Dear ##firstname[Friend]##,

If you’re looking for ways to pass the time this winter, we’ve got plenty for you to do on our Web site! Chat with other birders and gardeners in our Birds & Blooms Community or use our Backyard Projects section for homemade holiday gift ideas (or make something for yourself)!

Also, if you become our fan on Facebook you’ll automatically be eligible to win cool prizes. A new contest starts today. Check it out!

Kirsten Sweet
Birds & Blooms

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• 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.

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Bird of the Month: White-breasted nuthatch

Have you seen the white-breasted nuthatch crawling down a tree? There's a good reason for this.

Learn how to attract white-breasted nuthatch to your yard,
and listen to their song.

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Best of Glad You Asked

Amaryllis Problem
My amaryllis plants haven’t bloomed since their first year. I let them go dormant in October, then start watering them again once new leaves drop. How can I get them to flower?
—Margie McAlerney, Lowry City, Missouri

Melinda: Like you, most gardeners let their amaryllis rest in fall. To get the plant to bloom again, stop fertilizing it by mid-summer, and decrease watering as fall approaches. Allow the foliage to dry and store in a cool dark location for several months. Then repot in a container 1 inch larger than the bulb. Water and move to a warm sunny location. I have good luck growing my plants year-round. I summer my amaryllis outdoors, then move them into a cool and well-lit indoor location in fall (like a basement window).

Flowers usually appear in January, followed by new leaves. When warmer weather arrives, I move the plant back outdoors, where I’m sometimes rewarded with summer flowers.

Taking Care of Feeders
How can I protect the inside of my wooden bird feeder from water damage and mold, and what’s the best method for cleaning out old birdseed?
—Beatrice Bailey, Newcomb, New York

George: Start by trying to prevent water from getting into your feeder. You can mount a dome above it to keep out the rain, snow and perhaps even squirrels. If wind continues to blow rain and snow into the feeder, try caulking the corners and cracks where the moisture is entering.

To clean it, a good shot from a garden or pressure hose will wash away the old clumps of seed.

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Project of the Month

If you want a parade of colorful birds coming to your backyard, try offering them something new...peanuts.
Follow these step-by-step instructions on how to make this feeder which birds will go nuts over!

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FREE Wallpaper

Download great wallpaper for your computer, like this beautiful shot of a winter scene.

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Talk to Us!

We are looking for budget tips for our new section “For Less”. Send us your best budget idea and photos by using the Submit Your Story form. If we use it in the magazine, we’ll pay you $25!

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