Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, everybody. Welcome back. I'm Ron Wilson, and you
are in the gardener on Hero News Radio six '
ten WTVN, talking about yard ding on this first day
of February. Can't believe it. The quick month. Four weeks
and we're out of it. March the first ride around
the corner. We're into the spring season. Valentine's Day in
the middle, Groundhog Day tomorrow. This thing's gonna fly. Make
(00:20):
sure you got your plans in place and ready to
go when the weather breaks, because I'm telling you it's good.
We're thinking it's going to break early, and uh, well,
just have your plans in place. What do you say?
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Uh?
Speaker 1 (00:31):
You know, I mentioned a couple weeks ago that we
would start talking about some of the books that I
had an opportunity to read over the winter that I
highly would recommend you to read as well. And we're
going to kick off this morning with a book that
I just got recently, as a matter of fact, because
it's hot off the press. It is absolutely outstanding. When
I saw the title for this before I even got
(00:53):
the book, I said, you know what, it's about time
somebody really came up with a good book that addresses
this issue. And you know, we've got all kinds of
books out there addressing and rightfully so, and I thank
goodness we do about planting for pollinators, planting with native plants,
planning for the bees, planning for the monarch butterflies, et cetera,
et cetera. But I haven't found a real good book
(01:14):
out there as far as planting for the birds, because
they're a very important part of that ecosystem as well,
and they're facing a lot of the same issues that
are pollinators and our bees and our monarch butterflies are
facing as well. So I found a book that is
absolutely outstanding. The homework has been done for you. You
(01:35):
sit down, you read this book, and you will be
ready to go to change your landscape into a bird
friendly gardening landscape. It is written by Jen McGinnis. Her
website is Frawzenny dot com and Jen is with us
this morning.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Good morning, Good morning. How are you today?
Speaker 1 (01:51):
I am great good to have you with us. All right,
so you got to, first of all, explain something, Jen McGinnis,
and your website is Fraulzenny dot com and that stands
for I think you said, missus Zenia, Where did the
there were the fraw Zenni come from.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Yeah, so I.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Was trying to be cute. I'm half German and I
was playing on that heritage. So I was googling and
trying to translate what missus Zinnia would translate to into German.
And I came back with the translation Frau Zinny And
I thought that was really fun because it's unique and
it's memorable, and it also encompasses my love of zinnias,
(02:31):
which is a great pollinator plant.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Also, oh absolutely, I loved it. I saw the fraws
Zenni I was like and had me confuse the first
and then when I went to the website and I said, oh,
I get it now absolutely. And by the way, I
just want you to know that the picture you have
on your website with you as a young lady working
in the garden and up today you still look exactly
the same. How'd you do that?
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Thanks? It must be all that time out in the
sunshine and with the plants there.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
You go working out in that garden. By the way,
if you were Zennia lover, did you see, I'm sure
you stay up with it. The All American Selections for
twenty twenty five.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Yes, they have a new variety that just kind of
ouns yeah, that Cresstar mix. Yes, yes, it that's pretty cool.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Yeah, it's got that like that button in the middle
in the small and all kinds of colors. And you're right, Zenius,
you know that that's an old annual that's really coming
back because there's so many great varieties out there and
don't see the powdery mildew like you used to. And
you're right, a great pollinator plant as well, seeing a
lot more selections than rightfully, so.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Yeah, definitely a lot more color too.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
All right. So this is kind of interesting because I
got your book, and in the meantime of getting your
book of bird Friendly Gardening, I realized that you wrote
another book a few years ago which is absolutely outstanding
and I didn't know anything about it called micro Food Gardening,
which I'm into container gardening big time, and you talk
(03:56):
about a hot topic right now and a hot trend
out there and that's growing in tiny spaces. That book
is absolutely outstanding as well your two for.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Two here, Oh thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
They were both fun to write.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
So I thought this was kind of interesting first of all,
and I don't want to take away from the bird
Friendly Gardening book, but I like this one. And we
talk a lot about using the more dwarf plants, talk
a lot about container gardening on our show, talk about
gardening on patios and and and and you know, the
smaller containent. And I've been a container gardener forever and
I've just tried to experiment with all kinds of plants
(04:32):
and containers. I thought that this is a great one.
And of course all the new selections of dwarf and
micro plants vegetable plants that are available today is unbelievable
what's out there. But you kind of got into this
because of if I'm not mistaken from your grandfather.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
Yeah. So he he's basically encouraged me to be offside
and get my hands dirty. And he was really creative
with how he used his space. He was his house
was in Queens, New York, which is a borough of
the city, and he had a small plot of land,
but he made such a good, such a good use
of space. He'd have his grapes growing on the Trellis's.
(05:13):
He had raspberries growing in like a field that, like
you know, was really close to the road, the Long
Island railroad tracks, and you know, he had pumpkins growing
like right on the perimeter, and he had tomatoes and cucumbers.
They were growing together. He was doing companion planting, even
though they weren't. He wasn't calling it companion planting. So
(05:33):
he was really a mean proponent of me getting out
there and really finding a love of plants and learning
about how to grow your own food and how it's
easier than people think.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
And I loved reading about that because I've been doing
gardening shows for quite some time, and it used to
many years ago. I'd get people to call in and say, hey,
you know my grandfather used to or my grandmother used to,
or I learned from you know, an ancestor of some
type of had a garden. You just don't hear that
more than you know, passing it from one generation to another.
So I loved it when you said that. I think
you said your parents were involved with guarding too, but
(06:07):
your grandfathers, you know, doing all the little container gardenings,
I thought was outstanding.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Yes, definitely. And my mom, you know, she was into
the houseplants. My dad was into his roses. So I
had like a nice a pyramid of all the plants,
all the opportunities you could go after.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
You know, I love it well and I don't want again.
I don't want to take away from the book we
really want to talk about. But I'm telling folks right
now and I will continue to recommend this. This micro
food gardening book is absolutely outstanding and it's a you'll
find it available out there. And again it's by Jen
McGinnis and the commonly no or known as frows Any
and that's our website, frowzany dot com. So let's talk
(06:43):
about this absolutely wonderful. I don't know where you came
up with all the information here, but it's fantastic. You
did a lot of homework bird friendly gardening guidance and
projects for supporting birds in your landscape. Now, have you
always been a burder?
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Yeah, so I would say I grew up with the
love of birds. My spark bird was the cardinal when
I was growing up, he would come to my feeder.
I was totally enamored with how he looked, the red
feathers and just his attitude, you know, And then that
definitely followed throughout my life. But it wasn't until I
became a gardener with my own property, in my own garden,
(07:23):
that I started to connect the dots that the plants
I was growing to grow my own food, and then
the flowers for the pollinators I would help, you know,
pollinate those vegetables as well. Some of those native plants
were starting to bring in the birds. And just seeing
like that connection, I was like, Hey, if I start
putting in more shrubs that produce berries, I'm going to
(07:43):
I'm gonna see birds more often than just in the
winter when I put out my feeder. So it was
like a natural evolution. But it's always been like a
love of mine of just you know, someone will be
talking to me outside and I'll hear a bird in
the distance and be like, what, Like, I'll totally get
distracted very easily.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
Well, you know, and I like what you said with
a spark bird, And because you start out the book
by saying you remember your spark bird, the one who
picked your interest when you know, when we were looking
at a bird feeder or whatever. And I started thinking
about that, and you know, when I think back as
a kid, and I love watching the cardinals and the
blue jays go at it, and you know, the territorial thing,
and you know, especially around a bird feeder and all that.
(08:20):
But I think about as a kid we grew up
on the farm, I was, I still am infatuated with crows.
They're smart birds, and it's just I guess that's not
one that you really would garden for to get crows
to come into your landscape.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
Yeah. I guess some of the farmers would be surprised
that you picked that one. But they are very intelligent
and I could see why you would be enamored with them.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Oh yeah. And the other one, and you talk about
the sound, was a red winged blackbird because they've got
such a distinct call and you don't see them that often,
but man, I always thought that was the greatest bird ever.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
Yeah, they are really awesome.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
You're right.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
They have such a distinctive call and you know who
they are second second you hear that, and if a
listener hasn't heard that, hearing us for the first time,
it will be such a treat.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Oh yeah, no doubt. Talking with Jen McGinnis, the name
of the book is bird Friendly Gardening, and I'm telling
you what she walks you from the very beginning, just
their basic needs, all the way through. She even gets
sid there's even talking about how to photograph birds as well.
