What Combination Is Right For You and How To Figure It Out 

THE CURRENT MARKET CLIMATE
AND HOW TO TAKE YOUR CONSUMER TEMPERATURE
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a lasting impact on all of us and as NYS goes onto phase 2 of reopening we are finding ways to adjust to a new normal. This time “on pause” did have some silver linings in that people have re-evaluated their priorities and many have made determinations about what is important and what isn’t. Many no longer want to put their dreams on hold. These are all deeply personal decisions. 

Building a home versus buying a home has also always been highly individualized. But now people have been cooped up in their houses for the last three months and that is a lot of time to think and look around at all of the things you either love about your house or perhaps things you don’t like. You’re left with multiple combinations of three options: You can do nothing about it, fix what you have by redesigning certain elements or you can walk away from it altogether and buy or build a new home. But chances are you are going to need to do some upgrades to get the price you want for your home either way. 

Real estate is the best investment you can make in your lifetime regardless of whether building a new home or purchasing an existing home. Interest rates are at an all time low and it is a good time to secure financing for building, buying or upgrading a home. It is also a seller’s market but during a time when there is very low inventory on the market, people find themselves settling for homes that did not meet all of the items on their wish list. But when you build a home you get to create your wish list and you get to decide exactly what stays and goes based on your budget, not what just happens to come with an existing home.

To build or not to build, that is the question. 
Here are some questions to consider when making a determination:

1. Can I get the financing to build a home? 
2. Can I secure property in a location I desire? 
3. Can I find an experienced builder with a good reputation who know building codes and can get my plans approved while seeing my project through from inception to completion?
4. Am I in a hurry to move? If so, building may not be ideal for you.
5. Have I contemplated building a new home for more than a few years? If yes, then you are a good candidate.
6. Do I enjoy expressing my unique taste and having things that are different than anyone else’s? Then building will probably be ideal for you.

HOW TO SPOT AN IDEAL BUILDER
Once you have made the determination to buy and have been conditionally approved for financing, then you can look for your ideal builder. Typically, an ideal builder would be based in the area you want to build in and would also be able to produce the architectural plans. You also should consider a builder who can locate and secure property for you. Some builders can also assist with securing financing. Therefore, it’s really important to get comprehensive designs that a bank will approve. Only then can a timeline for completion be established. Once you choose your builder, then you can create a design that is a collaboration of your ideas, aesthetic inclinations and wish list combined with the builder’s experience and knowledge. Many builders have affiliations or own their own showrooms where you can sample materials and work directly with a designer. From that timeline you can determine what will be an ideal time to list and sell your current home. An experienced builder and remodeler will also be able to help you make any evaluations about what upgrades to complete on your current home to get the most money without going over market value which you can’t recapture in the sale price. In other words, you don’t want to lose money on the upgrades you do to get more for your home. A cost/benefit analysis should be developed with the guidance of your builder and realtor. Ideally find a builder who has a real estate company as well. The more services that a builder can provide, the easier it is for you to have a smooth and stress-free experience. 

Best of luck to you with your research and decision making process!

I LOVE LILIES!They take little effort to plant and grow, and the rewards are huge.They’re winter hardy, so once you plant them they stay in forever, multiply quickly, and provide large, often fragrant flowers.Lilies are available as bulbs in economical packages from the garden center in early spring and later as potted plants among the perennials selection.The variety of sizes and colors is amazing.  No wonder I love them so much! 

The lilium segment of the larger Liliaceae family contains some of the showiest flowers to be found anywhere, and many of the thousands of cultivars thrive in our northern climate including two of my favorites, Asiatic and Oriental Hybrids.

Asiatic hybrids are the first of the lilies to flower in early summer.They are also the most cold tolerant of all lilium forms.Asiatics mature and reproduce rapidly, making them a rewarding choice for those just starting to dabble in lily growing.  Asiatics are available in reds, whites, pinks, oranges, and yellows of every shade.Some feature solid colored petals while others are ornately speckled.Asiatics are not strongly scented but come in a range of sizes from 2’ to 5’ tall!  Pictured above are some of Asiatic Lilies that grow in our beds (pink).

Another lily enjoyed by many is not a lily at all.Everyone knows them as daylilies, but they are not true lilies but Hemerocallis.You have seen them growing almost wild in roadside ditches and just about anywhere.  We can thank our ancestors who planted them generations ago.  Hemerocallis is a Greek word meaning ‘beautiful for a day’.The name reflects the lifespan of each flower which opens in the morning and withers away at the end of a single day.   

