Composting with Worms!

Composting your kitchen scraps not only keeps them out of the landfill, it also provides an excellent soil amendment and natural fertilizer that will improve your soil, boost plant growth, and increase plant drought tolerance and pest resistance. Vermicomposting is a method of composting that uses worms to break down kitchen scraps into a rich, soil like material known as worm castings. Vermicomposting takes up little space and can be done indoors or out. To get started you just need to know a little about the basic supplies and procedures for keeping a worm bin.

Learn More! Read the rest of the article on the Pender Cooperative Extension website, http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=news&ci=LAWN+113, or check out the many resources available from NC Extension's Vermicomposting website, http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/vermicomposting/.

For the Birds: Creating Backyard Habitat

Adding a bird feeder or bird house to the landscape is a good way to draw birds into your garden, but if you want to attract a wide range of birds and have them call your backyard home, you need to create a suitable habitat. Modifying your landscape to make it a welcoming place for migrating and resident birds is not difficult and usually just involves adding a few more plants.

Winter is a great time to plant trees and shrubs in our area. Planting in winter allows plants to establish roots before the heat of summer sets in. Adding bird friendly plants to your landscape this winter is simple and expert advice is available from NCSU’s Going Native website, http://www.ncsu.edu/goingnative/.  Developed by specialists with NC State University’s Wildlife Extension Program, this site offers expert advice and step by step instructions on how to incorporate native plants for wildlife habitat into your yard, and includes a searchable plant database that allows you to create a personalized list of native species for your landscape conditions.

Learn more! Read the rest of the story on the Pender County Cooperative Extension website: http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=news&ci=LAWN+112.

Planning for Year Round Harvest

With a little planning, you can harvest fresh vegetables from your own backyard most of the year. Vegetables can be grown outside in SE NC from late winter through late fall. The hoops on these beds make it easy to cover them with frost protection cloth, extending the growing season for some crops through the winter.

The key to growing a productive vegetable garden in all seasons is knowing what to plant when. Knowing when to plant different crops allows gardeners to easily develop a planting calendar for year round harvest. Use the planting guidelines available from Pender County Cooperative Extension at http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=news&ci=LAWN+111, to plan your 2011 vegetable garden.

Caring for Storm Damaged Trees

Luckily our recent winter storm did not dump enough snow or ice in our area to cause major damage to trees and shrubs. But this is not always the case. Winter storms do strike SE NC every so often and can cause major damage to trees and shrubs. Even more common is damage caused by tropical systems or intense thunderstorms. When storms occur, broken limbs and branches are one of the most frequent forms of damage. While a few broken branches will not cause serious harm to a tree for the present time, how you care for a tree with a broken branch will have a huge impact on its long term health and ability to withstand future storms.

When removing a branch at the main trunk, cut just beyond the swollen area known as the branch collar and never flush against the trunk of the tree. For most homeowners, limiting cuts to those that can be made with a handsaw or loppers is best - professionals should be hired to remove anything that requires use of a chainsaw or ladder.

A properly removed branch preserves the branch collar area but does not leave a long stub.


Learn More! Read the rest of the story on the Pender Cooperative Extension website: http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=news&ci=LAWN+110

Mistletoe: Friend or Foe?

The white berries of mistletoe ripen in early winter and are a favorite food of birds, though are poisonous if eaten by humans.

Mistletoe is a common plant throughout North Carolina, found growing as a parasite on the branches of deciduous trees. This same mistletoe is often harvested and brought indoors during the holidays, where it is slyly hung in doorways to provide an excuse for stealing a kiss. Though often considered a pest, there are several things that should be considered before deciding if this plant is a friend or foe.

Learn more! Read the rest of the story on the Pender Cooperative Extension website: http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=news&ci=LAWN+109.

Living Christmas Trees

Many garden centers offer rosemary plants pruned in the shape of Christmas trees. Following the holidays, these hardy shrubs can be planted in the landscape and enjoyed for years to come. 

In addition to pre-cut Fraser firs, many garden centers offer living trees grown in containers for sale as Christmas trees. If you are tempted to buy one of these to use both for holiday decoration and as a permanent addition to your landscape, keep the following tips in mind to ensure your tree has long and healthy life.

Learn more! Find out about living Christmas trees recommended for our area and how to care for them by reading the entire article, available on the Pender Cooperative Extension website: http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=news&ci=LAWN+108.

Just Released - Winter 2011 Extension Gardener Newsletter!

Take a break from Christmas shopping to read up on the latest gardening news. The Winter 2011 issue of the Extension Gardener newsletter in now available online! 

Extension Gardener newsletter is written by horticultural experts with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. Each issue includes statewide features plus a special regional section written specifically for your area of the state.

In the Winter 2011 Coastal Plain issue, you can learn about:

• Plants that shine after dark
• 'Winter Sun' Mahonia
• Permaculture
• Starting transplants
• Christmas tree recycling
• Winter garden chores
• Cercospora leaf spot
  
• and more!
  

Download your copy here http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/successg/latest%20issue_eg.htm today!