Squirrels at the Birdfeeder

The Droll Yankee Flipper could be a solution to squirrels in your birdfeeder.

Deer Visits Birdfeeder

House Finch enjoy the Birdfeeder

Most bird lovers who maintain birdfeeders struggle with a squirrel problem. Squirrels love the easy food source that birdfeeders provide. Sometimes a simple baffle can prevent squirrels access to a bird feeder. In my situation, I have far too many trees that allow the squirrel to jump over the baffle. The Droll Yankee Flipper keeps squirrels out of my birdfeeder.

Many people are familiar with the flipper birdfeeder because of YouTube videos featuring spinning squirrels (video below).  Excessive weight triggers spinning of the ring-shaped perch. I've had my Flipper birdfeeder for 3 years and haven't seen any spinning squirrels in over a year. The squirrels in my yard quickly figured out the spinner and avoid it. The spinner rarely runs so I only need to recharge the battery twice a year.

There's plenty of seed below the birdfeeder

The first few months I had the Droll Yankee Flipper, young squirrels  would jump on the spinner long enough to spill seed out of the feeder onto the ground.

Bottom line, the Droll Yankee Flipper keeps the squirrels off the birdfeeder. They still get fed because my birds drop massive amounts of seed on the ground.

Updates on the Asparagus Garden

I reported on our first asparagus planting experience in the February 2014 post.

Much to our delight, asparagus emerged from 1 to 6 weeks after planting. Through the summer, beautiful ferns developed along with numerous asparagus stems. We refrained from harvesting although the stems were very delicious looking. Asparagus is typically harvested after the second year of growth.

Healthy Asparagus Ferns

Early this month, the dried plants were cut at the base and covered with mulch. I'm looking forward to a small, limited harvest this summer.

Dried Asparagus Ferns Cut Down

Picked Asparagus 4/2015

Cooked Asparagus

April 2015 Update:
Several asparagus stems appeared in late March. The first 3 to appear were damaged by a frost. The weather warmed, and several more appeared. A hard freeze was predicted for the night before Easter so I harvested knowing that the stems would be damaged anyway. They were small, but yummy.

My plans are to let the plants grow without any harvesting this 2nd year. Looking forward to a great harvest season the 3rd year. This website has good information on harvesting asparagus.

April 2016 Update:
Three years have flown by. Our hard work in 2014 on the asparagus bed has paid off. Beautiful, robust asparagus spears came up in March, and we've enjoyed this side dish twice a week since then. Another benefit is that we're in the garden early anticipating the other vegetables we will plant and enjoy through the summer. If you've ever considered an asparagus garden, don't hesitate. Our inexpensive WalMart-bought crowns have been a great investment and gardening experience.

3rd Year Spears

Picked Asparagus

Advertising on this blog supports my writing. By clicking an ad, you are under no obligation to buy. If you see an advertisement of interest, please click.

Copperhead Snakes: A Real Threat

Until recently, I haven't had much experience with poisonous snakes. I've hiked through many wooded areas searching for geocaches and exploring without incident.

Two months ago, my neighbor was enjoying an after dinner walk with 5 other people and a dog. As they entered the driveway from the street, she stepped on a copperhead snake. "It looked like a small pile of leaves," her daughter reported. Before anyone realized the danger, she had been bit on the ankle.

The snake escaped and the family whisked the victim to the nearest emergency room. Swelling began immediately with pain and nausea.

Strangely enough, this emergency room had 4 other copperhead bites that day. It makes it more alarming that this emergency room is a small hospital annex serving residents in a residential community of a larger city.

As reported by the neighbor, the pain from a copperhead bite is severe. She was given morphine and, fortunately, moved to the head of the emergency room "line." She was monitored closely for many hours to gauge the severity of venom exposure (called envenomation). This determination is used to decide if antivenom will be administered or not. The administration of antivenom has an array of side effects that may require hospitalization as well as other complications.

