown, or yellowing leaves. If the leaf falls loose easily, remove it by hand. Otherwise, use scissors. Never pull resistant leaves of a plant, and only prune away just the browned leaf tips from plants that were left too dry. The plant will look more natural if you follow the natural contour of the leaves when cutting.
 
Clean the Pot
After putting in all this effort for cleaning your plants, why not ensure that the pots are in shape too? If salt or minerals have formed a white layer on the outside or rim of your flower pot, remove the plant, and thoroughly clean the pot. Wash the pot with a dilute bleach solution of one part bleach to 10 parts water. Scrub all the salt residue with a stiff brush, and rinse the pot well before repotting your plant. Prevent future buildup on pots by periodically flushing the soil in the pots.
 
Initially, it might sound like a lot of work to keep houseplants clean, but an occasional cleaning is not really that much effort, and it will keep your houseplants looking and growing better.
taken from https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-clean-houseplant-leaves-
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net

image from en.wikipedia.org

      ​     I have some really nice spider plants as I had them outside this year.  I will try and bring one over to the house and see if I can keep it growing.  I have the carnivourious plants here now with a grow light.  They are growing so this is good.  I have a hard time with house plants. Give me the greenhouse anytime and I can grow.
 
Spider plants produce a rosette of long, thin, arched foliage that is solid green or variegated with white. These easy-to-grow houseplants look especially nice in a hanging basket and were a favorite in Victorian-era households. Here’s how to grow spider plants in your home!
 
During the summer, spider plants may produce tiny white flowers on long stems, as well as baby spider plants (offsets) called “pups.” The pups look like tiny spiders, hence the plant’s name!
 
Spider plants were once highlighted by NASA for their reported air-purifying ability, though a large amount of plants would be required to reap any benefits in the home. Nonetheless, they are a classic and attractive plant to add to your space.
 
Planting
•Grow in a soil-based, well-draining potting mix. Spider plants like even moisture; they don’t like to be too dry or too wet.
•Keep plants in bright to moderate indirect sunlight. Spider plants do not appreciate direct, hot sunlight, which can burn their leaves, causing brown tips and spots.
•Spider plants grow fairly quickly and can easily become pot bound. Plan to repot a spider plant about every other year.
•Spider plants can be grown outdoors as annuals during the summer. They look especially good along the edge of a container or bed, as long as they are kept out of direct sunlight.
 
Care
•During initial growth, water occasionally; once fully developed (within one year), water moderately.
•In the spring and summer months, keep the soil moist to encourage growth. Do not let soil dry out too much.
•Maintain average room temperature and humidity. Spider plants prefer temperatures between 55 and 80°F (13–27°C), which makes them a great indoor houseplant.
•Fertilize up to twice a month in the spring and summer, however, avoid overfertilization.
 
Pests/Diseases
•Spider plants are prone to tip burn, which can be caused by dry soil, low humidity, or a buildup of salt and chemicals that are found in some public tap water. Keep the soil slightly moist. Avoid watering with fluoridated or chlorinated water and cut off brown tips if they do occur.
•To get rid of the brown discs on leaves, use your fingernail to scrape off the brown residue every few days.
•Mealybugs
•Scale
 
Harvest/Storage
•Healthy spider plants may eventually produce “pups,” which are offshoots from the adult plant that can be removed and replanted to start new plants. For the best results, allow pups to reach approximately two inches in diameter before removing them from the mother plant. 
Alternatively, set the still-attached pups into pots of soil placed next to the mother plant. Once the pups have rooted themselves to the soil, they can be cut loose from the mother plant.
 
Recommended Varieties
•The most common varieties are the variegated forms: ◦‘Vittatum’ has green foliage with a single off-white stripe down the center of each leaf.
◦‘Variegatum’ is the inverse of ‘Vittatum’, with an off-white stripe running along the edge of each green leaf.
•Solid green varieties are also available.
 
Wit & Wisdom
•Spider plants also go by the names “airplane plant,” “ribbon plant,” and “spider ivy.”
•Spider plants are originally from South Africa.
•Keep spider plants on your desk to reduce indoor pollutants.
taken from https://www.almanac.com/plant/spider-plants
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net

image from mandycanudigit.com

      ​    Here is an example of the reading I am doing this time of year.  I need to get the orders in for next year so doing lots of research.  What do you think about these not so mainstream annuals? 
 