Daylilies are about the easiest plants to grow.  They love full sun but will thrive in partial shade and aren’t particular about the soil they’re planted in.Only a few years ago, a clump of yellow daylilies was considered exotic.  Now red, gold, peach and burgundy daylilies are turning up in perennial borders.  Daylilies with bi-colored flowers are commonly available.Miniatures and strongly scented daylilies have also appeared.   

The daylily has come a long way from the common roadside flower that our ancestors planted.They have taken up a new role at the heart of the garden.Considering how easy they are to grow and how rapidly they multiply, you should give them a try.

THANKS FOR THE READ!

There are a lot of beginning vegetable gardeners this spring. Among these well-meaning folks there seems to be a nearly universal fear of planting seeds.

Some seeds, like tomatoes and peppers, must be started inside in March but the best value from vegetable gardening is from crops that we grow from seeds sown directly into the garden.

It may seem very early but peas and spinach seeds can, and should be going into the ground in early April to grow in the cool weather of early spring. Our vegetable growing season is actually much longer than from Mother’s Day to frost.

There really isn’t anything at all difficult about starting seeds directly in the garden. Lettuce and all the other greens like chard and spinach and later on, green beans are good examples of easy-to-grow crops. Radishes are also very rewarding since you can sow a row every two weeks and they grow and mature in less than a month providing a continuous supply once they get going.

Let’s take a look at green beans, one of the easiest crops to grow. According to the vegetable schedule you can start sowing them in early May or anytime through the third week of July. Now let’s take a look at a bean seed pack. The front of the pack is pretty but the back has complete growing instructions. 

Let’s go step by step. I’ve made a little trench 2” deep as per the instructions and placed the seeds at the bottom. Then I cover them with 2” of soil and water them in. I like to use potting soil to cover them since it looks different than the garden soil so I know I’m watering the right area. Now I just need to keep them moist and they’ll sprout in a week or less. After a couple of weeks, they will be a few inches tall. Since they all germinated so well, I’ll have to thin them out by removing any that were closer together than 6” spacing the seed pack indicated I should have. If they are too close, they won’t do as well. and harvesting will be difficult. 

The trick is knowing when to plant which crop for the best results. If you’re just trying your hand at vegetable gardening for the first time, drop by the garden center and pick up a copy of the “Vegetable Schedule.” It is a wonderful resource for the beginning gardener and even a seasoned veteran can use it to keep on track. It shows when the different plants and seeds should be planted out in the garden. Spend some time with it and you’ll be on your way to bumper crops from spring through late fall. It is quite rewarding starting your crops from seed right in the garden. Try it out…you’ll be hooked in no time.

THANKS FOR THE READ!

Tips and Tricks for Yard Work
by Opal Jessica Bogdan

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Taking the opportunity to venture outside and do yard work is a great way to split up monotony and allows everyone to enjoy the spring weather.

Not only does yard work double as a great exercise, but parents with children at home can use it as a learning opportunity. Mike Devine, landscape designer at Branches Landscape, recommended starting a compost bin or pile. 

“People are stuck home, unfortunately, and looking to make the most of their time. A lot of us are homeschooling our children as well, so compost can have two purposes: to have a nice activity and to get the kids involved with some science,” Devine said. 

To create a compost pile, Devine said a little space in the corner of a backyard is all that is needed. 

The two major components of a compost pile are carbon and nitrogen. Devine said the ratio is three to one, carbon to nitrogen. A plethora of items have carbon in them, but leaves are the biggest things most people have an abundance of. Other items such as kitchen scraps can be used in the compost, such as coffee grounds, eggshells and any leftover vegetables. 

Devine said there are varying degrees to a compost pile, ranging from a corner in the backyard to barrels or bins holding it. Placing the compost pile in a bin can help rotate the compost easier.  Rotating helps drain any water pockets.

“If you do it correctly and don’t throw any ‘garbage’ into the compost, wild animals are never an issue,” Devine said. 

Another tip Devine mentioned included cleaning areas that are normally skipped over, such a wood lines. He said going through and picking up fallen branches and raking leaves is a great way to reclaim that area as part of the landscape. 

Branches Landscape is currently open. Devine said a small part of their business, property maintenance management, has been considered essential. Anything outside of spring cleanups and mowing lawn has been closed.

Creating a garden is another way to help spend time outside. Devine said gardens can be as little as 9-square-foot area on the patio of back deck. If this is the first garden, Devine recommended peas as an easy growing crop. 