Later, we learned several things NOT to do for a copperhead snake bite victim:

• Do not apply ice
• Do not apply a tourniquet
• Do not cut the bite and try to suck out the poison
• Do not use a pump suction device
• Do not administer any medication unless advised by a doctor

My neighbor took about 6 weeks to feel "normal" again. For 2 weeks she was unable to walk on the foot. She continued to feel severe pain for 3 weeks. Meanwhile, the whole neighborhood was on alert for these snakes.

Last Saturday, I was going in and out of our attached garage completing various chores. Each time I went out, I closed the door so leaves wouldn't blow in. On one trip out, I caught sight of a copperhead snake coming into the garage.

It seemed we spotted each other simultaneously. He started to climb up the garage entrance while I grabbed a rake to try to keep him from entering. Our garage is very cluttered, and there were too many hiding places for a snake.

He was too quick for me, and crawled under beach umbrellas and chairs piled in the corner. I took a safe position 10 feet from him inside the garage [armed with a rake] to make sure he remained in the corner. He was hidden, but I maintained my position until my husband came home from work.

We carefully and systematically fished our gear out of that corner until we could see the snake with a flashlight. Of course it was coiled up ready to strike.

We were able to dispatch the snake without anyone getting bit, but that experience was too close for comfort.



NC State Cooperative Extension has a nice write-up on copperhead snakes.

How to Cook Teot Bat Put or Asian Zucchini

I was gifted some round, green gourds and told they were Teot Bat Put. Since I had never seen much less cooked this strange vegetable, I began my research.

A few clicks revealed another name, Asian Zucchini. A photo of a prepared dish looked a lot like an Eggplant with Garlic Sauce recipe I've posted.

Armed with that information, the following are directions for preparation and a recipe for Teot Bat Put.

By the way, it was delicious, and easy to make.

1 - Wash Gourd and cut in half.

2 - Scoop out seeds and loose material. This is similar to cleaning out a pumpkin.

3 - Further slice the clean halves lengthwise and peel. This is similar to cantelope preparation.

4 - Cut the slices into bite-sized cubes.

5 - Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. (Use approximately 1/4 cup.)

6 - Once oil is hot, add cubes and saute. I saute with a lid on to keep moisture in the pan. Stir frequently.

7 - Once cubes are soft, add 1/4 cup gluten-free soy sauce, 4 tablespoons sugar, and 2 tablespoons minced garlic. Stir together.

8 - This is delicious as a vegetable side dish or served on top of rice.

13 Tips for Avoiding Scams and Cons when Hiring Help

Sometimes we need help keeping up with general yard tasks. Grass cutting can become overwhelming during the summer especially when everyone is working fulltime or extraordinary circumstances such as hospitalization occur. It can be a relief to hire out this work.

Other situations where you might hire help is for gutter cleaning, tree cutting, or debris hauling. Again, good help can relieve the stress and burden of extra property maintenance.

Unfortunately, hiring help can expose you and your family to scams and cons. I recently had a neighbor taken advantage of by a con man who cut her grass while her husband was hospitalized. Long story short, he borrowed her John Deere lawnmower for 2 months, and the authorities had to get involved to recover it. The scary part was that a Craig’s List warning had been posted about this guy. He had borrowed another mower this same growing season and sold it. She was fortunate indeed to have recovered her property.

I have had family members pay for tree cutting and removal after a hurricane. The business was recommended by a neighbor. They took a check and were never seen again.

Below I’ll offer advice on hiring services. More involved projects such as remodeling require licenses and expertise beyond the scope of this article. That said, just because a business has a license, you should still be cautious. Also, it only costs $10 to get hundreds of business cards printed so this is not a job qualification.

1 - Talk to several people to get recommendations. Not just one. Talk to neighbors, coworkers, and friends. Then interview 2 or 3 choices. This is someone you need to trust on your property. As in the example above, not all neighbor recommendations are good. Our neighbor tried to push a tree cutting service on us that absolutely ruined his yard and broke the driveway.

I have used the same gutter cleaning service for 20 years. They are very reputable. Why would a close neighbor hire a gutter cleaner off of Craig's list? (Get recommendations - don't be shy!)

2 - Do not use services that show up on your doorstep.

3 - Do not be pressured by a time-limited, “good deal.”