9 Not-So-Mainstream Annuals to Consider for 2020 - Greenhouse Grower 
By Allan Armitage
 
Sometimes when I am wandering around gardens and retail outlets, I notice something quite ironic. It appears that the more we breed, the less we have. There are a ton of fabulous annuals out there, but the trend in the last 10 years seems to be less, not more, choice than ever before.
 
I don’t mean there are fewer cultivars of petunia or calibrachoa (good grief, they could pave the streets of New York). No, there just seems to be fewer Alternantheras, Evolvulus, Iresine, or Aptenia out there. Of course, the fact that landscapers/gardeners don’t know what they are, and therefore don’t buy them, keeps them off the shelves.
 
Or might it be the other way around? It may be that calibrachoas and petunias are simply the greatest plants on earth, and no one needs anything different. Perhaps the market is clamoring for even more annuals like zinnias, begonias, and snapdragons. Or not.
 
As for me, here are a few annuals we should see more of, some I have no doubt will become mainstream, others might get lost in the shuffle. I just hope I will find them at retail somewhere next spring.
 
Basil ‘Amazel’
Basil is certainly not difficult to find on retail shelves, but letting people know that this one is more downy mildew-resistant than most others is a reason to label this boldly.
 
Bidens ‘Taka Tuka Red with Yellow Center’
Bidens tries like crazy to be mainstream and without a doubt the breeding in the last 10 years has been quite amazing. Unfortunately, only the old yellow basket forms seem to break through. This is one of the best annuals for containers, and for me, what’s not to like about Taka Tuka?
 
Brassica ‘Miz America’
Mustards, kale, and even Brussels sprouts have a place in the ornamental mix. Mustards in particular put up with both cold and warm temperatures and can be used in some locales throughout the season. The purple foliage of ‘Miz America’ complements so many other plants in the landscape. The foodscaping phenomenon is real, so let’s take advantage of this millennial trend.
 
Capsicum Sambar Series
It’s hard to argue for Brussels sprouts when ornamental peppers are so outstanding. I am seeing more of these every year; I even bought some that my deer enjoyed. Their colors are fabulous, and they continue to flower and fruit throughout the season. The Sambar series is stunning. It provides more fodder for the foodscapers.
 
Cuphea ‘Pink Shimmer’
The cupheas are always on the cusp of breaking through. At least one cultivar is introduced every other year. They are tough, colorful, and even cute. ‘Pink Shimmer’ has caught my eye as an excellent choice for containers and baskets.
 
Echibeckia ‘Summerina Sizzling Sunset’
I still don’t know what to think about this group of plants. People scoffed, turned their noses up and tried to ignore them, but they don’t seem to be going away. They can compete with anything for color, and at retail, they should be instant stars. I must be loitering around the wrong retailers, as I simply don’t see them. I would be a scoffer, but ‘Summerina Sizzling Sunset’ even tolerated our hot, miserable summer and came away with a blue ribbon for performance in the University of Georgia Trial Gardens. I am becoming a believer.
 
Erysimum ‘Erysistible Tricolor’
This is a plant that makes claims to be a perennial, but still struggles with North American climates, so let’s just call it a temperennial. Regardless, I am enjoying the creative breeding that has occurred in the last five years. They are cool season plants to be sure, but they have better colors more vigor, and improved greenhouse and landscape performance.
 
Helianthus ‘Sunbelievable’
Positioned as a mainstream retail plant, the sunflowers have come miles in the last five years. They are more compact, but with handsome black-eyed Susan flowers and a long flowering period. The downside to all the breeding is that everyone is trying to out-sun everyone else, and the names all sound the same. However, I have been so pleased with ‘Sunbelievable’ that I may remember the name for next year.
 
Sanvitalia ‘Queen of Sunset’
I include sanvitalia for strictly selfish reasons — I want to see more of it. This is an underused, tough groundcover/container plant that appears every now and then, only to disappear from the shelves for a couple of years. ‘Queen of Sunset’ is one of the latest, and I am pleased to know about it — now, if only I can find it.
 
