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Embracing Winter: Gardening for Wildlife
By Liselotte Vince, CCEDC MGV
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Article Photos by Liselotte Vince | |
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As winter approaches, our gardens transform into sanctuaries for wildlife seeking refuge from the cold. There are numerous ways gardeners can create a haven for wildlife during the colder season. Let's explore some of these strategies:
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1. Providing Shelter:
In winter, shelter is a lifeline for creatures. Set up roosting boxes and birdhouses strategically to provide safe havens for different bird species during winter storms.
| Evergreen trees and shrubs serve as natural windbreaks and shelters, offering protection for birds seeking warmth and cover. Don't forget to create brush piles or wood piles in quieter corners to shelter small mammals like rabbits, squirrels, and chipmunks. Additionally, leaving undisturbed areas with leaf litter and garden debris caters to the overwintering needs of insects. | |
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2. Offering Food Sources:
Winter often limits natural food sources for wildlife. Keep bird feeders filled with high-energy seeds and suet during the colder months. Don’t forget to sprinkle some birdseed on the ground for those birds who don’t use bird feeders.
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Leave seed heads and berries on native plants as a natural food source for birds and small mammals. | |
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3. Water Sources:
Access to water is crucial for wildlife survival. Ensure continuous access by keeping bird baths ice-free and filled with fresh water. There are many heated bird baths on the market. Ponds and streams are vital for wildlife in winter, offering a place with unfrozen water for animals to drink and seek shelter from prey.
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4. Winter-Friendly Gardening:
Maintaining a tidy garden by clearing leaf litter and trimming plants before winter can feel gratifying. Consider leaving a designated area with leaf litter as ground cover to safeguard insects and small animals. As plants naturally die back, their stems develop hollow or pithy structures, offering ideal spots for insects to lay their eggs. Rather than pruning plants entirely to the ground, preserve some by cutting the stems to a height between 8 to 24 inches. These pruned-back stems create vital overwintering sites for insects, enhancing the garden's biodiversity and supporting the ecosystem. In the spring, new growth will quickly cover these old stems.
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5. Supporting Pollinators:
Create spaces that cater to early-emerging pollinators. Plant early blooming shrubs like witch hazel or winter honeysuckle to provide nectar for these beneficial creatures. Once the weather starts to warm up in the spring, wait till temperatures are consistently above 50F before cleaning up the garden. This gives overwintering insects a chance to emerge from where they spent the winter months.
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6. Visual Winter Interest:
Leaving plants standing during winter serves a dual purpose: not only does it benefit local wildlife by providing essential shelter and nesting areas, but it also contributes to the aesthetic appeal of the garden. These plants, with their unique textures and structures, offer visual interest against the winter landscape. Frost-covered seed heads, dried flower clusters, and the intricate patterns of skeletal stems create a picturesque and captivating aspect to the garden. They add depth and character to the wintry scene, providing a different kind of beauty that evolves with the changing seasons.
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Supporting wildlife during the winter is a wonderful way for gardeners to create a thriving ecosystem within their own yards. Offering shelter, food, and water sources, and adopting wildlife-friendly gardening practices all work together to nurture a vibrant and resilient habitat all season long. Embracing the winter season allows both gardeners and wildlife to find solace within the tranquil beauty of our winter gardens. | |
Registration open for the 110th CCEDC Annual Meeting
Please join us for the Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County Annual Meeting on Thursday, November 16th at 7:30-9:30AM. We truly appreciate your support and involvement in our vital role in the lives of individuals, families, businesses, and communities throughout Dutchess County.
We welcome our attending supporters to RSVP today! Please note that only eligible attendees may vote on Association matters. Eligible attendees are Dutchess County residents, 18 years of age or older, and qualify as an enrollee in accordance with Article IV, Section 1 of the Association Constitution.
This event starts promptly, and a hot breakfast will be served at 7:30AM.
If you are feeling unwell, do not attend this in-person meeting.
Our agenda will include:
Impact of Extension: Year in Review
Annual growth and plans for the next fiscal year.
Approval of 2022 Minutes
Nominating Committee Report
Program Impact Updates
Showcase of outreach and programmatic success!
Impact Stories:
Tomasine Oliphant, MSW
SUNY Dutchess Human Services Program,
FCE PAC Member, former CCEDC Board Member
Samantha Brittain
Green Teen Program Manager
Special Recognition Ceremony:
"Honor of the Year" Extension Award:
Matthew Shayly
Community Fresh Produce Project for 2023
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Remaining 2023 Schedule
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November 3: Winter garden prep | Tick check reminder
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December 1: Houseplant IPM | Firewood pests
Click to Register
If you want to rewatch one of our seminars you can find them in our youtube playlist.
Youtube playlist.
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The Dutchess Land Conservancy
winter webinar series kicks off in November.
This season we are focusing on Dutchess County.
Each month will cover a new topic pertaining to Dutchess County.