“Peas are a cool season crop that you could get the seeds at any hardware store. You can actually plant them now and not have to wait until Memorial Day for other more popular crops like tomatoes and what not. They need a little bit of cultivated ground and some sort of vertical support for them to grow up on. Watch out they grow quick,” Devine said. 

Indoor gardening is another learning opportunity for children at home. Devine said starting squash, although they can grow large in size later on, can keep kids entertained as they watch their plant grow.

“Stick them in a window or under a grow light. Experiment and play around,” Devine said.

Drive-Through Garden Center
by Opal Jessica Bogdan

Saratoga Hewitt’s Garden Center. Photo by Jaclyn Cotter-Older.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Hewitt’s Garden Center will now offer a drive-through during COVID-19 for homeowner’s lawn and garden needs. 

This past weekend, Hewitts in Saratoga opened their drive-through to offer customers a different way to purchase all their lawn care and garden products. 

“It was really great, Jaclyn Cotter-Older, manager, said. “We are one of the only garden centers open in the area, so everyone was excited to get their flowers and their plants.”

The drive through will be opened weather permitting. Cotter-Older said once a car arrives for the drive-through, they bring out a menu to your car. While waiting in the pickup line, customers can pick out what products they want and pull through the drive-through to pickup the items. Cotter-Older said most of the menu consists of flowers, vegetables and the nursery stock the store offers up-front.

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“We want to do this because we are hoping to have the business as last year, if not better. But with COVID- 19 we can’t have that many people in the store,” Cotter-Older said. 

Amid COVID-19 restrictions, the store only allows a maximum of 20 people in their greenhouse. The garden center also offers curbside pickup.

“The curb side pickup is mostly for lawn care and fertilizers,” Cotter-Older said.

She added their website has every product listed, so customers can get an idea about what products they want before arriving to the garden center. Customers can order and pay online or through the phone. 

“It’s just another option to still get what you want and not have to leave the comfort of your car,” Cotter-Older said. 

All seven of Hewitt’s Garden Center locations will offer the drive-through weather permitting. The store also offers a lifetime guarantee on purchased trees and plants. 

Home Growing 
by Lorraine Hopes 

Photo courtesy of Lorraine Hopes.

Self-distancing becomes difficult when produce runs out at home and a trip to the grocery store must be made. However, multiple trips as often as once a week is not recommended during COVID-19. Home growing vegetables is a great way to avoid travelling during this time once the fresh produce runs out at home. 

Why buy lettuce when you can grow your own?

There are many advantages to growing your own lettuce. Growing lettuce is easy and can also be a great science project to do with your kids. Not only will it give you something fun to do while we are stuck home, in a month or so you will be blessed with a multitude of healthy fresh lettuce leaves, and have the satisfaction that you grew them yourself. No more trips to the grocery store for lettuce.

Here are some tips on growing your own lettuce:

Getting seeds, pot/container, spray bottle, and soil. – If you do not have the necessary planting items there are still seeds and planting supplies out there. Do a Google search for lettuce seeds and see what seed stores come up to order from. You can order online so you do not have to go out. 

Any leaf lettuce varieties are good like black seeded simpson, grand rapids, mesclun, salad bowl mixes, and micro-greens.

Once you gather the materials, fill your clean pot/container with new soil and water. The soil needs to be moist.  Sprinkle lettuce seeds on soil and cover with 1/8” to 1/4” soil, do not tamp down. Cover pot/container with plastic wrap and place in a south-facing window.

Check your soil everyday. Use a spray bottle to mist/water every morning or whenever the soil looks dry. 

Your lettuce should sprout in 7 to 14 days, remove plastic wrap then and continue to water.  Most lettuces will reach maturity in 45 to 55 days but you can pick them when they are small too.

To keep your lettuce growing all the time you can plant another container a week or two after the first has sprouted.

Have fun and bon appétit!

Skirt lengths float up and down, men’s ties get wider and narrower as do lapels.  The older one gets, the less one cares about these subtleties of fashion. 

You might not realize it but the same thing happens with plants.  Some plants are popular for awhile and then they are replaced with another. You can go on the internet and find the “Perennial of the Year” and “Annual of the Year” for this and past years. Sometimes it is the color that makes the plant popular and sometimes it’s because the plant is a newly bred variety.  Sometimes, just as in the fashion world, plants that were popular in the past enjoy a revival as new gardeners rediscover plants that their grandparents loved. 