Allan Armitage was a professor in the Department of Horticulture at the University of Georgia for 30 years. He recently retired and remains an active consultant, author and lecturer.
taken from https://www.greenhousegrower.com/crops/9-not-so-mainstream-annuals-to-consider-for-2020
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net

image from treehugger.com

       ​When Your Houseplants Outgrow Their Pots
 By Marie Iannotti  Marie Iannotti is an author, photographer, and speaker with 27 years of experience as a Cornell Cooperative Extension Horticulture Educator and Master Gardener
 
Houseplants are totally dependent on the conditions in their containers. Soil, drainage, light exposure, and nutrition has to be adjusted to their needs or they won't survive. Of all these factors, soil may be the most overlooked. It's easy to think that as long as you start your houseplant off right, it should continue growing just fine. Unfortunately, that's not the case.
As potted plants grow full and leafy, their roots are also expanding. These roots tend to break down the soil in the pot, as they expand. This causes two problems. First, the lose of soil results in water simply washing through the pot. The water is not caught in the soil long enough for the plant roots to absorb it. This means your plant will wilt, even if you are watering it regularly.
 
The second problem is that the roots will go looking for more room to expand and will start to wind themselves around in circles, breaking down more soil and girdling themselves in the process. This is what is meant by the term "pot bound".
 
Sooner or later every healthy, growing houseplant is going to out grow its pot and become pot bound. When a plant gets too large for its pot and the roots circle around inside the pot, the plant's growth becomes restricted. If your plants seem to dry out more quickly than they used to, but are otherwise healthy, they are probably pot bound. There are simply too many roots in the pot and not enough soil is left to hold and distribute water.
How to Re-pot a Houseplant 
Fortunately, this is an easy problem to fix. Re-pot your houseplant into a pot an inch or two larger. This will not only give your plant's roots room to stretch out, it will also provide some new, fresh soil. You can reuse the old soil, just be sure to add some fluffy new potting mix.
 
Only increase the size of the container by a size or two larger. It may seem counter-intuitive, but going too much larger will cause a different set of problems. Too much excess soil will allow water to collect, rather than drain and that will result in the roots sitting in damp conditions, which will cause the roots to begin to rot.
 
What if You Don't Have Room for a Larger Container? 
Sometimes you don't have room for a container and the resulting larger plant. If that's the case, you can maintain the plant's size by pruning back the top and the roots by about a third. Then you can re-pot, with some fresh potting mix, in the same pot. This will stress the plant in the short term, but it should recover quickly. Be sure to keep it well watered and out of direct light, until you see new growth. That's a sign that it has adjusted and all is well.
 
 Add Slow Release Fertilizer 
While you are freshening the soil with some new potting mix, this is also a good time to add slow release fertilizer. Because houseplants are grown in potting mix, they are not getting any nutrition from the soil. Houseplants need to be fed every 2 to 4 weeks, during the growing season. Adding slow release fertilizer will make sure your newly replanted houseplant will get the burst of nutrition is needs as it acclimates to its new pot.
taken from https://www.thespruce.com/pot-bound-houseplants-
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net

image from b-townblog.com

      Sorry I haven't posted for almost a week.  I had been getting the house ready for our daughter and family visiting from Wyoming.  They were here and left this morning.  It was a good visit.  We had a great family Thanksgiving.  Just saying how blessed we are with family, friends, and our health. 
 
How to Care for a Christmas Tree
Right away, watering is critical. A freshly-cut tree can consume a gallon of water in 24 hours!
 
Buying the Perfect Christmas Tree
•If possible, buy a freshly-cut tree from a reputable nursery or cut your own (with the land owner’s permission). Many of the trees for sale were cut weeks before. ◦Freshly-cut Christmas trees are farmed specifically for their purpose and support local agriculture.
 
•If you’re buying a tree that can be replanted later, keep in mind that a very small percentage of these trees survive after being indoors in the winter. To give them the best chance of survival: ◦Leave in house a MINIMUM of five days. 
◦Give them 2 to 3 days to adjust by letting them sit (in water) in a garage or “in-between” transitional spot before and after they are in the home.
 