We'll talk about that too. Let's take a quick break,
we come back, we'll kind of work our way through
the book and some of the great things you'll find. Again,
it's called bird Friendly Gardening. Jen McGinnis is the author.
(09:30):
Her website is frawzinny dot com. Be sure and check
it out here on news radio six to ten WTVN
our special guest this Morning, Jen McGinnis. Her website is
frawzinni dot com. She's also the author of micro Food Gardening.
Highly recommend that book is absolutely outstanding. Her newest book
is Bird Friendly Gardening, again absolutely outstanding. You know what
(09:51):
I did is I read the book. I went from
from front to back, read the book, and then I
started putting all my little post it notes in here
on things that I wanted to, you know, start to
highlight to use in my own gardening endeavors. I think
you brought up a couple of good points, and here
one is, you know, if we start thinking about switching
over trying to add more native plants, try to add
more you know, create larger beds, maybe reduce the lawn
(10:12):
a little bit, do more of a flowering lawns or whatever.
We don't have to do it all at one time.
We can just kind of do this a plant at
a time, a bed at a time it does, you know,
and make it planned over maybe a two or three
year project. It doesn't have to be something you just
do all at one shot.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Right.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Yeah, it isn't an all or nothing thing that you're
signing up for. So if you have a garden that
you know is filled with you know, hydranges that are
not native, but you you don't want to get rid
of them, you can just start adding in like native
shrums or maybe some native perennials and start building out
your landscape so that way includes a little bit more variety.
(10:49):
And like you said, it can be done over time.
You could make yourself a plan, or you could just
you know, say this year, I'm going to go to
the garden center and find a native plant that looks
beautiful and that we grow in my yard and put
it in there and see what happens. So it's definitely
at your own pace and how how like choose your
own adventure right yeah, really now.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
And you're in your lawn, at your at your particular home.
Have you gotten more into the flowering lawn. I mean,
we've had a lot of interest with a lot of
folks here one is using like the micro clovers and
with the tall fascues or actually taking out some of
the turf totally and making it some more of an
actual flowering lawn.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
Yeah, so I kind of fall into the second category.
I've reviewed a lot of my front garden lawn. In fact,
I only have like a strip that's next to the
road at this point, and that really just serves the
purpose of like you know, if a car has to
park and it's it gets on the grass, like okay,
nothing gets you know, hurt. But yeah, I've removed most
of it. But I've seen all the wonderful alternatives that
(11:51):
they have offered for lawns and and here and we're
on Bason, Connecticut, we have no mo may and there's
a lot of participation in that also in that that
you know, really helps drive home the idea of like
you don't need that manicured green lawn all the time,
like there's other other.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Options, you know, sure, and I know you you know
you're an organic gardener. Do you find you find it
difficult to do all of this and be an organic gardener.
I mean, there's are some challenges that they are hard
to work with being an organic gardener.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
I find it easier than trying to, you know, find
the chemical fertilizer and schedule for me. I think over time,
I've been able to build up the quality of my
soil by making composts, adding it back into the soil,
growing plants that help put the nutrients back in, and
I'm thinking of like Comfree they do a great job
(12:43):
of that, and like you know, the peas and everything
and and the beans. So I think over time I've
developed like a healthy ecosystem. And because I'm not using
those pesticides, the native insects are taking care of the
problem insects. So sometimes, you know, you go out and
be like, oh my god, this shrub has you know,
beetles on it, and they're eating all the leaves, and
(13:05):
you have to say, like, step back, it's okay. You know,
someone's gonna come and eat those beetles, either you know,
a parasitic wasp or a bird. So usually it all
evens out, and I find that I don't stress as
much about the maintenance as anymore, like it just kind
of sure does its own thing.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
You've created that ecosystem that it just kind of takes
care of itself. I mean, we've seen research that's shown
you know, you do these pollinator butterfly gardens, bird gardens,
whatever and get the right system going and a lot
of times the beneficial insects, you know, that take care
of the ones that are the small percentage of the
nuisance insects that are out there. Next thing, you know,
you really don't have a.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Lot of issues, right exactly.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
Talking with Jen McGinnis. The name of the book bird
Friendly Gardening. Also go to a website as frowzany dot com.
Sign up for a monthly gardening email as well, and
the great information on your website. So a lot of
find a lot of good reading. I did. One of
the things I had no idea about where those four
main travel routes. Had no idea about that. That was
pretty interesting.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
Oh yeah, those would be the flyaways that the birds
are using to migrate in the spring and the fall,
and we have four of them across the United States,
and they're very you know, related to the geographic geography
of the nation. So you have like the Pacific fly Away,
the Central fly Away, you have the Mississippi one and
also the Atlantic and they you know, followed the course
(14:32):
of that north to south or south north, depending on
which migration season we're in. And that's a great way
for you to you know, go outside and see some
birds that don't natively stay in your area all year
round but might just be passing through. And I've also
found that, you know, growing those native plants, you become
more of a stopover station and a better chance to
(14:53):
see those warblers coming through or the other the other
really unique birds that are native tea your area.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Sure, talking with Jim McGinnis again. The name of the
book is bird Friendly Gardening. It's absolutely outstanding. You walk
us through all the general projects you walk us through.
I think it's interesting small space projects, medium space, large
space projects, rain gardens, shade gardens, woodland gardens. I mean
you pretty much cover them all. And then we've all
(15:22):
got those different situations there. I mean, you did a
wonderful job. And then I think that you know, we're
talking about container guardening that more and more, and a
lot of folks that have small space, you know, like condos, patios, whatever,
don't feel like they can contribute. I've always said, you know,
even a planter, a window box or whatever, you can
(15:42):
be a part of the pollinator solution here, a part
of the bird feeding solution here, even in something like
one container, a window box or whatever. And I'll tell
you that the planting you have on that first page
where they have that wooden box with those bends in it,
with different bends, that you could they take it in
out what a great I took. I took up made
some copies of that. I'm telling you the truth. I
(16:03):
made a couple copies of it and gave it to
a couple of friends because I said, look at this,
this is really cool the way this is set up.
You take those bins out and you plant like each
individual bin looks like they have all kinds of different
plants on them. But again, you addressed the small space
gardening which a lot of folks are faced with today.
But you really can be an influence even with small
(16:25):
space gardening.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
Yes, definitely, And like you had mentioned, the window boxes
are a great option. Like if you're in a terrace
like balcony area, you can put something out that would
help the hummingbirds. And you know, some of those birds.
Plants that are attractive to the hummingbirds also will feed
some of the sparrows as well, so just by like
the seeds and the grasses that they make. So yeah,
(16:48):
it's really all in conversation. And I wanted the book
to be like approachable for anyone to pick up and say, like, well,
I love birds, and you know, maybe is love gardening
or you know, maybe one of the other. But I
just wanted to make it accessible so people could feel
like they were empowered to do something and not be
left out.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
Well, you have totally done that, trust me. This is it.
And again I kind of kid you about it. But
you've got two books here that are absolutely wonderful. You're
two for two on these. I can't wait to see
what you're going to write about in your third book.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
Thank You.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
One that really caught my attention, and I loved reading
through all. I loved the whole book. But actually creating
an owl friendly habitat, I never thought about that.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
Yes, so that that one falls under the larger property,
just because that's usually the area where you can have
like those older trees or trees that have died back
and tens still remain standing because a lot of those
snags that you know, they don't look pretty, but they're
like vital habitat and homes for not only owls, but
the woodpeckers as well. So if you keep those standing
(17:51):
and they're you know, not in danger of falling on
your house, they're they're great to keep, and they will
make a habitat for those owls. And a lot of
the different stories of shrubs. You know, you have shrubs,
you have trees that helps create that habitat for them
as well.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
Let me ask you this, you know, I know you
give a garden talks and workshops and seminars and all.