4 - Google the business and person's name. Ideally Google on different computers and browsers (i.e. Firefox , Internet Explorer, and Chrome) because results will vary. Look for bad reviews.

5 - If you have a bad feeling, don't agree to anything.

6 - Do not pay in advance for any service (even if it's a better deal).

7 - Get itemized receipts for payments. If paying by check, write on the check what services are covered. Keep all contracts, correspondence, cancelled checks, texts etc.

8 - If they claim your check has bounced, call your bank first. (This is a cash shake down.)

9 - They might do good work for awhile to get you off your guard.

10 - Do not loan any equipment or money to someone doing work for you no matter how many hardships they are facing (examples: sick child, broke mower).

11 - A business that brings a young child to the job is not professional, and these children are a safety and liability concern. Ask that they be taken home.

12 - Call the police/sheriff if you need help getting your property returned.

13 - If you are a senior citizen or have a family member sick or in the hospital, be extra aware. You are a target. (Sorry)

Book Review: A Photo Handbook of Weeds Identification and Green Grass Lawn Care for Picture Perfect Turf by NC Weed Killer

Dog Fennel is common along roadsides

NC Weed Killer” has written a book about improving your southern lawn. A Photo Handbook of Weeds Identification and Green Grass Lawn Care for Picture Perfect Turf is written from the perspective of someone that has moved from the cooler climate of St. Louis, Missouri, to Raleigh, North Carolina. He details a plan to reduce weeds and encourage healthy lawn growth. I believe it’s helpful and sound advice. 

Pokeweed growing along creek

As the happy owner of a shabby lawn, I am more interested in the weed identification section of the book. Weed Killer has identified 32 common weeds. 

They are so common that most of these photographs could have been taken in my yard. I am just happy to put a name to them, and it is hard to do so using the internet or plant books written for larger geographic areas.

Spotted Spurge growing in sidewalk crack

A Photo Handbook of Weeds Identification and Green Grass Lawn Care for Picture Perfect Turf is a twofer: a guide for lawn improvement and a weed identification text. Good Book!

The Destructive Squash Vine Borer: Rampage in the Squash

This year found me up close and personal to destruction wrought by the Squash Vine Borer. We had experienced squash plant collapse a couple of years ago, and knew about the Borer. This year was different because I got a much improved eye-level view of the damage.

Spaghetti Squash Vine on Tomato Cage

Climbing up and over tomato cages, spaghetti squash vines ran hog wild over the garden. Instead of seeing plants wilting on the ground, I first spotted the wilting and drying up of vines at eye-level on tomato cages. It's hard to ignore.

Squash Plant Base no Borer Signs

Signs of Borer on Squash Plant Base

Once the destruction became rampant, and there was nothing to be salvaged from the crop, I started a sanitary removal of all squash plants and further witnessed the destructive nature of this pest. This is what I saw:

Gourds drilled with tiny holes.
Frass deposits on the gourds. (Frass is excrement and material excavated from vines.)
Hollowed out and devoured vines  resembling large straw tubes instead of lush, living vines.

I rolled the vines up and placed them in a black plastic bag. Squash bugs and borers ran for cover. I destroyed several in the bag and on the ground. Before sealing the bag, I sprinkled a healthy amount of Sevin powder in the bag to prevent transporting the bugs to the local dump.

Below is an interesting 3 minute video showing the larvae and damage of the Squash Vine Borer. There are several longer YouTube videos on this subject that may be worth watching.

Garden sanitation is so important in controlling these pests. Gardeners love to compost, myself included, but this is not the time. All diseased and pest-carrying plants should be removed from the area. Think about next year's crop. Since both Squash bugs and Squash Vine Borers overwinter in the ground, squash should not be planted in the same area the next year.

Excellent photographs of the Squash Vine Borer can be found at this University of Kentucky site. Further information on squash pests from North Carolina Cooperative Extension can be found here.