•The top-selling Christmas trees, as reported by growers across the United States, are the Scotch pine, Douglas fir, white pine, and balsam fir, in that order.
•If there are lots of needles on the ground around the trees, go elsewhere.
•To check a tree’s freshness, pull your hand towards you along the branch. Needles should not fall off.
•If you want to keep your Christmas tree potted and in the house after Christmas, a Norfolk Island pine would be the best choice—they are commonly kept as houseplants. Check with a local florist or nursery in your area.
 
Caring for Your Christmas Tree
•When you bring your tree home, saw a couple inches off the bottom of the trunk before setting in water. When trees are cut, pitch oozes out and seals the pores. By sawing off the base, you will open up the pores, and the tree will be able to absorb water.
•Watering is critical. A freshly-cut tree can consume a gallon of water in 24 hours! ◦Fill the tree stand with water and keep it filled.
◦Never let the water level go below the tree’s base.
•Indoors, keep the tree away from heating ducts or other heat sources. In fact, the lower the temperature, the better the tree will do.
•One old Vermonter we knew always packed his tree stand with well-watered soil and planted the tree in the mixture. The soil should be kept wet.
•Some people add aspirin, Sprite, or sugar to the water; we can’t say whether these actually help. Again, water is the vital element.
 
Reusing Your Christmas Tree After the Holidays
Before you toss this year’s Christmas tree onto the compost pile or the curb, check out these ways to get the most out of an old tree!
•Prop up your old tree near your bird feeder as a staging area for small birds, such as chickadees and finches.
•Trim the branches from the tree, and saw the trunk into several pieces. Tie the pieces together and store the bundle in the cellar. This will make an aromatic Yule fire in your fireplace next Christmas Eve.
•Create a bird feeder and haven. String your tree with orange slices, cranberries, homemade suet, and other bird-friendly goodies, and put it in a sheltered location.
•Use the branches and pine needles as mulch in the garden.
•The tree can also be used as the base of a brush pile.
•Use boughs from your tree to shade broad-leaved evergreen shrubs, insulate perennials, or protect against frost and snow.
•A fir tree’s foliage can be used for stuffing small fragrance pillows.
•Sew scraps of fabric together and fill them with the needles to make fragrant balsam sachets to freshen drawers and closets.
•Use dried-out sprigs to ignite kindling in your wood stove or fireplace.
•Give the tree to a friend or neighbor who has a woodchipper.
•One of our readers said that they sink old trees in their pond, where they make cozy areas for fish and tadpoles to live, sleep, and lay eggs.
•Another reader says, “In Louisiana, we use old trees to bait fishing holes with. Just anchor them in a good location and the fish will use it for cover, especially bream and white perch. Go back in the spring and usually the fish will be in it or near it.”
 
taken from https://www.almanac.com/content/how-care-christmas-tree
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net

gardeningknowhow.com

      ​Interesting title for gardening "How to Kill Your Plants."
We garden because we love to work around plants. Most plants need a little fussing to grow lush and healthy and bloom the way we want them to bloom.
 
Gardeners go out of their way not to be too tough on their plants. However, it is possible to work your plants to death, by overdoing the very things we think they rely on us to deliver. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing and here are 3 examples.
 
1. Too Much Water 
The normal reaction to a wilting plant is to give it some water, but ironically, wilting is also a symptom of overwatering. So if you’ve been watering your plants frequently and deeply or if you’ve gotten a lot of rain lately, think twice before you reach for the hose.
 
Room to Grow
As you look for a new home, take the long view toward your future. Check out our guide to help ensure your future home makes sense for you at every life stage— with tips on hiring professionals and updating your insurance coverage.
 
More houseplants die from being over watered than from too little water, and outdoor plants are not spared that fate. If you think your plants are well watered and they still wilt and maybe start turning yellow or pale green, check the roots of a couple of plants.
 
Roots need air, which is why we’re told to allow the soil to dry out between waterings. If the soil is always wet, no air can get in. That doesn't mean you want to leave them dry for a prolonged period, but you do not want the plant roots always sitting in wet soil, or they will rot.
 
Healthy roots should look firm and smell clean. Most will be some shade of creamy white. Rotting roots will be dark and mushy, will an unpleasant odor.
 