There’s one plant though, that has suffered a fall from grace so complete that few of us are even aware that it was once one of the most well thought of plants on the planet.  The plant I’m referring to is the ubiquitous dandelion.

Most folks loathe them in their lawn. They want their lawn to be green…not green and yellow. They’ll mow off the flowers and mow off the seed pods and kill them with weed killer. 

It might surprise you to know that, at one time, there was NOT ONE dandelion growing on the entire continent of North America. Even knowing that, you’d probably assume that it was just an unfortunate accident that they’re here…they must have gotten here along with another plant or as a seed stuck to someone’s shoe. 

The dandelion, that scourge of our lawns, was brought here by European colonists intentionally.  In fact, more than one group of colonists brought it with them to their new homes in America.  Germans are known to have brought it with them and Spanish colonists introduced dandelions into Mexico. The reason they made a point of bringing dandelion seed to the New World is because they depended on it to keep them healthy. The dandelion, which is actually a plant native to Asia, has a long history as a beneficial and medicinal plant.  In China, it is mentioned in herbal texts as early as the 7th century.  In Wales, it is mentioned in the writing of physicians during the 1200s. A French physician gave us the name dandelion when he called them ‘dent de lion’ or ’teeth of the lion’ describing the ragged shape of the leaf.  Other common names for the dandelion have been: Blowball, Cankerwort, Swine Snout, Wild Endive, Sin in the Grass and another French name, pis-en-lit which translates as “wets the bed.”  This last name describes the dandelion’s ability as a diuretic. The Latin name for the dandelion is Taraxacum officinale which can be translated as ‘disorder remedy.’ 

Dandelion leaves are a wonderful source of vitamin A as well as potassium, calcium, phosphorus and iron. Common knowledge of our ancestors was that the various parts of the dandelion can be used to treat urinary tract infections, abscesses, eczema, gout, boils, stomach aches and even snakebite. It has also been used to treat high blood pressure and as a liver purifier.  The white sap in the flower’s stem has even been suggested as a cure for warts.  The list goes on and on.  One would think that, since there are references to the benefit of dandelions about as far back in history as history goes, there might be something to all this. One thing is for sure; our ancestors were not going to the New World without the seeds of their favorite cure. No wonder  they are everywhere. We may have completely lost sight of the virtues of the lowly dandelion but they are still with us nonetheless. 

I’ll have to admit that tender young dandelion greens sometimes make it into the salads at my house.  They are a little bitter but, when mixed with all the other greens, they’re pretty good.  For some, it is an acquired taste. We once served some dinner guests salad with dandelion greens in it without their knowledge. They enjoyed the salad but called the next day to ask us, “What was in that salad anyway?”  I won’t go into detail.  Suffice it to say, THEY noticed the effect dandelions can have on the digestive system! 

THANKS FOR THE READ!

Americans will be Eager to Spend Time Outdoors this Summer 
This May be the Year to add an Outdoor Kitchen and Bar to your Back Yard! 

Most of us have been cooped up inside our homes for the last several weeks while first responders and medical professionals have been battling COVID-19 on our behalves. Once the difficulty of this pandemic is behind us, many people will want to be outdoors as much as possible! 

I can’t think of a better way to spend time outside of your home this summer than in a customized pool house, cabana, pergola, four-season room or outdoor patio/deck equipped with a gourmet kitchen and bar. 

Long gone will be the days of hauling out a wet, rusty barbecue grill after a thunderstorm or lugging and toting supplies outside and back inside when picnicking. The outdoor kitchens of today’s designs are state of the art and can be used year-round even in northern climates like ours. 

Entertaining friends and family along with holding graduation and birthday parties will become a welcomed pleasure! The best part is that the traffic, messes, spills and other hazards of entertaining will be contained outside. When you combine the outdoor area with a pool, lakefront or river access you essentially have the landscape to create a virtual paradise on your own property. You will also be adding value to your home or camp that is beneficial for home equity calculations. 

So where should you begin? 

The first step is to organize your thoughts and ideas about the size of the space you have to work with and what kind of cooking and entertaining you want to do most often. Jot down your “must haves” and a few dream items. Then you can reach out to a design and construction firm to begin sketching out some designs. 

The designers will be able to give you the best estimate of costs for materials, appliances and labor. Once you have your design and cost estimate you can secure funds or financing. The next step is to coordinate with a construction firm who can handle implementing the installation from hardscaping to cabinet and appliance installations. 

