Posted by Linda Karr on 2/25/2013 to Newsletter

The Garden Enthusiast- Backyard Nature Station Update

February 2013

 

Fellow Backyard Nature Lovers,

Spring is around the corner. Sunday was a beautiful day to be out. The birds were out serenading us as we worked.  It was wonderful to work out in the garden getting beds ready. Next weekend, rose pruning is on my agenda. Hope you're enjoying some of these spring-like days.

 

Want a case of suet (extra ones keep in a cool place for several months) or readying your garden for spring and need multiple large bags of amendments? Give us a call and we'll get it for you.

 

From Our Customers

From Suzanne: My son said he saw a yellow and green humming bird last week (mid January) in our back yard in Pine Lake. Thanks for all the news.

Almost everyone is talking about their bluebirds. Many have Goldfinch and Pine Siskins going rapidly through their thistle seed.

On a gardening note  Beverly asked for information on straw bale gardening watch for an article on that in next month's newsletter.

 

Classes & Events

Please call us at 404-474-7072 to pre-register for classes. Jeanne George will be our instructor for the following classes.

 

Saturday, March 23rd, 10-12: Kite Making - This class is specifically for 3rd graders and up and a parent. You'll take home your very own kite, ready to fly. Materials included. Cost: parent/child $20. To register, call (404)474-7072, email  or register online.

Thursday, April, 18th, 3:30-5: Bird Mobile -While, learning about different birds, you'll use geometric paper forms and feathers to create a hanging mobile. Great for Scouts and home-schoolers. Materials included. Cost: $12. To register, call (404)474-7072, email  or register online.

Thursday, May 9th, 10:30-12: Botanical Watercolor Painting - Create a watercolor while learning the parts of the flower. Includes all materials. Cost: $16. To register, call (404)474-7072, email  or register online.

 

.What's New in the Store?

 

Come in and browse catalog for your spring  flags, mat mates and yard DeSigns. There are also several other catalogs out for you to peruse from which you can order!

 

Sometimes, prices go down! We're pleased to reflect a recent drop in the price of 50lb Black Oil Sunflower. It's now $36.99.

 

Birding: bird baths from Evergreen, meal worm feeders, peanut feeder
Garden Art: Garden stakes

 

Gardening: Lots of new vegetable, herb and flower seeds. Do you have a wedding, birthday party or some other event coming up? Seeds make great favors. Bachelor's buttons? Sweet Pea Wedding Blush? Sunflowers? Let us know if you're interested and we can get them in bulk for you.

 

Miscellaneous: carpenter bee traps; T-shirts: Life is Simple (Eat. Sleep. Bird.), Gardening Yoga

 

 

Upcoming Event on Main Street

The following event is sponsored by the Old Town Tucker Merchant's Association (OTTMA). Proceeds benefit the Main Street District and the Dekalb Rape Crisis Center.

Saturday, March 16, 1-5pm: Chili Cook-off

There is still time to register your team. Don't forget - the award categories are Best Individual/Team Chili, People's Choice, Best Restaurant Chili and Best Booth (judging criteria will include booth decoration, costumes, choreographed dance routines and anything else you can think of to differentiate yourself from the competition). $30 entry fee for individuals and teams; $50 entry fee for restaurants. March 1 is the deadline for registration. Contestants will need to bring five gallons of chili to serve. The public entry fee is $5 and grants access to all the chili in competition, as well as a vote for the People's Choice prize. Live music. [email protected]

 

Old Town Tucker Update


Growler Town Beer Company has been hard at work preparing to open a beer growler retail store on Main Street. It looks Iike all of that hard work will pay off with a mid March opening. The newest addition to Main Street will offer craft draught beer to go in 64oz and 32 oz refillable glass containers. They will also carry a small selection of wine and ciders. You can find them on Facebook or on the web at www.growlertown.com. Cheers!

 

 

Community Events and Spirit

 

Monday, February 25th, 6pm: DeKalb Master Gardener Association (DMGA) monthly meeting will feature Joe Washington presenting a program describing gardening with an eye toward conserving resources.   As a TV reporter and personality, Joe Washington is familiar to Atlantans.   The Northlake Public Library (Barbara Lohar Branch) is at LaVista Rd and Harobi Dr.  More details of the meeting and other activities of the DeKalb Master Gardener Association can be found at the website: www.dmga.org .