If the roots are too badly rotted, the plant may never recover, but most will rally, once you allow the soil to drain. In the meantime, it’s very important that you resist the urge to pamper the plant, while it’s ailing. Do not try to correct things with more fertilizer or pruning. Leave it alone. If you can, give it some shade for a week or two. Then let it rest and regroup on its own.
 
 2. Too Much Fertilizer 
The adage that if a little is good a lot must be better is rarely the case and fertilizing plants is no exception. There are some plants known as heavy feeders, but no plant needs to be feed every time you water. Excessive fertilizer effects plants in a couple of ways.
 
If you are using synthetic fertilizer, the salts can build up in the soil and burn the roots. This is especially true of potted plants. Make sure you water all your plants well enough to disperse the water and food and allow water to drain out of the drainage holes in your containers, to avoid salt built up.
 
Too much fertilizer, especially food high in nitrogen (the first number on the package), can promote a lot of tender, leafy growth. That may sound like a good idea, but being forced into unnatural growth can stress a plant. Stressed plants, like stressed people, are more susceptible to disease. Also, stressed plants are very attractive to insect pests. They love tender, succulent growth.
 
Don’t forget, most plants need a period of dormancy. Winter takes care of that for us outdoors, but indoor plants need to rest during the offseason. Don’t feed them until you start to see signs of new growth in the spring and cut back a little on watering.
 
3. Too Much Mulch 
Mulch does many wonderful things in the garden, but once again, it can be too much of a good thing. Two - 4 inches of mulch will keep the soil cool, conserve moisture and help suppress weeds. More than that and you’re asking for trouble.
 
Too much mulch can prevent water and air from getting to the soil. Water tends to drain off before it reaches the soil surface, let alone the plant roots and as I mentioned above, roots need air, too. A heavy layer of mulch blocks air flow and can also compact the soil.
 
Mounding mulch too close to a plant’s stem or a tree’s trunk is another common mistake. This is a common practice of public landscapers. It even has a name - mulch volcanos. Besides leading to the two problems listed above, mulch volcanos offer safe harbor to insects, and they hold moisture next to the stem or trunk, with can lead to rotting or fungal diseases. Always keep mulch an inch or more away from the actual plant.
 
Death by mulch is usually a slower process than overwatering, but if you think you’re doing everything else right and your plants still aren’t happy, check your mulch depth. Rake it out and make sure water can sink through and get where it needs to go.
 
Every plant is different. Every garden is different. The best way to care for your plants is to keep a close eye on them and catch problems early. Luckily that means walking or working in your garden regularly, something we already do.
taken from https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-kill-your-plants-
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net

cranberrybush viburnum image from gobotany.nativeplanttrust org

​Popular Plants for Winter Landscapes
 
 By David Beaulieu  David Beaulieu is a garden writer with nearly 20 years experience
 
What makes a plant popular for winter landscapes in the snowy regions of the globe? Are conifers the sole contestants? Which landscaping plants are automatically disqualified? Which shrubs are best for attracting wild birds? Answering such questions should help generate landscaping ideas for dealing with that Scrooge of the seasons, horticulturally speaking: winter. Our goal is to turn a drab yard into a winter scene worth painting—for that matter, worth looking at while you're snow shoveling.
While evergreen shrubs (including shrubs with golden foliage) and conifer trees undeniably add visual interest to winter landscapes, so do many other plants, such as red osier dogwoods. About the only plants that are disqualified right at the outset are those that lack any appreciable height: no matter how pretty a plant may be, it will add no visual interest to the winter landscape if it lies buried all winter, dwarfed by a blanket of snow. Based on this premise, let's explore ideas to enhance the winter landscape. And let's keep in mind that many landscaping enthusiasts are also bird watchers; so that a plant's ability to attract wild birds will be a consideration.
 
Characteristics to Look For 
A winning plant for winter landscapes will have one or more of the following characteristics:
Unexpected Pairings
Surprise and delight your guests with three courses created around the soft, sweet, sensuous, rich, and unexpectedly versatile flavor of the season—vanilla.
 