Ideally if you can work with a company that offers design to finish services you have the best chance of getting the exact outcome you desire. Keep in mind that there may be other upgrades needed. For example: you may need to augment your electricity routing as stoves and refrigerators need to use 220 V electrical outlets. 

So start googling out door kitchen and bar designs now while you have time with social distancing from home. Take the time to get a feel for what you want in yours by comparing designs you find online. Then find your design and construction firm to get scheduled for a consultation and estimate.

Now you can look forward to having a great summer of entertaining friends and family in your beautiful new outdoor space!

I welcome any sign that spring is near.

One of those signs is seeing the first bluebird of the season.  Anyone who has ever seen one knows the feeling of surprise and joy that accompanies a bluebird sighting. Since they are not overly shy of humans and nest and feed in open areas, bluebirds are some of the easiest birds to watch and learn about. 

Bluebirds are territorial so once you’ve seen them in an area, odds are good that you’ll be able to visit and observe them on a regular basis.  Those with a large lawn or property adjacent to open fields can attract their own resident bluebirds to enjoy on a daily basis during spring and summer. I am lucky to be able to host a pair of bluebirds, and the little effort needed to attract them to your yard is amply rewarded by the color and liveliness they add to the little bit of the world we call our garden. 

The easiest way to lure bluebirds to your property is to provide bluebird-nesting boxes. If you would like plans for building a bluebird-nesting box, go to the NYS Bluebird Society website. If you purchase a bluebird box, all you need to know is where to mount it to attract bluebirds.

Your bluebird box should be mounted on a metal post.  Mounting on trees is not advised, since it may allow predators to gain access to the box.  Your bluebird-nesting box should be mounted with the bottom a minimum of 3’ from the ground.  4’ to 5’ is considered optimal.  In our cold climate, the box should be mounted with the entrance facing southeast, away from our colder prevailing wind.Since bluebirds hunt for insects in lawns and meadows, it’s best to locate your box adjacent to these open areas.  To help fledglings survive, try to place your boxes where there is a fencepost or tree within 100’ of the entrance hole.  This will give young bluebirds an easy, safe perch to reach on their first flight from the box.

Since bluebirds are territorial, nesting boxes should not be placed closer than 300’ apart.  If you have swallows in your area, they may compete with bluebirds for nesting boxes.  In this situation, it may be necessary to place two boxes 5’ to 15’ apart.  The swallows will occupy one box, leaving the other available for the bluebirds.  Since bluebirds are on the increase in New York State, properly placing nesting boxes on your property is very likely to attract younger pairs of bluebirds with the possibility that they and their offspring will return to your area year after year.

To lure nesting bluebirds to your area, have your nesting boxes up as early in spring as possible.  If all goes well, you’ll have a nice clutch of eggs by early May.

After that, it is simply a matter of keeping the boxes clean and safe.  In fall or early in spring before the bluebirds arrive, the nesting box should be cleaned out.  Remove any old nesting material and then scrape out dirt and debris with a putty knife or wire brush.  Old nesting material should not be left on the ground near the nest but removed from the area to prevent parasites that can harm baby bluebirds in the nest.  Washing out the nesting box with a spray of 1/10 bleach/water will sterilize the box, and it is ready for the season. 

THANKS FOR THE READ!

In February, the packaged dormant bulbs arrive at the garden centers. Among them are one of my favorites: the easy-to-grow lilies. Many of the showy cultivars thrive in our northern climate including two of my favorites; Asiatic and Oriental Hybrids.

Asiatic hybrids are the first of the lilies to flower in early summer and are the most cold tolerant of all lilies. They also mature and reproduce rapidly.  Asiatics are available in reds, whites, pinks, oranges, and yellows of every shade. Asiatics are not strongly scented but come in a range of sizes from 2’ to 5’!

To find fragrance, we must sniff out the Oriental lily hybrids.  Oriental lilies will produce some of the largest, showiest flowers that you could expect this side of the tropics. A sub-group of the Oriental lilies are the Imperial hybrids. Imperial lilies produce large, sometimes huge flowers on sturdy stems. The Imperial Gold strain, for instance, produces 5” to 7” fragrant flowers on plants up to 7’ tall. 

Lilies grow from bulbs like those you’ll find at the garden center. They are bare-root in plastic bags. If you shop for them early you can pick out the fattest ones from the group offered.  The fatter the bulb, the better the plant. Plant your lilies as soon as the ground has thawed in a location that is in full sun. After enjoying your lilies for three or four years, you’ll notice that you’re getting more plants and flowers but they aren’t as tall as they used to be. This is a signal that they’re crowded and need to be dug and divided in fall after frost or early the next spring when they’ve just started to sprout from the soil.   