I'm sure people email you as well. We talked about
planting for the pollinators, and we talk about planting for
the butterflies and and all that, you know, the beneficial insects,
and now we're talking about planting for the birds and
drawing birds into our garden as well. And birds eat insects.
(18:28):
So where's the trade off there. I did all this
planting to bring these insects in, and now the birds
are going to eat.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
Them, all right, So that kind of plays into what
we were saying earlier about that ecosystem, right, right, the
birds that are tracked in, they're not going to take
out every insect that is in your property. So if
you're trying to get those butterflies you know, to be
raised there, yeah, they will be a little more vulnerable
in that caterpillar stage. But you'll also be offering native
(18:53):
plants that host other native insects that will also feed
the birds. And there's one garden project in the book.
I think it's called the Insect Garden, and that talks
about all the different plants that host a variety of
insects that those birds will be eating, and then it
attracts a wide variety of them as well, from you know,
thrushes to cardinals and mocking birds and wax wings, so
(19:17):
there's something for everyone. But yeah, if you are organic
and not using pesticides, you're creating that area that it's
safe for the insects and for the birds and yeah,
making everybody happy.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
Basically, it's called Bird Friendly Gardening Guidance and Projects for
Supporting Birds in Your Landscape by Jen McGinnis. Her website
is frouzeni dot com. And you know, I think the
good thing about this is I can finish the book
reading you're not telling folks to not use bird feeders.
As a matter of fact, you talk about how to
incorporate bird feeders into what you are doing with your
(19:50):
bird gardening and your bird landscaping. So it's not a
bad thing to do the bird feeders as well.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
Right, And bird feeders can be really beneficial. The key
with them that's just keeping them clean. So if you're
feeding them now over the winter, you'll definitely want to
take down your feeder and give it a good scrub
every couple of weeks just to make sure it's clean,
removing all that soiled spoiled seed. If you have like rainstorms,
that kind of make it compromise, So you want to
(20:17):
keep everything fresh and clean. And that's true for the
hummingbird feeders as well. That's very important for them because
that nectar that gets put in them can spoil very
quickly and then that can cause way too many problems
that actually hurt the humming birds in the long run.
So if you sign up for a bird feeder, and
you're also signing up for the care and the cleaning
(20:38):
of it as well.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
Sure, and of course you did bring up in here,
which we don't a lot of times we forget about it.
How important fresh water is to these two birds into
all of them out there, but how important it is
to keep that going in your gardens as well.
Speaker 3 (20:51):
Yeah, fresh water is key. Not only does the sound
of the moving water help bring the birds in and
attract them to your property, but especially in the winter
now and our natural water sources are partially frozen or
completely frozen over, there's more chances for them to get
access to water if you put out a heated bird
bath and also keep that clean as well. And that's
(21:12):
how I actually first attracted Eastern bluebirds to my garden
was because I had that heated bird bath out and
they were, you know, passing through the area looking for food,
and they stopped at the bird bath. And this is
like a couple of years ago, and I've been able
to keep them around every winter ever since. So I
definitely keep that bird bath out there.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
Excellent talk about Jim McGinnis again. Her website is frozeni
dot com. Her new book is bird Friendly Guardening. It
is absolutely outstanding and I got to throw this back
in there again. Micro Food Gardening project plans and plans
for growing fruits and veggies and tiny spaces absolutely outstanding
as well. I suggest to get both of them. They
(21:51):
wonderful job and I really can't tell you enough how seriously,
both of them two for two on these absolutely outstanding.
Your website's outstanding as well, and we really appreciate you
spending time with us this morning.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
Oh well, thank you so much, and I'm so glad
you enjoyed the books, and thank you again having me
on today.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
Yeah, we appreciate it, Jen McGinnis. Again, our website fraul
Zenny dot com, bird Friendly Gardening, be sure and check
it out. Take a quick break, we come back. We'll
continue on. Phone lines are open for you at eight
two to one WTVN here on news radio six '
ten WTVN. I do want to thank again Jen McGinnis
for joining us this morning. These are two great books. Again,
(22:29):
I've got more books coming up. I think I may
have about five more that we'll take a look at
as we go over the next several weeks. And again,
you know what I recommend, I read these books myself
front to back, look through and make sure the information
I think is good and it's easy to understand and
all great information, and then like to share that with
you as well, and that these are I discovered the
(22:54):
other one, the micro Foods, by getting the first this
other one, but absolutely gorgeous, gorgeous book. I mean, great
pictures at all. She's a photographer, so it should be right.
But she does great job, great information on both of
those books, so be sure and check it out. Our
website's pretty cool too, so check that as well. Again,
I loved it, Frau Zennia. I couldn't quite figure out
(23:15):
what the deal was until you read it, and then
you understand it and go from there. And by the way,
those Zenias crust Stars Zenias are really cool. It's an
all American selection for twenty twenty five. Sometimes those are
available the first year at the local garden center. Sometimes
they're not. But it's the Zenia. There's multiple colors, and
(23:35):
I think they just come in a mix. I don't
think they're selling them by individual colors right now. And
it's the head on it looks like it's about an
inch and a half in diameter. It's it's a dome.
It's rounded and then there's small petals will go around
the outside. Pretty cool look at Senna, so keep that
in mind as well. Also, I was talking earlier about
our website run Wilson online dot com. I have a
(23:55):
plant pick of the week every week and this week
our tree. Last week it was paperbark maple. This week
it is Cornis moss. Are you familiar with Cornis moss
if you like dogwoods, but you want a dogwood that
will grow in the sun and then you know, having
to be a you know, kind of an understory tree,
do a good job. Here's the dogwood for you. Now
(24:17):
that what's different about this particular dog What is the
fact that it flowers yellow flowers in late winter early
spring versus the big white flowers that you get on
the corners floridas and the cousas. This is Cornis moss ms.
Or commonly known as Cornelian cherry dogwood. It's durable, It's
(24:38):
way underused in the landscape. It's tough, and like I said,
it loves to grow in full sun. Now, this is
a again kind of a small ornamental tree. Can be
used as a large shrub, typically multitrunked and low branching.
Use it as a specimen tree, patio tree, screening hedge
border fifteen to twenty high by fifteen to twenty wide.
(25:00):
There's two or three selections that are available out there
at your local nurseries. But been around a long time.
It's nothing new, it's just you don't see it very often,
I don't you know. Again, another one of those trees
that folks just don't know a lot about many times
when it's in flower in late winter early spring with
that yellow flower, I think a lot of folks mistake
it for a large forcythia, but it flowers way before
(25:22):
the forsythias do. But again, it's Cornelian cherry dogwood and
it has a nice dark glossy green leaf during the season.
It has the yellow flowers in the spring. It has
a nice size red berry that you can eat if
you get to it before the wildlife does. You can
make wine out of it. You can make jellies and
jams out of it, so keep that in mind. Birds
(25:43):
love it. So there you go. Another one that you
can use the for feeding the birds, but doesn't get
the respect that it deserves. Trust me, Like I said,
it's been around forever. Flies under the radar. It's called
Cornelian cherry dogwood cornice moss. And again check that out
at your local garden centers. I think you will love that.
For a small tree used a lot. I'll tell you
(26:04):
what's really nice. He uses a specimen. But if you're
doing a screen planting, a natural border planting, these do
a great job for that and it's a great show
as well. Cornelian Cherry Dogwood quick break. We come back.
We will jump back into the garden phone lines. Dan,
you're coming up next A tow to one WTVN here
on news radio six y ten WTVN. Yeah, I love
(26:29):
that song. Talking to your arding here on news radio
six y ten WTVN, A two to one WTVN to
the guarden phone lines. We shall go, Dan, good morning.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
Hi, good morning, thanks for taking my call.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
My pleasure.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
I want to do some winter overseeding and I've done
that in the past. Type of seed I've used is
the turf Builder, full sun, dense shade medium to hide
throughout the resistance.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
Well.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
With last year's summer, the south southwest side was really
impacted by the drought, and I'm wondering if there's a
variety of seed that I can go out there that
might be much more drought resistant.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
You know, if I had to say, of all the
grasses that are out there, the one that would hold
up the longest, and eventually, if it's not water and
it stays hot and dry for a long period of time,
it'll even shut down over time, but it does come back.