In November, Becky will take us on a journey through the Hudson Valley's geologic past to discover a billion years of history revealed in the area's rocks and mountains. From multiple mountain-building epochs through millennia of present-day land lying on the sea floor to glaciers carving and scouring the landscape, the Hudson Valley contains a rich geologic history.
Registration is now open for the November session.
All sessions are via zoom and completely free.
Click here to register for this event
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Dutchess Land Conservancy
Saturday, December 2, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
at the Thompson Pond Preserve
261 Lake Road, Pine Plains
Becky Nesel "Geo Beck," a local geologist and science communicator, will lead us along the trails of Thompson Pond Preserve in Pine Plains to explore the geology of this unique landscape. Journey through time with Geo Beck as she leads us on an investigation of the ancient and complex tectonic history of Stissing Mountain through to the more recent glacial formation of Thompson Pond. Discover the tales told by this fascinating landscape whose story began a billion years ago.
Join us for a walk that will absolutely rock!
For more information: Geology Walk With Geo Beck
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Let's Talk Conservation: Fall Book Club Meetup
Beatrix Farrand Garden Association
4097 Albany Post Road, Hyde Park, NY, 12538
Wednesday, November 8, 2023
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Join us for a laid-back afternoon chat about conservation,
inspired by Douglas W. Tallamy's book, "Nature’s Best Hope."
He's all about creating wildlife-friendly spaces, and we're excited to dig into his ideas.
Tallamy's message is simple: we can't rely solely on public lands for conservation. He encourages us to transform our yards (or even our balconies) into wildlife havens. Come share your thoughts, ideas, and questions about how we can be a part of "Nature's Best Hope."
Expect a relaxed and friendly discussion lightly guided by longtime volunteer, former teacher and book lover, Debby Glynn. We'll explore how we can make a difference in our own backyards. Whether you're a gardening guru or just curious about how to give nature a hand, come by on November 8th, at 11:30 AM and feel free to bring snacks to share!
Click here to register for this event
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SUBMIT UPCOMING EVENTS
Would you like information on an upcoming gardening event to be shared in this newsletter?
Please include the date, time, location, a short description, cost and contact information for more details.
Send an email to: Francheska Kuilan at fk232@cornell.edu by the 20th of each month to be included in the next month’s newsletter.
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MASTER GARDENERS SPEAKERS BUREAU
Master Gardener Volunteers offer lectures on a wide array of subjects for gardeners.
Favorite topics include: Vegetable Gardening; Pollinator Gardens; Home Composting; Sustainable Gardening Best Practices; Gardening in Small Spaces; Deer Defense; Bulbs for All Seasons; Spotted Lanternfly; Jumping Worms, Putting the Garden to Bed in Fall; and Nature in Winter. Additional topics can be prepared to meet a particular group’s needs or interests.
The talks are 45 minutes in duration, followed by 10-15 minutes for questions from the group. A fee of $75 per lecture (or 3 for $200) helps support our numerous community projects.
To arrange for a speaker and get more details on offerings, contact Francheska Kuilan at fk232@cornell.edu
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UPCOMING LIBRARY & GARDEN CLUB TALKS:
Note: We have a brand new presentation on 'Spongy Moths'. Let your local library know you are interested in hearing it and find out what you can do at home to help minimize the damage next year.
November
November 9th at 10 am
"Seed Starting" by CCEDC MGV Mary Nisley
Gretna Garden Club
November 16th at 6:30 pm
“Wreaths: A Circle of Beauty and Meaning” by CCEDC MGV Donna Croshier
Boardman Road Branch Library, 141 Boardman Road Poughkeepsie, NY 12603
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
Need Soil pH Testing? Need Lawn or Plant Diagnosis?
Have any gardening questions?
The Horticulture Hotline, (845) 677-5067 is Closed for the season. Diagnostics questions can be submitted to our website or you can use this quick link Submit Questions Here. If a photograph is included, please ensure it is focused and as close up as possible.
Please call before bringing soil or diagnostic samples to the office at 845-677-8223 or email fk232@cornell.edu to arrange sample drop-off.
For more information, including required forms and a listing of our current service fees:
Cornell University Diagnostic Services:
Gardening Information:
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Visit the Cornell Garden Based Learning Website to learn more about vegetables, fruits, lawns, trees, shrubs, houseplants, soil, composting and pests.
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New York State Integrated Pest Management for Communities for structural and garden pests.
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Websites for Gardeners - many topics, including bees, nuisance wildlife, mushrooms, invasive plants, certified arborists and weed ID.
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Websites mentioned in Dutchess Dirt are provided as a courtesy to our readers. Mention of these websites does not imply endorsement by Cornell University, Cornell Cooperative Extension or by the author.
Cornell Cooperative Extension is an employer and educator recognized for valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities and provides equal program and employment opportunities.
The programs provided by this agency are partially funded by monies received from the County of Dutchess.
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