Grow kids’ interest in gardening with these tips

June has not allowed much time for me to write my own post. But I did some surfing and found this article many parents of young kids might find helpful

Grow kids’ interest in gardening with these tips (from Today's Home and Garden)

These are boom times for home gardening, but as many parents know, it still isn't easy to get kids interested and involved. One way, experts say, is to teach children how to cook what they help harvest from the family garden.

Gardening packs an educational punch: It can teach nutrition, biology, mathematics (sizing up rows and plot perimeters), social studies, geography and languages. Vegetable gardens help save money, encourage exercise, deliver fresh flavors to the kitchen and reduce the risks of buying tainted food.


click here for the complete article

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When is the Best time to Cut your Garden Flowers

I have always wanted to know when the correct time to cut flowers in my garden. I found this information on Garden Guides

Following is chart that specifies when to cut flowers so bouquets and arrangements will last longer and look better.

FLOWER	CUT WHEN FLOWERS ARE:
Anemone	½ to fully open
Aster	¾ to fully open
Azalea	fully open
Bachelor's Button	½ to fully open
Bleeding Heart	4-5 florets open
Calendula	fully open
Carnation	fully open
Chrysanthemum	Fully open
Daffodils	when color shows in bud
Dahlia	fully open
Daisy	½ to fully open
Delphinium	¾ to fully open
Gladiolus	as second floret opens
Iris	as first bud opens
Lilac	½ to fully open
Lily	as first bud opens
Marigold	fully open
Peony	bud in color or fully open
Rose	as second petal unfurls
Tulip	bud to ½ open
Zinnia	Fully open

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Some other articles that may be of interest to you:
Planting and caring for Annuals
16 Bugs every Gardener Should Love
Great Gardening Blogs & Websites

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How to Help Baby Birds That Fall Out of Nests!!

The Nesting Season is in full swing and for the birds in your backyard using your decorative birdhouses or nesting boxes you should continue to monitor your boxes. See my post "5 Things to Do when monitoring your Nesting Houses".

Yet you might find the occasion when you find a bird on the ground that is not from your birdhouses or nesting boxes.

1)An Injured or Sick adult or baby bird.

• First determine if there is a Wildlife Rehabilitator in your area. Follow this link to find one.



• If you do call them and describe the situation. They will be able to determine if it is likely bringing the bird to them is advisable or if the bird should be left where they are.

If they advise you to bring the bird to them, then:
Place the baby in a softly-lined covered box with ventilation
Place the box in a warm, dark quiet indoor location away from all humans and pets
Do Not attempt to give it food or water, no matter how much it begs!
More detailed information here



• If you don't have a Wildlife Rehabilitator in your area, it is strongly recommended to do nothing. If the bird was severely injured, in all likelihood it will die regardless of intervention. When humans try to capture a wild animal or keep it in captivity, the stress can lead to its death. (It's pretty easy to kill a bird with kindness). Witnessing injured or dying birds is difficult, especially when we don't see it that often, but letting nature run its course is nearly always the right thing to do, harsh as that may sound.
  
  
• Also stay away from birds infested with flies or maggots, cat or dog caught, very cold or weak, or having convulsions. If you want you can call the Wildlife Rehabilitator and get advice in this situation but is not highly recommended.

2) A baby bird that is naked or has minimal feather development is a hatchling.These birds are usually less than 5 days old, quickly lose body temperature and require feedings every 10-15 minutes. They require specialized care and should be immediately taken to a wildlife rehabilitator.

3) A Baby bird that is almost fully feathered is Nestling. They may, or may not have exposed areas of skin. May have a little fuzzy down sticking out from their feathers. They have no tail feathers yet, or their tail feathers are less than half inch long. They may move around a little, maybe even hop a few steps, but prefer to sit in one spot.

• Locate the nest and place the young one back in it. A nestling rarely travels very far from the spot where it originally fell. The nest will usually be within 20-30 feet.
  


• Watch the trees that you suspect the baby originated. You should be able to observe a parent bird returning to the tree every 20-40 minutes with food.
  


• Nests are located in different locations and heights on a tree depending on the species of bird. Be sure to find the correct nest. Not only does each species design their specific nest, but the parent bird will toss out unfamiliar babies.
  


• Return the nestling to original nest. Do not be concerned about the mother bird she will take her baby bird back. Do not make a new nest and put in your existing decorative birdhouse or nesting boxes because the parents will not be able to find them.
  


• You should then watch the nest from a distance. If the parents have not returned in two hours, or by dusk and you are able to contact Wildlife Rehabilitator. Follow instructions above.

4) A baby bird that has feathers, a short tail (1/4 – ½"), and can walk,hop, and fly a little, it is probably a fledgling.

• These birds are not orphans at all. Most birds are ready to leave the nest before they can fly or get their own food. Once the nest is getting too crowded and becomes an easy target for predators. It's perfectly normal for the baby birds to flop out of the nest and land on the ground. From then on they are no longer nestlings. They have fledged, and they are now fledglings.
  


• If there are some shrubs nearby, the parents will coax the youngsters into thick vegetation like bushes. The main danger to the baby bird is getting eaten before the parents can get it hidden, especially if there are many cats in the neighborhood. So you can help by helping to hide the fledgling. Pick up the bird in your hands. Hold the fledgling firmly so that it can't injure itself by struggling. Put it into a thick bush near where it was found but away from street.



• Don't be too concerned about which bush or tree the nest was in. The parents will hear its chirps and will bring it food. It's innate behavior. They're programmed to continue caring for that baby. They will not abandon it just because it's been touched by a human.



• If your child has brought the bird home, you can still put it back in the area where it was found. The sooner the better, but even after hours have elapsed, or the next day, the baby will have a better chance if you return it to its parents.

For more "frequently asked questions" about rescuing wild birds.. go here

I used several resources when researching this post including birdwatching.com, injuredwildbirds.com, and wildliferehabber.com

If you are looking for a new decorative birdhouse or nesting box for your backyard, visit my website. It may not be used this year by a birding family but birds will become aware of its location and may come back next year to use it. In addition it gives a year for the house to become more weathered which is more attractive to wild birds.

I also have great outdoor wooden furniture, squirrel proof birdfeeders, outdoor candle lanterns, decorative birdbaths, Poly recycled outdoor furniture, tuned wind chimes and more

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