And that's the turf type tall fescues. And I don't
know what was in the mix or blend that you bought,
but those turf type tall fescues are pretty deep rooted.
(27:39):
You know, when you see the fescues, that's like a
Kentucky thirty one fescue long expressway. I mean, think about
that stuff that stays green all the time. You know,
it's I don't care what the weather's like, it's always green. Well,
this is like a This is like a second or
third cousin of that. It's a more high quality lance,
you know, turf type fescue, So it's a finer blade,
(27:59):
but it has that deeper rooting, drought resistance, insect a
little more insect resistant and disease resistant than a lot
of other grasses. So it's one of the last ones
to shut down when we get into a drought situation.
Blue grasses and rice sometimes some of the first ones
is shut down. So turf type tall rescues would be
(28:20):
my recommendation for the toughest winner or lasting the longest
until it finally will shut down. The other thing I
would recommend over time is that you know, we learn
from these situations where you know, if you can't water,
what can I do to make the soil, make the
turf more more durable? And of course using the right
(28:41):
seat and I do like the turf type tall rescue.
But point being is if somewhere down the road you
do you core air rate the lawn at all.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
Yeah, I've done that probably about two years ago. But
you know, it was so dry this fall. I couldn't.
Speaker 1 (28:57):
You couldn't do it. I mean it was so dry.
But if you're able to core air rate and every
time you core air rate, rake back it a really
fine compost and rake that back in those cores that
you pulled out and started getting more organic matter back
into that soil. Now, when you get that organic matter
in there, plus the more durable grass, you'll find that
(29:18):
it can be a lot more tolerant of the drier
situations because they root in even more extensively. And by
having those that more organic matter, when you do water
or when you do get a shower, that comes through.
It absorbs it a lot better rather than just having
the old heart clay. So yeah, core aer rating alone
(29:38):
is an absolutely wonderful thing to do. If you could
take that second step and put the organic matter there
and rake it back in on the top, that is
absolutely wonderful and you'll see over time it really does help.
Speaker 2 (29:50):
With Pete moss be something to incorporate into that area also.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
Yeah, I mean you can take pete. That's an expensive
way to go. You can usually find a finer compost
a lot less expensive. But if you want to use
the spag, don't use the black stuff. I would use
the spagnum. Yeah, the spagnum pete and again finally rake
that in and use it as a top dressing. Absolutely,
I mean do it lightly, but sure that's something you
(30:18):
could add as well, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
What's the latest I could really maybe do this winter seating.
Speaker 1 (30:25):
Uh, you know, the dormant seating. I try to shoot
for mid February, so anytime during anytime during this month
would be great. And what we're looking at is just
you know, warm days, cold nights, and that just basically
all that does is help to prepare a nice seed
bed and works that seed down into the soil. The
big thing is to go to those areas, rake it
(30:47):
so you get all the debris out of the way,
so you've got good seed soil contact. Get your seed
down anytime during this month. Get the seed down so
that it works its way in. It's in place, and
it's ready to go as soon as the temperature soil
and air temperatures get to a point where that grass
seed can start to germinate. And that's the whole goal
is having it in place so it you know, starts
right away. So we try to get it rooted in
(31:09):
as best we can before we get into the heat
of late spring and early.
Speaker 2 (31:13):
Summer and probably no pre emergence.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
No, you cannot use a pre emersion on that new
seed unless you get Scott's first. This step one for
newly seated lawns. It is a pre emerged herbicide only
lasts about I think about forty five fifty sixty days
something like that, and it does allow grass seed to germinate,
and it has a starter fertilizer with it. Two, it
(31:41):
does allow the grass seed to germinate and will stop.
Does a pretty decent job crab grass and other seeds
for about, like I said, a forty five to sixty
degree date window period and then it pretty much wears out.
But that one is available. It's a little bit expensive,
but you can use that. If you still need to
use a Premier's an herbicide.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
Well, thank you again and I'll get her done, all.
Speaker 1 (32:04):
Right, Dan, appreciate it. Let's know how it turns out
for you. All right, thank you, all right, you're more
than welcome, Tomato. Dick. Is this you?
Speaker 4 (32:15):
Hey? Ron?
Speaker 1 (32:17):
Oh, it's Dick from Dayton. Yeah, I'm doing great and
you I'm telling you.
Speaker 4 (32:23):
I called you twice. But Boots had asked me maybe
in the future, and I want you to be part
of you and Danny at seven hundred. He asked me
to come out and play for Auto Smart. But I'm
trying to think. I want to make it in a
good day so you can hear me too, you and
Danny and everybody you know.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
Yeah, well we have we'll have we'll have it on too.
So where are you going to go to Auto Smart's
and do that?
Speaker 4 (32:46):
Yeah, Boots, Boots told me. Yeah. See, I uh, there's
a little trivia in there. I got I got Rooster.
It was about I did fairly well, but I just
good forgot to tell you and Danny about it. You know,
I've been playing a little bit, but I think everybody,
you know, Derrick Geff heard me, and it don't only
be fair for you guys.
Speaker 1 (33:05):
To hear absolutely well. If you're gonna do that, let
us know ahead of time so we can try to
tune it in.
Speaker 4 (33:11):
Okay, I didn't mean to bother you.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
You're not bothering me. It's good hearing from you.
Speaker 4 (33:16):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm gonna yeah, I'll be back with
John Monday night, back to the Banjoe group, buddy.
Speaker 1 (33:23):
All right, sounds good, and we look forward to hearing
you on the Auto Smarts.
Speaker 4 (33:27):
Yeah yeah, maybe I'll see you. I'll see you next week.
Speaker 1 (33:30):
All right, sounds good. Take care, all right, there you go.
I wasn't sure they said Dick. I went shure it
was Tomato Dick or Dick from Dayton. There you go.
Good hearing from him. He gets on every show. That
man's a celebrity. What can I say? By the way,
quick reminders here before we run out of time. The
Central Ohio Beekeepers have their classes going on in the
(33:51):
February and March for B schools. It goes at the
Scott's Lawn Care in Marysville. That their their B school
February fifteenth. Them at different places, but anyway to find
out more about them, Central Ohio Beekeepers dot org. That's
Central Ohio Beekeepers dot org. Knox County Beekeepers. They've got
their classes. The first one is today, the next one
(34:13):
is February the fifteenth. They have other classes as well.
Again to learn more about them, It's Knoxbees dot com.
That's Knox Knoxbees dot com. And take one of those
classes there two and learn more about the bees. And
I've always said if you learn more about what you
have an interest in, like the birds, birding, or moles,
(34:35):
you have all problems. Learn more about their habitats. It's
easier to figure out how to control them. Bees and pollinators.
Learn more about them makes it easier for you to
understand what they need and how you can make adjustments
in your landscaping and what you do to help serve
the birds and the pollinators and the moles and the
boles and everything else. And when you're trying to get
those under control as well. And mark your calendars from
(34:56):
March the eighth from ten until five at the Ohio
State univer Mansfield campus. They're having Maple Madness Tour at
the Maple Pavilion. They're gonna have you can tour their
sugar bush, the twelve twelve hundred tap sugar bush. They
have their vernal pool. You look for salamanders in there.
Learn how Syrup has made all kinds of activities for kids.
(35:17):
And it's absolutely free. That's on Saturday, March the eighth,
from ten until five at the Ohio State University, Mansfield campus,
the Maple Pavilion, and it's free. So load up the
kids and the spouse and everybody and head up to
Mansfield and enjoy that again on Saturday, March the eighth.
For more information, Woodland Stewards dot o SU dot edu.
(35:41):
That's Woodland Stewards dot o SU dot edu. Thanks to
our collers, thanks to our sponsors, thanks to l our producer.
Because without all of none of the stuff, what happens.
So ella, thanks for all that you do. Now do
yourself a favor. Get your plants in place where you're
gonna plant trees, where you're gonna plant pollinator plants, where
you're gonna plant more bird friendly plants, you're gonna get
the kids and dogs involved gardening. Go to a camp
of your worms this year. I hope so, and by
(36:02):
all means, I want you to go out this weekend
and make it the absolute best weekend of your life.