State of the Garden July 2014

Vegetable Garden
Garden Lady Blog

Vegetable Garden

The vegetable garden is producing zucchini and yellow crookneck squash. With a crop of 12 plants, I'm picking every other day. The tomato plants are loaded, but green. I've started taking a few tomatoes for ripening in the house. I've lost a few tomatoes as they got mushy and fell off the vine. Research indicates that temperatures above 90 F can be the cause. I've lost a few to caterpillars, and am pulling Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs off the plants. (Click hyperlink for my previous post on this pest.)

Jalapeno Peppers are abundant. With 6 plants, I can pick every day. I've made 3 batches of Jalapeno Poppers - a family favorite. (Click for recipe video.)

Since Spaghetti Squash is a creeping vine, it's crawling up some tomato cages and over other vegetable plants. There are different sizes of gourds so I'll be able to stagger picking and not have to harvest all at once. (Check out my new book on Spaghetti Squash-growing and cooking-a link to Amazon page is below.)

Spaghetti Squash in Tomato Cage
Garden Lady Blog

Green Peppers are not producing yet. The eggplant has fruit, but it is green and not the usual black for the Black Beauty variety. I'm not panicking yet. Eggplant is one of my favorite garden vegetables. Our county extension agent thinks they will gradually turn black. I've fertilized just in case the cause is a Nitrogen deficiency. Click here for a delicious Eggplant and Garlic Sauce Recipe.

Vegetable Garden
Garden Lady Blog

Until today, the vegetables were pesticide free. An invasion of Squash Bug Nymphs was treated with powder Sevin. We also had our first Tobacco Hornworm (see video here) on a tomato plant. No chemicals were necessary to dispatch this gigantic specimen. The photo shows the Hornworm eating the tomato. To detect the worms before too much damage occurs, look for the following: waste material sitting on leaves and branches missing leaves.

Flowers

Video of Swallowtail Butterfly enjoying Butterfly Bush

Garden Lady Blog

The Butterfly Bushes are finally blooming. I have baby plants sprouting everywhere including in the mortar of my front steps.

Brown-eyed Susan
Garden Lady Blog

The Brown-eyed Susans look wonderful especially since I don't remember planting them. The Goldfinches are enjoying the seeds.

Most of my flowers are perennials, but an exception are the Cleome. I bought a pack of seeds 10 years ago, and the flowers are still reseeding themselves. In addition, my neighbors took some seeds and the whole neighborhood has stunning displays of Cleome.

Cleome
Garden Lady Blog

Many of my perennial bushes are overgrown and need severe pruning. Forsythia, azalea and camellia fall into this category. Over the years, the Forsythia and Camellias have provided great cover and nesting sites for birds.

Enjoy!

Garden upkeep seems endless this time of year. If you're like me, being outdoors working beats indoor chores anytime. Just remember, eventually the weather will change and then we'll be missing the hot days of summer.

Please check this post again as I plan on adding more photos and videos. Thanks for reading my blog.

Praising the Pansies this Year

Most of my landscaping plant budget is spent on perennials. They come back year after year, and frequently supply offspring to give to my gardening friends.

There is one type of annual that is well worth the investment, however. Each Fall, I get a couple of flats of pansies. They provide cheerful blooms as the weather turns cold. Often, blooms persist in winter snow and revive again in Spring.

This year I was treated with a spectacular display in early Summer. No other flowers were blooming after the iris and before the peonies so the pansies filled that gap with a gorgeous yellow burst of color that brought smiles to anyone glancing at the front steps.

Although we're still in Summer, let us all remember to get our pansies this Fall. I will tweet a reminder so follow me @gopamnc.

Introducing New Blog : Gluten Free Products Review

Back in July 2012, I started blogging about cooking and eating Gluten Free on the Garden Lady blog. 

There is an increasing number of new gluten free products on the market. This new blog will be dedicated entirely to product review.

Some Garden Lady posts will be paraphrased into the new blog, and, going forward, the gluten free topic will only be addressed there.

If you have an interest in the Gluten Free topic, please take a look at Gluten Free Products Review.

Worx Grass Trimmer and Edger Is a Terrific Tool

I've never endorsed lawn equipment before, but it occurred to me that I have a product worth writing about. I received the Worx grass trimmer as a gift 4 years ago. It's lightweight and recharges easily.

