##\keycode.boilerplatetext## To see an on-line version of this newsletter, copy this link and paste it into your web browser: http://www.reimanpub.com/shared/pages/onlineemail.aspx?codelocal=Newsletters/BNB/2009/06/newsletter.html&firstname=##firstname##&emailaddress=##emailaddress##&refurl=##keycode## If you would like to change or edit your email preferences, please visit your Personal Preferences page. https://www.reimanpub.com/registration2/Login.asp?Newsletter=BNB&pmcode=##keycode## ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BIRDS & BLOOMS Newsletter - June 2009 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear ##firstname[Friend]##, You're probably wondering who I am. I've been working behind the scenes at Birds & Blooms for two years and was finally convinced to show my face! I'm excited to announce a few changes that will be coming soon to our Web site. We're adding a new community section, top 10 plant lists, a videos section and will have a whole new look! And if you haven't bid on a birdhouse in our auction yet, this is the last week to do, so check them out. Kirsten Birds & Blooms check them out http://www.birdsandblooms.com/Name-This-Plant-Winners/detail.aspx?pmcode=##keycode## Read on to discover... >> Follow Us On Twitter >> Bird of the Month >> Best of Glad You Asked >> Project of the Month >> FREE Wallpaper >> Talk to Us! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Follow Us On Twitter ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Do you twitter? If not, get started today and follow us for exciting Birds & Blooms updates. Do you twitter? http://twitter.com/birdsblooms?pmcode=##keycode## ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bird of the Month: Black-Capped Chickadee ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As one of the friendliest backyard birds in North America, many have convinced this flier to eat from their hand. Learn how to attract a black-capped chickadee to your yard and listen to its song. http://www.birdsandblooms.com/Black-Capped-Chickadee/detail.aspx?pmcode=##keycode## ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Best of Glad You Asked ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rooting Roses Can you tell me how to root a rosebush cutting? I’ve tried, but always end up with a dried-up stick rather than flourishing roses. --Lucille McNeal, Elora, Tennessee Melinda: Timing is everything. You should take the cuttings as the first set of blooms is starting to fade. Make a 4- to 6-inch cutting and remove the flower and lower leaves. Then dip the cut end in a rooting hormone, which is available at most garden centers. This encourages the stem to grow roots while inhibiting rot. Place the cutting in moist sand, vermiculite or a well-drained potting mix. Loosely cover it with a plastic bag and place it in a warm location away from direct light. Though shade tolerant, dogwood need sufficient light to flower. Those growing in excess shade have sparse growth and very large blossoms. Pecking Away For the past several years, woodpeckers have pecked large holes in the siding of our house. Owl decoys don't scare them away. Do you have any other ideas? --Bill Campbell, Versailles, Missouri George: To the woodpeckers, your house is just another way to make sound. Thy often drill on houses—or trees, utility poles, antennas, etc—to declare their territory to other woodpeckers. The noise also helps them attract and keep mates. In other words, the tapping is the woodpecker’s song. There are many ways to prevent woodpeckers from drilling on houses. You can scare them with noise or hang shiny strips of Mylar tinsel, aluminum or metal on your house. I’ve even heard of home owners squirting woodpeckers with water from their garden hose. Another strategy is to cover the area with netting or wire. It takes persistence, but it should pay off when the woodpeckers move on to find more hospitable territory. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Project of the Month ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Make this birdhouse with only a few materials. The design even offers an easy way for you to peek inside. Find out how to make your own! Find out how to make your own! http://www.birdsandblooms.com/Patriotic-Wren-House/detail.aspx?pmcode=##keycode## ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FREE Wallpaper ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Download great wallpaper for your computer, like this photo of a monarch butterfly by Susan and Jan Clark. Download great wallpaper http://www.birdsandblooms.com/wallpaper-photos.aspx?pmcode=##keycode## ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Talk to Us! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We are looking for clever bird and garden recycling ideas. Send us your best story and photos by using Submit Your Story form. Submit Your Story form. http://www.birdsandblooms.com/readersubmitstory.aspx?pmcode=##keycode## ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Country Store ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Save 20% at countrystorecatalog.com Shop Now: http://www.countrystorecatalog.com/?refurl=I4042&pmcode=##keycode## ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Where's Webster? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Find Webster and you could win a bird feeder from TerraCycle! Look for him on the "Blooms" tab this month. Start looking >> http://www.birdsandblooms.com/Where-s-Webster-/detail.aspx?pmcode=##keycode## Check out Gardening Green for Less, our newest special edition. It's jam-packed with earth-friendly ideas for going "green." Look for it wherever magazines are sold. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ World Wide Country Tours ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Enjoy the Arizona Hummingbird Migration and Save $50.00! Explore some of the best birding territory in North America at the height of the fall hummingbird migration season. Reserve within 30 days and you’ll save $50.00 per person on your trip! Mention Promotion Code BENS when you reserve to claim your savings. 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