Taking Care of Your Garden During the Winter Months

While you may not be thinking of your garden when the temp falls below 32 degrees, you should be -- particularly if you've got young trees and shrubs out in your yard.

Winter is a hard season for a lot of us (although, here in Fort Wayne so far the weather's been pretty enjoyable and mild). It's also hard on your young plants and the wildlife that visits or lives on your property.

Squirrels and other small mammals may start stripping bark from trees -- especially trees with tender bark that easily comes off. Protect your trunks with hardware mesh.

While it may not be snowing a lot here right now, it's only a matter of time. The extra weight of wet snow will easily snap young branches and stems. Tie your stems and branches together -- firmly yet gently -- with plant tape or twine. Tying them together gives less of a surface for the snow to settle on and also adds strength by combining them all together.

The salt that will surely be dumped on the roads to provide safe travel can damage your broadleaf evergreens such as arborvitae. Protect your branches from the harsh salt and other chemicals by covering them with burlap. The salt can burn the leaves and kill off branches.

Meanwhile, enjoy the winter frolicking of birds and squirrels throughout your yard while watching from a window, covered in a blanket, wearing fuzzy slippers and sipping a cup of cocoa ;)

Real Vs Fake: Choosing the Right Christmas Tree

It's that time of year -- and Shaun and I are planning to go pick out our Christmas tree this weekend sometime. A lot of people seem surprised when they find out we prefer real over fake, considering I'm into the environment and preserving ecosystems. This group of people, as it turns out, may not fully understand what goes into the production of real and fake trees.

Final Plantings and Purchasing Plants

Autumn is -- and it's no secret -- the ideal time to plant several types of trees, shrubs and perennials. The question seems to be "how late in the season you can actually plant?" The answer to the question is difficult to answer, although in many parts of the Midwest and around the nation you still have a week or so -- maybe even longer -- to get those plants in the ground.

Spring and fall both offer transplants different benefits. In spring, the benefit is that if you get the plant in early enough, it will become better established before hot, long summers. This is important for young plants especially. In fall, the plants are put in the ground just before they go dormant for the winter. The benefit here is that the plant can become somewhat established in the ground and have a nice, long winter nap before its glory is displayed in the spring.

When planting this fall, remember to make sure your plant has plenty of its needed nutrients so that it has a better chance of surviving a harsh winter. For young, tender roots, consider mulching around the base of the plant to help shield them from the elements. You also get lucky this time of year with mulch -- use raked or mulched leaves. For small, tender plants, you can also put a cage around them and fill the cage with leaves or straw. Tomato cages are ideal for this.

Changes of Fall: What's Going on in Nature and Home Improvement Tips

Fall is a wonderful time of the year that brings so many changes many people overlook. While many see spring as the "new beginning," autumn plays an important role in making sure that that "new beginning" is as spectacular as it should be.

Along with the cooler winds and changing of the leaves, a quick look around will show you much more going on in nature. The squirrels provide a brief, yet amusing, snapshot into what's going on. As they frantically run around and chase each other, they're also gathering supplies for the winter. Hidden morsels carefully tucked away in secret locations need to be reclaimed from the ground. These guys need some fat and protein to survive this winter when food is scarce and temperatures take their drastic drop.

Autumn's Gift of Craftiness

This year has been a magnificent year so far for color change. After our wet, cold spring that jumped directly into a hot, dry, drought of a summer, fall has brought with it some much needed rain and now a beautiful dash of sunlight and warmth.

As someone who truly enjoys nature and the gifts it offers, I've begun collecting some fall leaves and blooms for my presses. These intriguing purples, yellows, oranges and reds have given me the opportunity to create some beautiful pieces.

I've made some beautiful ornaments and have quite the pile of unused frames at my disposal for arrangements. I must admit though, I've been preoccupied with my crafts and not so much on my writing. Sometimes it seems so hard to find the perfect balance.

For right now, though, I'll keep trying to find that balance while I'm also collecting for my presses.

Coming in for the Autumn ... What to Know About Different Creatures

As the warmth of this summer drifts into the past and the cool and crisp autumn winds bring changes, you'll probably be seeing a lot more activity of the many-legged kind inside and around your home.

Several arthropods (and even some mammals) may try to use your home as an escape from the pending winter. While many insects and arthropods die off in the fall, others overwinter to start new populations in the spring. Lucky for you, control is natural, cost effective and can ultimately save you from the sight of various creatures!