Sea
Good morning, everybody. Welcome back. I'm Ron Wilson, and you
are in the gardener on Hero News Radio six '
ten WTVN, talking about yard ding on this first day
of February. Can't believe it. The quick month. Four weeks
and we're out of it. March the first ride around
the corner. We're into the spring season. Valentine's Day in
the middle, Groundhog Day tomorrow. This thing's gonna fly. Make
(00:20):
sure you got your plans in place and ready to
go when the weather breaks, because I'm telling you it's good.
We're thinking it's going to break early, and uh, well,
just have your plans in place. What do you say?
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Uh?
Speaker 1 (00:31):
You know, I mentioned a couple weeks ago that we
would start talking about some of the books that I
had an opportunity to read over the winter that I
highly would recommend you to read as well. And we're
going to kick off this morning with a book that
I just got recently, as a matter of fact, because
it's hot off the press. It is absolutely outstanding. When
I saw the title for this before I even got
(00:53):
the book, I said, you know what, it's about time
somebody really came up with a good book that addresses
this issue. And you know, we've got all kinds of
books out there addressing and rightfully so, and I thank
goodness we do about planting for pollinators, planting with native plants,
planning for the bees, planning for the monarch butterflies, et cetera,
et cetera. But I haven't found a real good book
(01:14):
out there as far as planting for the birds, because
they're a very important part of that ecosystem as well,
and they're facing a lot of the same issues that
are pollinators and our bees and our monarch butterflies are
facing as well. So I found a book that is
absolutely outstanding. The homework has been done for you. You
(01:35):
sit down, you read this book, and you will be
ready to go to change your landscape into a bird
friendly gardening landscape. It is written by Jen McGinnis. Her
website is Frawzenny dot com and Jen is with us
this morning.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Good morning, Good morning. How are you today?
Speaker 1 (01:51):
I am great good to have you with us. All right,
so you got to, first of all, explain something, Jen McGinnis,
and your website is Fraulzenny dot com and that stands
for I think you said, missus Zenia, Where did the
there were the fraw Zenni come from.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Yeah, so I.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Was trying to be cute. I'm half German and I
was playing on that heritage. So I was googling and
trying to translate what missus Zinnia would translate to into German.
And I came back with the translation Frau Zinny And
I thought that was really fun because it's unique and
it's memorable, and it also encompasses my love of zinnias,
(02:31):
which is a great pollinator plant.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Also, oh absolutely, I loved it. I saw the fraws
Zenni I was like and had me confuse the first
and then when I went to the website and I said, oh,
I get it now absolutely. And by the way, I
just want you to know that the picture you have
on your website with you as a young lady working
in the garden and up today you still look exactly
the same. How'd you do that?
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Thanks? It must be all that time out in the
sunshine and with the plants there.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
You go working out in that garden. By the way,
if you were Zennia lover, did you see, I'm sure
you stay up with it. The All American Selections for
twenty twenty five.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Yes, they have a new variety that just kind of
ouns yeah, that Cresstar mix. Yes, yes, it that's pretty cool.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Yeah, it's got that like that button in the middle
in the small and all kinds of colors. And you're right, Zenius,
you know that that's an old annual that's really coming
back because there's so many great varieties out there and
don't see the powdery mildew like you used to. And
you're right, a great pollinator plant as well, seeing a
lot more selections than rightfully, so.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Yeah, definitely a lot more color too.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
All right. So this is kind of interesting because I
got your book, and in the meantime of getting your
book of bird Friendly Gardening, I realized that you wrote
another book a few years ago which is absolutely outstanding
and I didn't know anything about it called micro Food Gardening,
which I'm into container gardening big time, and you talk
(03:56):
about a hot topic right now and a hot trend
out there and that's growing in tiny spaces. That book
is absolutely outstanding as well your two for.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Two here, Oh thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
They were both fun to write.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
So I thought this was kind of interesting first of all,
and I don't want to take away from the bird
Friendly Gardening book, but I like this one. And we
talk a lot about using the more dwarf plants, talk
a lot about container gardening on our show, talk about
gardening on patios and and and and you know, the
smaller containent. And I've been a container gardener forever and
I've just tried to experiment with all kinds of plants
(04:32):
and containers. I thought that this is a great one.
And of course all the new selections of dwarf and
micro plants vegetable plants that are available today is unbelievable
what's out there. But you kind of got into this
because of if I'm not mistaken from your grandfather.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
Yeah. So he he's basically encouraged me to be offside
and get my hands dirty. And he was really creative
with how he used his space. He was his house
was in Queens, New York, which is a borough of
the city, and he had a small plot of land,
but he made such a good, such a good use
of space. He'd have his grapes growing on the Trellis's.
(05:13):
He had raspberries growing in like a field that, like
you know, was really close to the road, the Long
Island railroad tracks, and you know, he had pumpkins growing
like right on the perimeter, and he had tomatoes and cucumbers.
They were growing together. He was doing companion planting, even
though they weren't. He wasn't calling it companion planting. So
(05:33):
he was really a mean proponent of me getting out
there and really finding a love of plants and learning
about how to grow your own food and how it's
easier than people think.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
And I loved reading about that because I've been doing
gardening shows for quite some time, and it used to
many years ago. I'd get people to call in and say, hey,
you know my grandfather used to or my grandmother used to,
or I learned from you know, an ancestor of some
type of had a garden. You just don't hear that
more than you know, passing it from one generation to another.
So I loved it when you said that. I think
you said your parents were involved with guarding too, but
(06:07):
your grandfathers, you know, doing all the little container gardenings,
I thought was outstanding.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Yes, definitely. And my mom, you know, she was into
the houseplants. My dad was into his roses. So I
had like a nice a pyramid of all the plants,
all the opportunities you could go after.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
You know, I love it well and I don't want again.
I don't want to take away from the book we
really want to talk about. But I'm telling folks right
now and I will continue to recommend this. This micro
food gardening book is absolutely outstanding and it's a you'll
find it available out there. And again it's by Jen
McGinnis and the commonly no or known as frows Any
and that's our website, frowzany dot com. So let's talk
(06:43):
about this absolutely wonderful. I don't know where you came
up with all the information here, but it's fantastic. You
did a lot of homework bird friendly gardening guidance and
projects for supporting birds in your landscape. Now, have you
always been a burder?
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Yeah, so I would say I grew up with the
love of birds. My spark bird was the cardinal when
I was growing up, he would come to my feeder.
I was totally enamored with how he looked, the red
feathers and just his attitude, you know, And then that
definitely followed throughout my life. But it wasn't until I
became a gardener with my own property, in my own garden,
(07:23):
that I started to connect the dots that the plants
I was growing to grow my own food, and then
the flowers for the pollinators I would help, you know,
pollinate those vegetables as well. Some of those native plants
were starting to bring in the birds. And just seeing
like that connection, I was like, Hey, if I start
putting in more shrubs that produce berries, I'm going to
(07:43):
I'm gonna see birds more often than just in the
winter when I put out my feeder. So it was
like a natural evolution. But it's always been like a
love of mine of just you know, someone will be
talking to me outside and I'll hear a bird in
the distance and be like, what, Like, I'll totally get
distracted very easily.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
Well, you know, and I like what you said with
a spark bird, And because you start out the book
by saying you remember your spark bird, the one who
picked your interest when you know, when we were looking
at a bird feeder or whatever. And I started thinking
about that, and you know, when I think back as
a kid, and I love watching the cardinals and the
blue jays go at it, and you know, the territorial thing,
and you know, especially around a bird feeder and all that.
(08:20):
But I think about as a kid we grew up
on the farm, I was, I still am infatuated with crows.
They're smart birds, and it's just I guess that's not
one that you really would garden for to get crows
to come into your landscape.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
Yeah. I guess some of the farmers would be surprised
that you picked that one. But they are very intelligent
and I could see why you would be enamored with them.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Oh yeah. And the other one, and you talk about
the sound, was a red winged blackbird because they've got
such a distinct call and you don't see them that often,
but man, I always thought that was the greatest bird ever.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
Yeah, they are really awesome.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
You're right.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
They have such a distinctive call and you know who
they are second second you hear that, and if a
listener hasn't heard that, hearing us for the first time,
it will be such a treat.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Oh yeah, no doubt. Talking with Jen McGinnis, the name
of the book is bird Friendly Gardening, and I'm telling
you what she walks you from the very beginning, just
their basic needs, all the way through. She even gets
sid there's even talking about how to photograph birds as well.
