This month, instead of featuring a feeder, we thought we would shake things up and feature another great birding product.

But wait!  The Birdie Bell can be used as a feeder!  This product is a versatile and easy way to provide just the thing your birds need at the right time of year.

First, this all weather holder can be used for those ever popular seed bells!  Just push the clip on the bottom of the holder to open it and place the bell inside. Seed Bells start at only $2.99!

Second, I know in February it is hard “think spring,” but bare with me.  Spring is nesting time for our feathered friends.  Your backyard birds will be busy selecting a nesting site, collecting nesting materials and building a nest.  Whether you have a bird house or not, nesting material is always in high demand for wild birds. But if you do have a nesting box then make sure you don’t neglect to put out nesting material.  Luckily, the Birdie Bell comes with nesting material… Bonus!

When nesting season is coming to an end and warmer months are bringing back all those fun summer birds, replace the bell’s contents with fruit!  Orange halves and apple slices and even grapes can be placed in the Birdie Bell.  Adding fruit feeders to your backyard can attract many fruit eating birds that may not otherwise come to feeders, like that famous orange bird, the Baltimore Oriole!

As promised, here is some more helpful information for planting seeds this year.

Six Steps for easy seed planting.

1)  Start with a quality potting mix like Schultz Seed Starter Plus or Jiffy Seed Starter Mix.  These are light weight mediums that have all the nutrients your seeds need at birth.

2)  Larger pots promote more open development of roots, but separating individual plants later can result in tearing of roots and increase transplant shock.  So it is important to select the right containers. Use individual seed pots and trays like Jiffy Seed Starter Greenhouse that will help minimize transplant shock.

3)  Fill the containers with seed starting mix and water thoroughly.  Make sure the soil is wet, but not soaking.

4)  Plant the seeds.  Be sure not to plant them too deep. You can carefully add soil around the seedlings at a later point if needed.

5)  Provide warmth.  Some people use a heating mat, while others put them on top of a warm oven, by the fireplace or in a sunny window.  Some people create a seed incubator.  Enclose your containers in plastic or wood and put a light inside.  The heat from the light will raise the temperature and create a greenhouse effect.  It is important to measure the temperature to make sure it does not get too warm.

6)  Now the wait begins!  The time required to germinate may be a few days to a few weeks.  Germination time varies widely.  It can usually be found on the seed packet.  For seeds with a long germination period, plant in smaller groups over a couple of weeks.  This way if the first group does not germinate, you won’t be waiting three weeks to find out before starting a new planting.

As your seedling emerges from soil, most growers breathe a big sigh of relief.  Close your eyes and you can almost see the plant grow and flourish into its full beauty, producing beautiful flowers and tasty veggies.  As you open your eyes, you will immediately begin a new set of worries… but we’ll get to that next month.

What is it? Suet is a high energy bird feed comprised of animal fat and other ingredients to attract insect eating birds.  This special feed is a quick source of heat and energy in the cold winter months.  But don’t be fooled… birds love suet all year-round.  Offering this tasty bird treat in a wire cage or suet log is a low maintenance bird feeding option.  You refill only once every week or so, you don’t need to scrub the feeder, and you can leave it in your yard year round.  Want to try suet without the feeder commitment?  Try our hanging suet & feeder in one!  This Pine Tree Farms suet comes in a container with a net.  Simply remove suet from the tub and place inside the net. Hang outside at least 5 feet off the ground and watch the birds feast!

Presenting suet in your backyard will also attract a greater variety of birds for your enjoyment.  Some of the wild birds that enjoy suet include: Woodpeckers, Chickadees, Bluebirds, Mockingbirds, Warblers, Titmice, Nuthatches, Jays, Robins and Wrens.  Some of these birds won’t visit seed feeders, so this is a great way of attracting different birds to your back yard.  The birds that visit your suet feeder will also reward you in the spring and summer months by eating the insects in your garden.

Suet Special: Buy 12 and save $6.00!  Mix or Match!

Choose from Berry Treat, Nutty Treat or Seed Treat!

After long awaited anticipation, we are pleased to announce the arrival of our new kitten, Pebbles!  She came to us just shortly after our last newsletter was sent out.  Now that she has had time to adjust, she has made herself right at home.  Soon we’ll have all sorts of stories about Pebbles and Bam Bam.  So stop in and meet the new addition to our family.
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That’s right!  We said we would have another drawing and here it is! Stop into the Rock Pile and enter our drawing to win a FREE 3-Step Fertilizing Program!

Visit us and enter the drawing anytime from now through March 25.  The winner will be announced in the April 1st e-mail newsletter.  And no… this is not some preplanned extra long April Fool’s Day joke.  This is the real thing!

The winner of this drawing will receive the following:

1 -GreenView Nutri Life Crabgrass Control plus Lawn Food,

1-GreenView Nuti Life Broadleaf Weed Control plus Lawn Food,

and

1-GreenView Nutri Life Lawn Food

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Why should you start your seeds inside?  There are a number of reasons, and all have great benefits.

1) With the help of a controlled, indoor environment, you can provide your seedlings with a healthier start.  Healthier seedlings make for stronger and better plants and it will pay off all season long.

2) The growing season in many areas is shorter than the time the plant needs to produce flowers or fruit.  And with Ohio weather, you never can tell can you?  If you remember last spring it took a long time for the earth to warm up, hence shortening our growing season.  By planting indoors you are extending your harvesting season allowing flowers and vegetable to produce weeks earlier.  And who doesn’t like having the first tomato or cucumber of the season?  They taste so delicious and there is a certain amount of pride, not to mention bragging rights, associated with being the first to produce fruit for the season.

3) Lastly, you should start planting seeds indoors because it’s fun!  Gardeners are just waiting for the chance to get some dirt in their hands.  For some, it’s the challenge of growing difficult plants.  For others, it’s a way of putting those cold months behind us.  Like any hobby, gardeners really enjoy their sport.  On your mark, get set… GO!

Tips for Starting Seeds Indoors:

Start with Quality Seeds.

Use a good, light, seed starting mixture.

Water the soil so it is moist, but not soaked.

Keep seedlings warm.  (Most seed starting temperatures are between 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.)

***More Seed Starting Tips in our next newsletter!***Don’t miss it…sign up now!