■ Contains colorful berries that attract birds for bird watching
■ Readily catches snow in its branches
■ Exhibits a delicate structure
■ Is clad in a bark that is colorful or that has an unusual texture
■ Bears evergreen foliage
■ Has an interesting branching pattern
Popular Plants for Visual Interest in Winter 
Let's look at some popular plants exhibiting these characteristics. Conifers take a back seat; their value to winter landscapes goes without saying, so we're limiting their representation to two entries here. The following is a list of popular plants for adding visual interest in winter.
 
Christmas Holly Shrubs
Evergreen holly is popular due to its striking, year-round foliage and bright berries that attract many bird species. Sprigs of cut holly have long been used in winter holiday decorations. Many evergreen hollies are not hardy enough for far Northern climes, but two of the hardier varieties are:
 
■ China holly (Ilex meserveae): This is a rounded holly, 8' high by 8' wide, and it is also drought tolerant.
■ Compact inkberry holly (Ilex glabra 'Compacta'): This plant has dark green foliage that resembles that of boxwood shrubs. Its berry is black, not the usual red that we associate with hollies. It reaches a height of 4' to 8'; its width is a bit less than that. You can also grow the similar Ilex glabra 'Densa'.
 
Red Osier Dogwood
Red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea 'Allemans') is another extremely hardy plant (zones 3 to 8). The May flowering of red osier dogwoods yields white blooms that are followed by white fruit. But red osier dogwood makes this list because of its bark, which ranges in color from red to burgundy. Reaching a height of 6' to 10', the spread of red osier dogwoods is 5' to 10'. A patch of fiery red osier dogwood against a backdrop of pristine snow makes for an unforgettable winter scene.
 
Plume Grass
When planning the winter landscape, don't forget to include at least one tall perennial grass. An ornamental grass with a stately, thin shaft and fluffy coiffure exhibits such a delicate structure that it will doubtless lend a touch of charm to any winter landscape, however, barren otherwise. Plume grass (Erianthus ravennae), which can grow to be as tall as 11 feet (by about 4 feet wide), is hardy as far north as zone 4 (for those of you in hotter climates, it is listed for as high as zone 9).
 
Bayberry
Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) is a shrub with a spreading habit (4' to 6' X 4' to 6'), grown in zones 2 to 8. It's glossy, aromatic foliage complements its waxy, gray fruit. In fact, these unusual berries are widely used to scent candles—if you can get to the berries before the birds do, that is. It is also a drought-tolerant shrub. The birds may like bayberry, but the deer don't, as it's one of the deer-resistant plants.
 
Cranberrybush Viburnum
Compact American cranberrybush viburnum (Viburnum trilobum 'Compactum') yields masses of red berries that serve as a source of food for birds on the winter landscape. A rounded shrub, it bears white flowers in May and June that are followed by red fruit. As a bonus, the shrub offers foliage ranging from red to purple in fall. American cranberrybush viburnum is hardy to zone 2. It grows 4' to 5' high, with a spread of 3' to 4'.
 
Winterberry Holly
Winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata) is a deciduous holly bush indigenous to wetlands in the eastern half of Canada and the U.S. As stated above, usefulness for attracting wild birds in winter is one of the criteria considered for this list, and the fruit of winterberry will certainly attract birds to your property. Far from being a drawback, its deciduous nature is actually a benefit for the winter landscape. Why would you want leaves to be in the way when you have such gorgeous berries to behold?
 
A dioecious shrub (as are bayberry and evergreen holly), to ensure fruit production it is best to plant several shrubs together, to increase your chances of finding a male plant to accompany the females.
 
Birch Trees
Three varieties of birch trees lend considerable interest to the winter landscape, two of them (the second and third entries below) because of their bark.
■ Young's weeping birch (Betula pendula 'Youngii')
■ Paper birch (Betula papyrifera)
■ Yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis)
 
Yew Shrubs
Yews are renowned for being plants in our Christmas traditions. These conifers bear evergreen needles and bright red berries. But keep children away from both the foliage and the berries of these poisonous plants; the seeds and needles are quite toxic.
 