We'll talk about that too. Let's take a quick break,
we come back, we'll kind of work our way through
the book and some of the great things you'll find. Again,
it's called bird Friendly Gardening. Jen McGinnis is the author.
(09:30):
Her website is frawzinny dot com. Be sure and check
it out here on news radio six to ten WTVN
our special guest this Morning, Jen McGinnis. Her website is
frawzinni dot com. She's also the author of micro Food Gardening.
Highly recommend that book is absolutely outstanding. Her newest book
is Bird Friendly Gardening, again absolutely outstanding. You know what
(09:51):
I did is I read the book. I went from
from front to back, read the book, and then I
started putting all my little post it notes in here
on things that I wanted to, you know, start to
highlight to use in my own gardening endeavors. I think
you brought up a couple of good points, and here
one is, you know, if we start thinking about switching
over trying to add more native plants, try to add
more you know, create larger beds, maybe reduce the lawn
(10:12):
a little bit, do more of a flowering lawns or whatever.
We don't have to do it all at one time.
We can just kind of do this a plant at
a time, a bed at a time it does, you know,
and make it planned over maybe a two or three
year project. It doesn't have to be something you just
do all at one shot.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Right.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Yeah, it isn't an all or nothing thing that you're
signing up for. So if you have a garden that
you know is filled with you know, hydranges that are
not native, but you you don't want to get rid
of them, you can just start adding in like native
shrums or maybe some native perennials and start building out
your landscape so that way includes a little bit more variety.
(10:49):
And like you said, it can be done over time.
You could make yourself a plan, or you could just
you know, say this year, I'm going to go to
the garden center and find a native plant that looks
beautiful and that we grow in my yard and put
it in there and see what happens. So it's definitely
at your own pace and how how like choose your
own adventure right yeah, really now.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
And you're in your lawn, at your at your particular home.
Have you gotten more into the flowering lawn. I mean,
we've had a lot of interest with a lot of
folks here one is using like the micro clovers and
with the tall fascues or actually taking out some of
the turf totally and making it some more of an
actual flowering lawn.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
Yeah, so I kind of fall into the second category.
I've reviewed a lot of my front garden lawn. In fact,
I only have like a strip that's next to the
road at this point, and that really just serves the
purpose of like you know, if a car has to
park and it's it gets on the grass, like okay,
nothing gets you know, hurt. But yeah, I've removed most
of it. But I've seen all the wonderful alternatives that
(11:51):
they have offered for lawns and and here and we're
on Bason, Connecticut, we have no mo may and there's
a lot of participation in that also in that that
you know, really helps drive home the idea of like
you don't need that manicured green lawn all the time,
like there's other other.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Options, you know, sure, and I know you you know
you're an organic gardener. Do you find you find it
difficult to do all of this and be an organic gardener.
I mean, there's are some challenges that they are hard
to work with being an organic gardener.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
I find it easier than trying to, you know, find
the chemical fertilizer and schedule for me. I think over time,
I've been able to build up the quality of my
soil by making composts, adding it back into the soil,
growing plants that help put the nutrients back in, and
I'm thinking of like Comfree they do a great job
(12:43):
of that, and like you know, the peas and everything
and and the beans. So I think over time I've
developed like a healthy ecosystem. And because I'm not using
those pesticides, the native insects are taking care of the
problem insects. So sometimes, you know, you go out and
be like, oh my god, this shrub has you know,
beetles on it, and they're eating all the leaves, and
(13:05):
you have to say, like, step back, it's okay. You know,
someone's gonna come and eat those beetles, either you know,
a parasitic wasp or a bird. So usually it all
evens out, and I find that I don't stress as
much about the maintenance as anymore, like it just kind
of sure does its own thing.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
You've created that ecosystem that it just kind of takes
care of itself. I mean, we've seen research that's shown
you know, you do these pollinator butterfly gardens, bird gardens,
whatever and get the right system going and a lot
of times the beneficial insects, you know, that take care
of the ones that are the small percentage of the
nuisance insects that are out there. Next thing, you know,
you really don't have a.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Lot of issues, right exactly.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
Talking with Jen McGinnis. The name of the book bird
Friendly Gardening. Also go to a website as frowzany dot com.
Sign up for a monthly gardening email as well, and
the great information on your website. So a lot of
find a lot of good reading. I did. One of
the things I had no idea about where those four
main travel routes. Had no idea about that. That was
pretty interesting.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
Oh yeah, those would be the flyaways that the birds
are using to migrate in the spring and the fall,
and we have four of them across the United States,
and they're very you know, related to the geographic geography
of the nation. So you have like the Pacific fly Away,
the Central fly Away, you have the Mississippi one and
also the Atlantic and they you know, followed the course
(14:32):
of that north to south or south north, depending on
which migration season we're in. And that's a great way
for you to you know, go outside and see some
birds that don't natively stay in your area all year
round but might just be passing through. And I've also
found that, you know, growing those native plants, you become
more of a stopover station and a better chance to
(14:53):
see those warblers coming through or the other the other
really unique birds that are native tea your area.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Sure, talking with Jim McGinnis again. The name of the
book is bird Friendly Gardening. It's absolutely outstanding. You walk
us through all the general projects you walk us through.
I think it's interesting small space projects, medium space, large
space projects, rain gardens, shade gardens, woodland gardens. I mean
you pretty much cover them all. And then we've all
(15:22):
got those different situations there. I mean, you did a
wonderful job. And then I think that you know, we're
talking about container guardening that more and more, and a
lot of folks that have small space, you know, like condos, patios, whatever,
don't feel like they can contribute. I've always said, you know,
even a planter, a window box or whatever, you can
(15:42):
be a part of the pollinator solution here, a part
of the bird feeding solution here, even in something like
one container, a window box or whatever. And I'll tell
you that the planting you have on that first page
where they have that wooden box with those bends in it,
with different bends, that you could they take it in
out what a great I took. I took up made
some copies of that. I'm telling you the truth. I
(16:03):
made a couple copies of it and gave it to
a couple of friends because I said, look at this,
this is really cool the way this is set up.
You take those bins out and you plant like each
individual bin looks like they have all kinds of different
plants on them. But again, you addressed the small space
gardening which a lot of folks are faced with today.
But you really can be an influence even with small
(16:25):
space gardening.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
Yes, definitely, And like you had mentioned, the window boxes
are a great option. Like if you're in a terrace
like balcony area, you can put something out that would
help the hummingbirds. And you know, some of those birds.
Plants that are attractive to the hummingbirds also will feed
some of the sparrows as well, so just by like
the seeds and the grasses that they make. So yeah,
(16:48):
it's really all in conversation. And I wanted the book
to be like approachable for anyone to pick up and say, like, well,
I love birds, and you know, maybe is love gardening
or you know, maybe one of the other. But I
just wanted to make it accessible so people could feel
like they were empowered to do something and not be
left out.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
Well, you have totally done that, trust me. This is it.
And again I kind of kid you about it. But
you've got two books here that are absolutely wonderful. You're
two for two on these. I can't wait to see
what you're going to write about in your third book.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
Thank You.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
One that really caught my attention, and I loved reading
through all. I loved the whole book. But actually creating
an owl friendly habitat, I never thought about that.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
Yes, so that that one falls under the larger property,
just because that's usually the area where you can have
like those older trees or trees that have died back
and tens still remain standing because a lot of those
snags that you know, they don't look pretty, but they're
like vital habitat and homes for not only owls, but
the woodpeckers as well. So if you keep those standing
(17:51):
and they're you know, not in danger of falling on
your house, they're they're great to keep, and they will
make a habitat for those owls. And a lot of
the different stories of shrubs. You know, you have shrubs,
you have trees that helps create that habitat for them
as well.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
Let me ask you this, you know, I know you
give a garden talks and workshops and seminars and all.
