Dear $$firstname$$,

Here in Wisconsin, the weather is perfect for watching birds. We hope you’re getting out and enjoying the season, too. Hopefully this “News You Can Use” free newsletter will help you get the most out of the season!

And while we have you here, we’d like for you to take a minute to view our latest survey. In the upcoming months, we’ll be featuring a new round of plants and birds for our “Blooming Beauty” and “Top Billing” features. We need your great stories to include in the magazine, so take a look at our future features list here.

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• READ ON TO DISCOVER...
• Bird of the Month
• Garden of the Month
• Best of Glad You Asked
• Project of the Month
• FREE Wallpaper

Bird of the Month: Scarlet Tanager

With brilliant red plumage and shiny black wings and tail, the scarlet tanager is a striking species. This flier will be making its way south this autumn during migration. Don’t expect to see it’s bright-red breeding plumage, though. From September to March, its feathers are a rich yellow color instead.

Find out how to bring this beauty into your yard in fall and spring. And listen to its song!

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Garden of the Month

John and Barbara Dunzelman thought retirement would give them time to relax, but instead they round themselves busy with a new hobby. Learn why John doesn’t like roses, and get his best money-saving secret that you can do NOW!

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Best of Glad You Asked

Coming Back for More
What can I do for my hyacinths and tulips so they’ll return each spring? —Sylvia Fisher, New Holland, Pennsylvania

Melinda: If you’ve planted newer hybrids of these bulbs, they tend to put on a spectacular spring show, but only for a few years. Hot summer temperatures also can limit flowering.

One solution is to purchase species or perennial-type tulips that tend to grow and flower for many seasons. Make sure to plant both hyacinths and tulips 6 to 8 inches deep in moist well-drained soil. Cover plantings in winter with straw or marsh hay after the ground freezes. This will prevent early sprouting that often occurs during a winter thaw.

Try adding a light application of a low-nitrogen fertilizer just as the tulip and hyacinth leaves emerge in spring. This will help invigorate the plants.

Where does thistle seed come from? —Betty Kellams, Edinburgh, Indiana

George: Thistle seed, correctly called nyjer, grows in Africa and India. Despite its common name, it isn’t related to the purple-flowered weed that you may see growing wild in many parts of North America.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture requires that the seed by sterilized before it’s sold. Although the seed will produce small sprouts if it falls to the ground below your feeder, it won’t fully germinate and become a pest plant.

Subscribers can access our Glad You Asked database with hundreds of questions and answers from George and Melinda.

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Project of the Month

Building a great birdhouse doesn’t have to be complicated. Try this one-board birdhouse, perfect for first-time builders! Start building…

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FREE Wallpaper

Download amazing wallpaper for your computer, like this beautiful fall foliage, courtesy of Lisa Ousley. Take a look at our collection.

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