Canadian Hemlocks
Are you surprised to see eastern hemlock trees (Tsuga canadenesis) included in a list of landscaping plants? You may think of them first and foremost as tall trees (60' or more) that you encounter out in the woods. But plant developers have bred cultivars that are more shrub-like, which are well-suited for use in hedges, etc. Shear them to keep them at the desired height. Whether used in hedges or as specimens, these evergreen conifers will help give your winter landscape some much-needed visual interest.
 
Viking Black Chokeberry
Like winterberry holly, Viking black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa 'Viking') tolerates poorly-drained soils. Like American cranberrybush viburnum and barberry, this shrub provides foliage that ranges from red to purple in fall, making it a two-season standout. Viking black chokeberry is hardy to zone 3. As with all the berries mentioned in this article, chokeberry berries serve as emergency food for wild birds. They're not the birds' first choice—they are astringent or otherwise unpalatable, which is why they stick around so long—but when the birds get desperate, these plants are their salvation. Its white flowers in May yield to purplish-black berry clusters. It grows to a height of 3' to 5', with a spread of 3' to 5'.
 
 Plants to Avoid 
The final two shrubs didn't make the top 10 above. We mention them simply because they used to be popular for providing winter scenes in the yard: Japanese barberry shrubs and winged euonymus shrubs. Both, however, are invasive plants, so seek alternative components for your winter scenes where possible.
 
Japanese Barberry
Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) is a rounded shrub with thorns, hardy to zone 3. It ranges between 4' and 6' both in height and spread. Its leaves put on a color show in autumn, changing to orange, then to reddish-purple. Small yellow flowers in spring are succeeded by oval, red berries. These fruits last well into winter, thus serving not only as components for winter scenes but also as a source of food for wild birds. As an alternative, try cotoneaster plants.
 
Winged Euonymus Shrubs
Winged euonymus (Euonymus alatus), also called "burning bush" (height 10' to15', spread 10' to 15'), is grown in zones 4 to 8. For the purposes of winter scenes, the common name, "winged euonymus" is apropos. Indeed, the Latin, alatus, does translate to "winged." But in addition, it is the "wing" or corky flap of bark running along the edges of its stems that is responsible for this plant's popularity for winter scenes. Because of this corky protrusion, winged euonymus catches and holds snow more readily than most plants, affording glimpses of sparkling winter scenes.
 
taken from https://www.thespruce.com/popular-plants-ideas-for-winter-landscapes-
till next time this is Becky Litterer Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net

image from pinterset

      How to Make Suet for Birds Try These Homemade Suet Recipes!By Catherine Boeckmann
Suet is the perfect bird food for the winter months, when birds’ food sources start to dwindle. Here’s how to make suet for your backyard birds!
Suet is especially loved by nuthatches,
​ and most insect-eating birds.
What is Suet?Suet is essentially a solidified mix of fats, which birds eat to stay warm. Particularly in winter, suet is a valuable bird food.

• You can use almost any seed or grain, mixed with beef fat, lard, or natural peanut butter. A basic suet combines equal parts of beef fat and assorted birdseed.
• Put it in a tuna or cat food can to chill (or freeze) until it’s hard enough to hold its shape, then release it into a wire suet cage or sturdy mesh bag.
• For a fancier suet, add natural peanut butter to the mix. You can also bind cornmeal or oatmeal with natural peanut butter and spread it into holes drilled in a post or log.
• Birds also like dried fruits, so consider adding raisins, currants, apricots, or citron.

Suet RecipesSuet Cake Recipe 1

• 2 parts melted fat (beef fat or lard)
• 2 parts yellow cornmeal
• 1 part natural peanut butter

Suet Cake Recipe 2

• 1 pound melted fat (beef fat or lard)
• 1 cup millet
• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 cup raisins 
• 2 tablespoons honey (optional)