I'm sure people email you as well. We talked about
planting for the pollinators, and we talk about planting for
the butterflies and and all that, you know, the beneficial insects,
and now we're talking about planting for the birds and
drawing birds into our garden as well. And birds eat insects.
(18:28):
So where's the trade off there. I did all this
planting to bring these insects in, and now the birds
are going to eat.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
Them, all right, So that kind of plays into what
we were saying earlier about that ecosystem, right, right, the
birds that are tracked in, they're not going to take
out every insect that is in your property. So if
you're trying to get those butterflies you know, to be
raised there, yeah, they will be a little more vulnerable
in that caterpillar stage. But you'll also be offering native
(18:53):
plants that host other native insects that will also feed
the birds. And there's one garden project in the book.
I think it's called the Insect Garden, and that talks
about all the different plants that host a variety of
insects that those birds will be eating, and then it
attracts a wide variety of them as well, from you know,
thrushes to cardinals and mocking birds and wax wings, so
(19:17):
there's something for everyone. But yeah, if you are organic
and not using pesticides, you're creating that area that it's
safe for the insects and for the birds and yeah,
making everybody happy.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
Basically, it's called Bird Friendly Gardening Guidance and Projects for
Supporting Birds in Your Landscape by Jen McGinnis. Her website
is frouzeni dot com. And you know, I think the
good thing about this is I can finish the book
reading you're not telling folks to not use bird feeders.
As a matter of fact, you talk about how to
incorporate bird feeders into what you are doing with your
(19:50):
bird gardening and your bird landscaping. So it's not a
bad thing to do the bird feeders as well.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
Right, And bird feeders can be really beneficial. The key
with them that's just keeping them clean. So if you're
feeding them now over the winter, you'll definitely want to
take down your feeder and give it a good scrub
every couple of weeks just to make sure it's clean,
removing all that soiled spoiled seed. If you have like rainstorms,
that kind of make it compromise, So you want to
(20:17):
keep everything fresh and clean. And that's true for the
hummingbird feeders as well. That's very important for them because
that nectar that gets put in them can spoil very
quickly and then that can cause way too many problems
that actually hurt the humming birds in the long run.
So if you sign up for a bird feeder, and
you're also signing up for the care and the cleaning
(20:38):
of it as well.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
Sure, and of course you did bring up in here,
which we don't a lot of times we forget about it.
How important fresh water is to these two birds into
all of them out there, but how important it is
to keep that going in your gardens as well.
Speaker 3 (20:51):
Yeah, fresh water is key. Not only does the sound
of the moving water help bring the birds in and
attract them to your property, but especially in the winter
now and our natural water sources are partially frozen or
completely frozen over, there's more chances for them to get
access to water if you put out a heated bird
bath and also keep that clean as well. And that's
(21:12):
how I actually first attracted Eastern bluebirds to my garden
was because I had that heated bird bath out and
they were, you know, passing through the area looking for food,
and they stopped at the bird bath. And this is
like a couple of years ago, and I've been able
to keep them around every winter ever since. So I
definitely keep that bird bath out there.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
Excellent talk about Jim McGinnis again. Her website is frozeni
dot com. Her new book is bird Friendly Guardening. It
is absolutely outstanding and I got to throw this back
in there again. Micro Food Gardening project plans and plans
for growing fruits and veggies and tiny spaces absolutely outstanding
as well. I suggest to get both of them. They
(21:51):
wonderful job and I really can't tell you enough how seriously,
both of them two for two on these absolutely outstanding.
Your website's outstanding as well, and we really appreciate you
spending time with us this morning.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
Oh well, thank you so much, and I'm so glad
you enjoyed the books, and thank you again having me
on today.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
Yeah, we appreciate it, Jen McGinnis. Again, our website fraul
Zenny dot com, bird Friendly Gardening, be sure and check
it out. Take a quick break, we come back. We'll
continue on. Phone lines are open for you at eight
two to one WTVN here on news radio six '
ten WTVN. I do want to thank again Jen McGinnis
for joining us this morning. These are two great books. Again,
(22:29):
I've got more books coming up. I think I may
have about five more that we'll take a look at
as we go over the next several weeks. And again,
you know what I recommend, I read these books myself
front to back, look through and make sure the information
I think is good and it's easy to understand and
all great information, and then like to share that with
you as well, and that these are I discovered the
(22:54):
other one, the micro Foods, by getting the first this
other one, but absolutely gorgeous, gorgeous book. I mean, great
pictures at all. She's a photographer, so it should be right.
But she does great job, great information on both of
those books, so be sure and check it out. Our
website's pretty cool too, so check that as well. Again,
I loved it, Frau Zennia. I couldn't quite figure out
(23:15):
what the deal was until you read it, and then
you understand it and go from there. And by the way,
those Zenias crust Stars Zenias are really cool. It's an
all American selection for twenty twenty five. Sometimes those are
available the first year at the local garden center. Sometimes
they're not. But it's the Zenia. There's multiple colors, and
(23:35):
I think they just come in a mix. I don't
think they're selling them by individual colors right now. And
it's the head on it looks like it's about an
inch and a half in diameter. It's it's a dome.
It's rounded and then there's small petals will go around
the outside. Pretty cool look at Senna, so keep that
in mind as well. Also, I was talking earlier about
our website run Wilson online dot com. I have a
(23:55):
plant pick of the week every week and this week
our tree. Last week it was paperbark maple. This week
it is Cornis moss. Are you familiar with Cornis moss
if you like dogwoods, but you want a dogwood that
will grow in the sun and then you know, having
to be a you know, kind of an understory tree,
do a good job. Here's the dogwood for you. Now
(24:17):
that what's different about this particular dog What is the
fact that it flowers yellow flowers in late winter early
spring versus the big white flowers that you get on
the corners floridas and the cousas. This is Cornis moss ms.
Or commonly known as Cornelian cherry dogwood. It's durable, It's
(24:38):
way underused in the landscape. It's tough, and like I said,
it loves to grow in full sun. Now, this is
a again kind of a small ornamental tree. Can be
used as a large shrub, typically multitrunked and low branching.
Use it as a specimen tree, patio tree, screening hedge
border fifteen to twenty high by fifteen to twenty wide.
(25:00):
There's two or three selections that are available out there
at your local nurseries. But been around a long time.
It's nothing new, it's just you don't see it very often,
I don't you know. Again, another one of those trees
that folks just don't know a lot about many times
when it's in flower in late winter early spring with
that yellow flower, I think a lot of folks mistake
it for a large forcythia, but it flowers way before
(25:22):
the forsythias do. But again, it's Cornelian cherry dogwood and
it has a nice dark glossy green leaf during the season.
It has the yellow flowers in the spring. It has
a nice size red berry that you can eat if
you get to it before the wildlife does. You can
make wine out of it. You can make jellies and
jams out of it, so keep that in mind. Birds
(25:43):
love it. So there you go. Another one that you
can use the for feeding the birds, but doesn't get
the respect that it deserves. Trust me, Like I said,
it's been around forever. Flies under the radar. It's called
Cornelian cherry dogwood cornice moss. And again check that out
at your local garden centers. I think you will love that.
For a small tree used a lot. I'll tell you
(26:04):
what's really nice. He uses a specimen. But if you're
doing a screen planting, a natural border planting, these do
a great job for that and it's a great show
as well. Cornelian Cherry Dogwood quick break. We come back.
We will jump back into the garden phone lines. Dan,
you're coming up next A tow to one WTVN here
on news radio six y ten WTVN. Yeah, I love
(26:29):
that song. Talking to your arding here on news radio
six y ten WTVN, A two to one WTVN to
the guarden phone lines. We shall go, Dan, good morning.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
Hi, good morning, thanks for taking my call.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
My pleasure.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
I want to do some winter overseeding and I've done
that in the past. Type of seed I've used is
the turf Builder, full sun, dense shade medium to hide
throughout the resistance.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
Well.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
With last year's summer, the south southwest side was really
impacted by the drought, and I'm wondering if there's a
variety of seed that I can go out there that
might be much more drought resistant.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
You know, if I had to say, of all the
grasses that are out there, the one that would hold
up the longest, and eventually, if it's not water and
it stays hot and dry for a long period of time,
it'll even shut down over time, but it does come back.