 

Sunday, March 3rd, 2:00 to 4:00:  2nd annual Great Henderson Hunt (a wildlife treasure hunt in Henderson Park)

The Great Henderson Hunt is an outdoor adventure that's sure to delight kids, seniors, and everyone in between!  Like last year's hunt, teams will be given a map and a list of clues, and will set off on the wooden trails to find hidden "treasures" representing the diversity of wildlife in Henderson Park.  But this year, teams should expect a few surprises on the way to the finish line.  The Friends of Henderson Park is gearing up for this year's hunt and collecting some fabulous prizes for the winning teams. Thanks to TYSA, this year's hunt will begin at the soccer complex. Register and see photos from last year's hunt at hendersonpark.org.

 

Saturday, April 20, 10 am - 2pm: Georgia Native Plant Society Plant Sale

McFarlane Nature Park (easily accessed from 285 and 75) Follow the GNPS signs! Plenty of free parking.  The park is not handicapped accessible.

Select from thousands of sun and shade loving native plants: trees, shrubs, perennials and ferns for all growing conditions. Knowledgeable volunteers to assist in making your selections. Over 600 native azaleas. Cash and checks accepted.  No credit cards.

Bring wagons or carts to carry plants. For more information visit: www.GNPS.org

75 285 N Roswell Rd 400 McFarlane: Turn onto Atlanta Country Club Dr

 

Saturday, April 20th, 8am - 1pm: Tucker Historical Society   "Plant Swap and Share"

 

Saturday, May 11th: Georgia Hosta Society Show & Plant Sale at Tucker First United Methodist Church/Wesley Center                      

 

Saturday, May 11th, 9am to 4pm - Tucker Day on Main Street

 

 Saturday, May 18th - 9am - 5 pm: 2013 Eleventh Annual Tucker Historical Society Garden Tour.

GARDENING, ETC.

According to which chart you read for average last date of frost in Atlanta,  it's time to sow outdoors: bok choy, broccoli, escarole, kohlrabi, onion, parsley, peas, radish, squash, spinach, English Daisy, larkspur, poppy, sweet peas, cleome, calendula, Gaillardia and Lavender.

It's also time to put out pre-emergent for your lawn. Hi-Yield Dimension can be used (not on food crops) as well as Treflan (can be used on vegetable gardens). Espoma makes Organic Weed Preventer Plus which is for lawns. It has corn gluten in it which is the only organic pre-emergent. This is not for use on vegetable gardens. It lasts about 30 days. We can get any of these products if you are interested.

 

 

BIRDING

 

Win a Free Feeder Contest in Progress

 

Brome is giving away 120 Squirrel Buster Mini's, 18 Squirrel Buster Peanut+ and 12 Squirrel Buster Plus. 3 Squirrel Buster Mini's are drawn each day for 40 consecutive days -120 feeders in all; Weekly draws of 3 Squirrel Buster Peanut+ are drawn each Saturday for 6 consecutive weeks -18 feeders in all; 12 Grand Prize draws of a Squirrel Buster Plus will be drawn on Saturday March 30th..

 

Customers who visit The Garden Enthusiast -Backyard Nature Station and spend $25 will receive our unique store code starting. Once received, enter the code via Brome's Facebook, Web page or by simply calling Brome Bird Care's toll free number.  

Brome will contact us with the customer's contact information and then we get in touch with the winners. Brome Bird Care will follow up with the winner to make sure everything went well. The feeder is shipped to our store for you and we arrange with you to pick it up.

Have you got your window feeder out? You might see some Downy Woodpeckers, Tufted Titmouse, Chickadees, Bluebirds as well as many other birds. No waste seeds such as sunflower meats are a great thing to fill them with. It's good for those birds that don't have the beak to crack the black oil sunflower seeds. You can also mix suet pellets in your feeder.

 

Remember, too, that suet is a good all year round energy source for birds.

 

Bird of the Month: Pine Warbler

Dendroica pinus

  •      Pine Warblers are yellowish with olive backs, white bellies, and white wing bars on their gray wings. They have yellowish lines over their eyes.
  •      Their song is a "musical trill".
  •      Pine Warblers eat insects and berries primarily but will also come to your feeders for fruits and seeds.
  •       They stay in pine trees.
  •       The Pine Warbler nests are found at the end of a tree branch (Pines) and are deep with an open cup.

