Some time ago, the garden industry started a campaign to promote fall planting. While it was a clever trick to stimulate plant shopping when garden centers were normally quiet, fall planting is actually a bright idea for gardeners too.
Financially, you can save money by carefully choosing closeouts as many retailers try to clear their inventory. Horticulturally, plants have fewer pests and diseases to deal with in fall. In addition, cooler temperatures and moist soil benefit plants as they’re getting established. Even after top growth stops, roots continue to grow until the ground freezes. In spring, these established roots will have a head start because they will have built up the strength to withstand the coming heat of summer. As the expression goes, happy roots mean happy plants.
FOCUSED GROWING
Root growth isn’t a plant’s only priority in spring, says Tyler Johnson, curator of collections and grounds for the Iowa Arboretum and Gardens, and these various needs can create some strain on plants. “If you think spring, plants are leafing out, potentially flowering—depending on the species—and have much more tender new growth,” he says.
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Sense or Nonsense? - Why some birds can taste and smell - but others can't
Does a porcelain berry taste like a blueberry to a gray catbird? Does a block of lard smell like frying bacon to a northern flicker? The short answer is no. While some avian species do have a well-adapted sense of taste or smell, they can't distinguish between flavors and odors the way humans can. They're not picking up every ingredient in the suet you put out, says José Ramírez-Garofalo, an ornithology researcher at Rutgers University in New Jersey and the director of Freshkills Biological Station in Staten Island, New York.
Maple Mania - Amazing facts about this fall foliage mainstay
Amazing facts about this fall foliage mainstay
Food-Focused and Fierce - Meet Canada jays and learn why they eat almost anything they can find
Even if you haven't heard of Canada jays, you've heard of their relatives. Members of the corvid family, they belong to the same group as American crows, blackbilled magpies, and jays including blue, Steller's and scrub. "Unlike many of the other jays, a Canada jay doesn't have a crest of any kind; it just has a rounded head," says Dale Gentry, director of conservation for Audubon Upper Mississippi River.In 2018, the Canada jay's name was changed from gray jay, but Dale thinks the former adjective was fitting. "Most of its body is shades of gray with some white," he says. "There are different subspecies that have different physical traits, but most of them have some lighter coloring on their foreheads, upper breasts and throats, each with a darker streak that starts at each eye and goes back."
IN GOOD COMPANY
BIRDS OF A FEATHER MAY FLOCK TOGETHER, but what about other collectives of critters-and what do you call them when they do?
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Birds approach the challenges of migration in surprising ways. Learn about how they walk, swim or take the scenic route during their travels.
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Fall colors offer befitting backdrops for these stunning reader photos
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Distinct sounds help separate these similar species
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From black plants to moody decor, Gothic garden elements can offer a unique outlet to express your dark side
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