And that's the turf type tall fescues. And I don't
know what was in the mix or blend that you bought,
but those turf type tall fescues are pretty deep rooted.
(27:39):
You know, when you see the fescues, that's like a
Kentucky thirty one fescue long expressway. I mean, think about
that stuff that stays green all the time. You know,
it's I don't care what the weather's like, it's always green. Well,
this is like a This is like a second or
third cousin of that. It's a more high quality lance,
you know, turf type fescue, So it's a finer blade,
(27:59):
but it has that deeper rooting, drought resistance, insect a
little more insect resistant and disease resistant than a lot
of other grasses. So it's one of the last ones
to shut down when we get into a drought situation.
Blue grasses and rice sometimes some of the first ones
is shut down. So turf type tall rescues would be
(28:20):
my recommendation for the toughest winner or lasting the longest
until it finally will shut down. The other thing I
would recommend over time is that you know, we learn
from these situations where you know, if you can't water,
what can I do to make the soil, make the
turf more more durable? And of course using the right
(28:41):
seat and I do like the turf type tall rescue.
But point being is if somewhere down the road you
do you core air rate the lawn at all.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
Yeah, I've done that probably about two years ago. But
you know, it was so dry this fall. I couldn't.
Speaker 1 (28:57):
You couldn't do it. I mean it was so dry.
But if you're able to core air rate and every
time you core air rate, rake back it a really
fine compost and rake that back in those cores that
you pulled out and started getting more organic matter back
into that soil. Now, when you get that organic matter
in there, plus the more durable grass, you'll find that
(29:18):
it can be a lot more tolerant of the drier
situations because they root in even more extensively. And by
having those that more organic matter, when you do water
or when you do get a shower, that comes through.
It absorbs it a lot better rather than just having
the old heart clay. So yeah, core aer rating alone
(29:38):
is an absolutely wonderful thing to do. If you could
take that second step and put the organic matter there
and rake it back in on the top, that is
absolutely wonderful and you'll see over time it really does help.
Speaker 2 (29:50):
With Pete moss be something to incorporate into that area also.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
Yeah, I mean you can take pete. That's an expensive
way to go. You can usually find a finer compost
a lot less expensive. But if you want to use
the spag, don't use the black stuff. I would use
the spagnum. Yeah, the spagnum pete and again finally rake
that in and use it as a top dressing. Absolutely,
I mean do it lightly, but sure that's something you
(30:18):
could add as well, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
What's the latest I could really maybe do this winter seating.
Speaker 1 (30:25):
Uh, you know, the dormant seating. I try to shoot
for mid February, so anytime during anytime during this month
would be great. And what we're looking at is just
you know, warm days, cold nights, and that just basically
all that does is help to prepare a nice seed
bed and works that seed down into the soil. The
big thing is to go to those areas, rake it
(30:47):
so you get all the debris out of the way,
so you've got good seed soil contact. Get your seed
down anytime during this month. Get the seed down so
that it works its way in. It's in place, and
it's ready to go as soon as the temperature soil
and air temperatures get to a point where that grass
seed can start to germinate. And that's the whole goal
is having it in place so it you know, starts
right away. So we try to get it rooted in
(31:09):
as best we can before we get into the heat
of late spring and early.
Speaker 2 (31:13):
Summer and probably no pre emergence.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
No, you cannot use a pre emersion on that new
seed unless you get Scott's first. This step one for
newly seated lawns. It is a pre emerged herbicide only
lasts about I think about forty five fifty sixty days
something like that, and it does allow grass seed to germinate,
and it has a starter fertilizer with it. Two, it
(31:41):
does allow the grass seed to germinate and will stop.
Does a pretty decent job crab grass and other seeds
for about, like I said, a forty five to sixty
degree date window period and then it pretty much wears out.
But that one is available. It's a little bit expensive,
but you can use that. If you still need to
use a Premier's an herbicide.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
Well, thank you again and I'll get her done, all.
Speaker 1 (32:04):
Right, Dan, appreciate it. Let's know how it turns out
for you. All right, thank you, all right, you're more
than welcome, Tomato. Dick. Is this you?
Speaker 4 (32:15):
Hey? Ron?
Speaker 1 (32:17):
Oh, it's Dick from Dayton. Yeah, I'm doing great and
you I'm telling you.
Speaker 4 (32:23):
I called you twice. But Boots had asked me maybe
in the future, and I want you to be part
of you and Danny at seven hundred. He asked me
to come out and play for Auto Smart. But I'm
trying to think. I want to make it in a
good day so you can hear me too, you and
Danny and everybody you know.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
Yeah, well we have we'll have we'll have it on too.
So where are you going to go to Auto Smart's
and do that?
Speaker 4 (32:46):
Yeah, Boots, Boots told me. Yeah. See, I uh, there's
a little trivia in there. I got I got Rooster.
It was about I did fairly well, but I just
good forgot to tell you and Danny about it. You know,
I've been playing a little bit, but I think everybody,
you know, Derrick Geff heard me, and it don't only
be fair for you guys.
Speaker 1 (33:05):
To hear absolutely well. If you're gonna do that, let
us know ahead of time so we can try to
tune it in.
Speaker 4 (33:11):
Okay, I didn't mean to bother you.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
You're not bothering me. It's good hearing from you.
Speaker 4 (33:16):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm gonna yeah, I'll be back with
John Monday night, back to the Banjoe group, buddy.
Speaker 1 (33:23):
All right, sounds good, and we look forward to hearing
you on the Auto Smarts.
Speaker 4 (33:27):
Yeah yeah, maybe I'll see you. I'll see you next week.
Speaker 1 (33:30):
All right, sounds good. Take care, all right, there you go.
I wasn't sure they said Dick. I went shure it
was Tomato Dick or Dick from Dayton. There you go.
Good hearing from him. He gets on every show. That
man's a celebrity. What can I say? By the way,
quick reminders here before we run out of time. The
Central Ohio Beekeepers have their classes going on in the
(33:51):
February and March for B schools. It goes at the
Scott's Lawn Care in Marysville. That their their B school
February fifteenth. Them at different places, but anyway to find
out more about them, Central Ohio Beekeepers dot org. That's
Central Ohio Beekeepers dot org. Knox County Beekeepers. They've got
their classes. The first one is today, the next one
(34:13):
is February the fifteenth. They have other classes as well.
Again to learn more about them, It's Knoxbees dot com.
That's Knox Knoxbees dot com. And take one of those
classes there two and learn more about the bees. And
I've always said if you learn more about what you
have an interest in, like the birds, birding, or moles,
(34:35):
you have all problems. Learn more about their habitats. It's
easier to figure out how to control them. Bees and pollinators.
Learn more about them makes it easier for you to
understand what they need and how you can make adjustments
in your landscaping and what you do to help serve
the birds and the pollinators and the moles and the
boles and everything else. And when you're trying to get
those under control as well. And mark your calendars from
(34:56):
March the eighth from ten until five at the Ohio
State univer Mansfield campus. They're having Maple Madness Tour at
the Maple Pavilion. They're gonna have you can tour their
sugar bush, the twelve twelve hundred tap sugar bush. They
have their vernal pool. You look for salamanders in there.
Learn how Syrup has made all kinds of activities for kids.
(35:17):
And it's absolutely free. That's on Saturday, March the eighth,
from ten until five at the Ohio State University, Mansfield campus,
the Maple Pavilion, and it's free. So load up the
kids and the spouse and everybody and head up to
Mansfield and enjoy that again on Saturday, March the eighth.
For more information, Woodland Stewards dot o SU dot edu.
(35:41):
That's Woodland Stewards dot o SU dot edu. Thanks to
our collers, thanks to our sponsors, thanks to l our producer.
Because without all of none of the stuff, what happens.
So ella, thanks for all that you do. Now do
yourself a favor. Get your plants in place where you're
gonna plant trees, where you're gonna plant pollinator plants, where
you're gonna plant more bird friendly plants, you're gonna get
the kids and dogs involved gardening. Go to a camp
of your worms this year. I hope so, and by
(36:02):
all means, I want you to go out this weekend
and make it the absolute best weekend of your life.
Sea
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