 

The Atlanta Audubon Society has some great field trips coming up through March: check these out and in get in touch with them for more information (678-973-2437):

Saturday, March 2: Piedmont Park -8:00AM 
Birding Focus: Migratory, permanent & winter residents. All levels welcome. Excellent for beginning birders or those desiring gentle terrain.

 

Sunday, March 3: Child-Friendly Walk at EL Huie Land Application Facility and Newman Wetlands Center -8:00AM  
Birding Focus: waterfowl, waders, shorebirds, raptors, songbirds


Sunday,  March 3: Panola Mountain State Park -8:00AM 
Birding Focus: Permanent and winter wetland & forest residents, including warblers, vireos, flycatchers, sparrows, blackbirds, raptors, waterfowl, waders, and any migrating shorebirds. 

 

 

Sunday,  March 3: Noonday Creek Trail - 9:00AM  
Birding Focus: Primarily a beginner bird walk for children & families, but any level of skill is welcome; just bring binoculars and wear walking shoes.
Thursday, March 7: Sweetwater Creek State Park -9:00AM 
Birding Focus: Migratory and permanent residents of wetlands and forest, including herons, wood ducks, warblers, thrushes, and vireos. With its falls, overlooks, and lake, Sweetwater Creek State Park is Georgia's most-visited state park and is the closest state park to the city of Atlanta. It offers a diverse birding habitat of woodlands, streams, wetlands, grasslands and a large lake.


Sunday, March 10: Lullwater Conservation Park -8:30AM 
Birding Focus: winter residents, Red-headed woodpecker, Hooded merganser, Belted kingfisher, Palm warbler, Pine warbler


Sunday,  March 10: Leone Hall Price Park -9:00AM  
Birding Focus: Primarily for children, families, & beginners, but any level of skill is welcome; just bring binoculars and wear good walking/hiking shoes that would withstand a creek crossing.

 

Thursday, March 14: Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve - 7:30AM  
Birding Focus: Winter & permanent resident wetland & woodland birds plus possible early spring migrants.

 

Sunday, March 17: Carter's Lake, Re-Regulation Lake, and Hidden Pond Trail -8:00AM  

 Birding Focus: Late winter songbirds, early migrant songbirds, and migratory waterfowl.

 

Sunday, March 17: Hard Labor Creek State Park - 8:00AM  
Birding Focus: Hard Labor Creek is the 2nd largest GA State Park. It boasts a variety of habitats and has a history of birds like Loggerhead Shrikes, American Kestrels, and a variety of waterfowl on Lake Rutledge. We'll look for woodland birds, waterfowl, raptors, and other winter residents.


Saturday, March 23: Big Creek Greenway - 8:00AM 
Birding Focus: Big Creek Greenway is a bottomland forest; home to water, wetland
and forest birds. Springtime will mean an even greater diversity with the addition of migratory birds, especially warblers. All levels are welcome, but binoculars are suggested.


Thursday, March 28: Cochran Shoals, CRNRA -7:30AM 
Birding Focus: Sparrows, woodpeckers, raptors, winter & permanent residents, & any waterfowl & herons that might be on the river or wetlands. Interesting plants & wildlife sightings will be incorporated into the walk too!


Saturday, March 30: E.L. Huie Land Application Facility and Newman Wetlands Center and - 8:00AM 
Birding Focus: Migratory songbirds, shorebirds, raptors, and a few lingering wintering waterfowl. Children 9 years and up are welcome if they are really interested in birds. Binoculars are necessary and may be borrowed from the NWC if needed. 



 

 

Hope to see you soon,

Linda, Brittany, Jessica, Jeremy, Stephen & Greyson

The Garden Enthusiast - Backyard Nature Station

2316 D Main Street

Tucker, GA 30084

Hours: Monday - Saturday 10am to 6PM

Closed Sundays

Contact us at 404-474-7072 or [email protected] -we love to get your feedback!

Like us on facebook!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Garden-Enthusiast-Backyard-Nature-Station/183052068407686