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Dear $$firstname$$,

Greetings from Birds & Blooms magazine! Spring is officially here. While readers in some zones have been enjoying warmer weather for months, others are just getting their gardens planted.

This month, you'll find ideas for cleaning up, taming those pesky daffodil leaves and more. And don't forget to check out our freshened up websites at www.birdsandblooms.com and www.backyardlivingmagazine.com.

• READ ON TO DISCOVER...
• Spring Clean Up
• Space Invader
• Growing Grass in Heavy Shade
• Keeping Finches at Bay
• Black Spots on Roses
• Fridge-Free Sugar Water
• Daffy Group of Green Thumbs
• Get the Best of Birds & Blooms

Spring Clean Up

IN MANY BACKYARDS, melting snow reveals more than spring bulbs, it uncovers the messy remnants from a busy winter bird-feeding season. That's why spring is a good time to clean up what birds left behind. And it's important, too. Keeping feeders clean is one way to reduce the threat of diseases that might affect backyard birds.

Before tidying his place, Tom Kovach of Park Rapids, Minnesota talked with Jaime Edwards, a state Department of Natural Resources specialist, about some of the necessary seasonal chores. Here's what Tom learned:

• In early spring, rake or sweep up the fallen seeds and hulls under a feeder. This prevents mold from forming and also keeps the seeds from attracting pests like voles and mice.
• To clean a feeder, use a solution of 2 ounces bleach to 1 gallon of water. Scrub the entire surface and allow the feeder to dry in the sun.
• To keep seed from becoming moldy, protect it from moisture. Jaime suggests using hopper-style or enclosed feeders. Remember to scrape out old seed that accumulates in the feeder's corners. Tray feeders with screened bottoms will allow seeds to dry out after it rains or snows.
• Also, don't overfill a feeder. The seed could become moldy if left in the weather too long.

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Space Invader

By Diane Haight, Lompoc, California

AFTER YEARS of watching hummingbirds visit our feeders, we have many unusual stories to tell. Our most humorous one stems from the day I challenged our "backyard bully."

You see, this male hummingbird claimed all the sugar-water feeders in our yard as his own. He'd spend all hours of the day chasing the other hummers away. One day, I decided enough was enough. I took a decorative hummingbird that was adorning one of my houseplants and perched it on "his" feeder. Boy, did sparks fly!

The bully was incensed that another hummer was brazen enough to use the feeder. He scolded and threatened, to no avail. Then he got aggressive, striking the bird with his bill. Still, the "invader" wouldn't budge.

Finally, the bully swooped down, picked up the fake bird with its tiny talons and dropped it to the ground. We were amazed. I retrieved the fake hummingbird and welcomed good ol' "Bully" back to his feeder. He'd earned it!

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Growing Grass in Heavy Shade

LIMITED LIGHT and lack of moisture are common causes of poor grass growth under large trees. So you'll want to select a grass that will tolerate both these conditions.

St. Augustine grass is a shade-tolerant, warm-season grass. Unfortunately, it is only moderately drought tolerant. If there is dappled shade under the tree, you may want to try centipede grass. This aggressive grass is more drought tolerant than St. Augustine grass and somewhat shade tolerant.

Whatever you do, be sure to avoid excess watering and cultivating under the tree. Such practices may help you grow grass, but it could kill older oak trees.

Mulch may be a better solution and the healthiest option for the trees. Apply a 3-inch layer of shredded bark under the tree canopies. It will help insulate the roots, conserve moisture and reduce weed problems.

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Keeping Finches at Bay

TO KEEP FINCHES away from your hummingbird feeders, use a hummingbird feeder that doesn't have a place for finches to perch. Try a nectar feeder that has a single feeding tube extending from the bottom of the reservoir.

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Black Spots on Roses

BLACK SPOT is a common fungal disease of roses. To minimize its impact, apply a fungicide weekly at the first sign of the disease. Select a fungicide that is labeled for use on roses to control black spot.

In fall, rake and destroy the fallen rose bush leaves. Picking off infected leaves before applying winter protection will help reduce the source of the disease for next season.

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Fridge-Free Sugar Water

HERE'S a quick way to make sugar water for hummingbirds. Jean Poldervaart of Point Blank, Texas shares a method that means no more waiting for the boiling mixture to cool or for refrigerated leftovers to warm up.

1. Place 1 cup of sugar in a 4-cup liquid measurer and add boiling water up to the 3-cup mark. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Then add enough ice cubes so the mixture reaches the 4-cup level. Stir again to melt the cubes.
3. Now your homemade hummingbird nectar should be the right temperature. Dinner is served!

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Daffy Group of Green Thumbs

WANT A NEAT WAY to camouflage the drying foliage on daffodil bulbs? Just make them into garden critters. The leaves feed the bulbs for next year's show, and this fun project helps hide the browning leaves.

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