Another of my favorite bulbs available in packages this time of year is irises.  Most irises flower early in the season. Like the lilies, irises are easy to grow and multiply quickly. They grow from tuberous rootstock called rhizomes. When you’re shopping for iris rhizomes, don’t just look at the pretty picture on the package.  Inspect the rhizomes through the bag. Feel them. They should be firm to the touch and show no signs of mold. The bigger the rhizome the better the flowers. If you can’t plant them right away, just store them in a cool spot until the ground thaws. 

Bearded Irises come in almost any color combination imaginable and range in height from about 15” to 36”. Mature Bearded Irises will have several flowers on each flower stalk. 

Dwarf Bearded Iris varieties grow to heights about 8” or so. Bearded and Dwarf Bearded Irises prefer to be planted in full sun in soil that’s been enriched with plenty of organic matter. 

Later in spring, Japanese and Siberian irises will appear in the garden center as potted perennial plants rather than bare-root rhizomes. Japanese Irises are tall with some getting as tall as 4’. They can tolerate some light shade and perform best when planted in an area with damp acidic soil. Along a stream or a boggy pond bank would be a great spot for Japanese Irises. Easy-to-grow Siberian irises have been gaining in popularity due to their ability to grow in locations that are drier than other irises prefer. Siberian Irises have narrow leaves and smaller flowers than other iris varieties.  They do best when planted in full sun or partial shade. Like other irises, Siberian Irises prefer acidic soil with lots of organic but are more forgiving of less-than-ideal conditions.

Irises mature quickly so be ready to divide them every few years.  A group of irises that is overgrown will form a ring as the original plants die out in the center. Dig these clumps up in early spring and divide by chopping into several smaller clumps and replant. Make sure to freshen up the soil with more organic matter before replanting.  Irises are easy to grow and prolific so it is easy to understand their growing popularity.  Give them a try; you’ll be glad you did.

THANKS FOR THE READ!

NOTHING livens up a cold winter day like wild birds flitting and darting to and from your bird feeder. Their bright colors and lively manner bring a bit of cheer to even the dreariest day. 

As difficult as winter’s weather has been for us, it’s hard to imagine what it’s like for the wild animals out there…especially the tiny birds.  To endure such unrelenting cold, winter birds need to stay active, and their activity is fueled by calories and protein. The trick to attracting birds is providing calories and protein in forms that they prefer.

Black Oil Sunflower is higher in calories per pound than Gray Striped Sunflower and I find that the smaller black seed are more easily handled by chickadees and other small birds.

The second most important food for wild birds is fine cracked corn.  Cracked corn appeals to ground/platform feeding birds like cardinals, doves and juncos.  When you shop for cracked corn, be sure you get FINE cracked corn.  Medium or coarse cracked corn is too large to be beneficial to small wild birds. 

Suet provides maximum calories to help birds stay warm and is a favorite of nuthatches and woodpeckers.  Suet comes in lots of flavors like peanut, fruit and nut, blueberry and more.  I like to buy the ten packs so I have a ready supply during these coldest days of winter. 

I’ve had my bird feeder up and filled for a couple of months now so it is time to bring it inside and give it a thorough cleaning.  We need to keep the feeders clean to keep the birds healthy. In the wild, bird diseases can’t spread easily from bird to bird since the food is spread all around and the birds have little common contact.  Our bird feeders attract all the birds to only a few feeding ports so it is important to keep those ports clean. They are all eating from the same plate so to speak so is best to keep that plate clean. When cleaning your feeder, pay close attention to the inside and outside of the feeding ports since this is where diseases can be spread from bird to bird.  An old toothbrush can come in handy for this.  After it’s clean, soak all the feeder’s parts in a mix of 1 part chlorine bleach to 10 parts water.  This will kill any germs.  Let it dry thoroughly and reassemble. 

Make sure that you keep your feeders topped off.  Once you start feeding the birds, they become dependent on the supply you’ve been providing. This is the time they need the food the most.

During extended periods of sub-freezing weather, birds will have a hard time finding water.  If you provide fresh water, the traffic to your feeding stations will increase dramatically. You can refill the water source each day or use an electric birdbath warmer to keep ice from forming.  I only plug mine in during the very coldest days of winter. 

THANKS FOR THE READ!