Instructions for Both Recipes
Melt the fat in a saucepan until completely liquid. Next, remove from heat and let sit for several minutes.
Stir in the remaining ingredients and cook for a few minutes.
Pour into small containers (tuna fish cans are good), and refrigerate until they start to harden and then store them in the freezer until ready for use.
Mixture can also be stuffed into 1-inch holes drilled in small logs to hang from trees.
The recipe can be made all year long as long as you accumulate fat. Fasten containers securely to trees or feeders.
When Should Suet Be Put Outdoors?Homemade suet should be used only in very cold weather so that it does not melt and become rancid. If you live in a warm climate, we do not recommend using homemade suet because it will spoil too quickly. In this case, it is safer to purchase commercial suet cakes (which are treated and won’t spoil).
RELATED: Bird Food Recipe: Fine-Feathered Entree
It’s also a good idea to hold off until at least December, as suet (and other bird food) can attract https://www.almanac.com/content/homemade-bird-food-recipe-suet
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net
 

image from audubon.org

     ​     Some interesting facts about the wild turkey.  Hope you find it informative. 
 The American Wild Turkey has become an iconic symbol of Thanksgiving. Perhaps a brief history about our native bird is in order.
Brief History of Wild Turkeys

• In the early 1800’s, Alexander Wilson provided so much information on the natural history of the turkey in his encyclopedic American Ornithology that John James Audubon was unable to truly improve on the knowledge of the species in his later book, Birds of America.
• Benjamin Franklin—commenting on the design of the national seal—disparages the bald eagle, writing that the eagle was “a bird of bad moral character.” When the idea of the turkey is raised, he expresses preference, stating that “the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America… a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on.”

Wild Turkeys in the Americas

• The first description of the turkey was written by Oviedo in 1525 in his General and Natural History of the Indies.
• Domestic turkeys were first raised by Native Americans in Mexico and Central America, who bred them into domestication from a subspecies of the North American wild turkey maybe as early as 25 A.D.
• Spanish explorers took some of those domesticated turkeys back to Europe around 1519. They spread rapidly among European farmers, and were popular fare among the elites.
• In 1541, Archbishop Cranmer ordered that large fowl such as cranes, swans and turkeys “should be but one in a dish”. The turkey became a common dish at all festivals in England during the 1500s. They were the usual fare at Christmas Dinner.

Return to the Americas!

• Turkeys returned to the Americas with English colonists in Virginia and Massachusetts in the early 1600s. Those colonists were surprised to learn that Native Americans were already tapped into the native wild turkeys that had remained part of the American landscape all along.
• Audubon once had a pet turkey in Henderson, Kentucky that he caught at the age of 2 days old. It became the favorite of the village and followed anyone who called it. At age 2 years it flew off and did not return. A while later, Audubon’s ordered his dog to chase a large gobbler he saw during a walk of 5 miles. The turkey paid no attention to the dog and Audubon realized it was his favorite pet, being unafraid of the dog.

To Extinction and Back

• Turkeys were numerous in Massachusetts in oak and chestnut forests. From 1711 to 1717, they sold at market for 1 shilling 4 pence, but by 1820 the birds had greatly declined and the price had increased 10 fold. The last turkey was killed in Massachusetts in 1821.
• During most of the 20th century, Wild Turkeys almost went extinct due to habitat loss. But due to an ambitious relocation program, the Wild Turkey can now be found in large numbers in every state in the US except Alaska.

In New Hampshire, we often see wild turkeys in wooded areas at this time of year, enjoying plant nuts and berries. Cars stop in awe of these beautiful birds meandering through the forest.
Wild Turkey FactsThe Wild Turkey is a different creature than its factory-farmed cousin found in grocery stores. Domestic turkeys are big business today. 
RELATED: Turkey Trivia

• Young turkey birds are called poults, and an adolescent is called a jake. 
• As soon as 24 hours after hatching, a young poult is up and running around in search of food. 
• When a turkey is excited, it can change the color of its head to red, pink, white or blue. 
• A wild turkey can run as fast as 25 miles per hour. The domestic turkey has been bred through hundreds of generations to have shorter legs and is much slower on its feet.
• The wild turkey can fly more than a mile at a time and at speeds up to 55 miles per hour. The domestic turkey has been bred to have outsized, meaty breasts, sacrificing its ability to fly along the way.
• Wild turkeys are wary and difficult to catch; they also have acute eyesight. Domestic turkeys have no fear of humans.
• You will find that wild turkeys sleep in trees, roosting high up in the branches every night.

Hope you learned something to talk about at the Thanksgiving table. 
https://www.almanac.com/news/home-health/birds/wild-turkey-history-all-american-
Till next week, this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net