I use it to trim around bushes and stumps, and along sidewalks. A charge lasts over an hour, and I'm usually ready to stop before the battery quits.

The 18 volt lithium battery doesn't have the battery memory issues. That means you can recharge it once you're done using it rather than wait until the battery is completely depleted. (The current model has an 20 volt battery.)

Restringing the Worx is easy with the (optional) preloaded cartridges. Just pop in a new one when the string runs out.

I recommended the Worx to my neighbor. She thanked me the other day after enjoying hers for over a year. That reminded me to post a blog about this terrific trimmer.

Below is a 2-minute manufacturer's video about the latest model Worx Trimmer.

Burrowing Crayfish: What's that mud hill near the ditch?

Burrowing Crayfish Mud Chimney

The Burrowing Crayfish creates mud columns or chimneys alongside ditches or in low-lying wet ground. The stack is formed as the crayfish pushes mud out of it's habitat tunnel. The chimneys near my home are along a ditch that ranges from a shallow mud puddle to a 2-foot deep creek. The crayfish live in underground water pools and mud. They are rarely seen because they are nocturnal. 

The Southeastern United States has over 300 crayfish species.

This 4-minute video shows a scientist catching a burrowing crayfish. At the end of the video, you get a good look at the crayfish.

Sources:

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=665N7MKI5mM&autoplay=1&app=desktop

N.C. Cooperative Extension
 http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/Ornamentals_and_Turf/lawn/note126/note126.html

N.C. Museum of Science
http://naturalsciences.org/research-collections/research-specialties/invertebrates/john-cooper

University of Illinois Extension http://hyg.ipm.illinois.edu/article.php?id=56

UNC Charlotte Publication
http://ui.uncc.edu/story/crayfish-streams-north-carolina-fishing

Eastern Phoebe Nest with Video

Eastern Phoebe

Eastern Phoebe at Birdbath

I've always admired the Eastern Phoebe with its dark cap, white breast, and flicking tail. Imagine how thrilled I was to discover a nest on a gutter elbow under the roof of my home.

Phoebe nests are built with mud and vegetation. This nest utilized the abundance of moss in the yard.

Phoebe nest on gutter

The nesting pair communicates with short chirps. Even though it was 30 feet in the air, they did not approach the nest while I was observing. There appear to be 4-5 chicks.

Below is a 1 1/2 minute video showing the nesting phoebes being fed by their parents.

If you are watching from an iPad or other device, this video can be viewed here.

Phoebes are members of the flycatcher family. Their appetites for insects are welcome in this neighborhood.

The phoebe can also be heard making a wolf whistle. I have a lot of fun answering the whistle of  a bird at the end of my street.

In a previous post I've remarked on the distinctive call of the bird (fee-bee). A recording is available at that post. I have read that call is strictly for mating, and ceases once the bird finds a mate. As I’m writing, I can hear “fee-bee” so I suspect that’s not true.

Phoebe flies in to feed young

Parent Phoebe at nest

Carolina Wren: Another unusual location for a nest (video added)

Carolina Wren Nest Inside Topsy Turvy

I've written in previous posts about the Carolina Wren nesting in a milk jug and in a golf cart. This year, we found a nest in a retired Topsy Turvy. The Topsy Turvy is a hanging planter for tomatoes. We stored ours in the greenhouse. Leave it to the Carolina Wren to repurpose!

Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter

 I photographed the inside of the Topsy Turvy using my new Canon EOS Rebel T3i . I aimed the camera into the top of the tube, and swiveled the pop-out viewfinder so I could see the camera's view. This is a really nice feature!

                                                                       

Here's a 30 second video of a wren taking a bath on the deck.

Hummingbirds are back!(Video Included)

If you haven't put your hummingbird feeder out, now is the time to do it.

In North Carolina, the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds return from Central America and Mexico in April. It's May 7th and I've seen hummers around my azaleas and deck feeder.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird feeding from Butterfly Bush

Video showing Hummingbird Feeder activity

Hummingbirds are carnivores and devour insects. The nectar fuels their flying and is not their sole source of food.

Some Ruby-throated Hummingbirds winter along the Gulf of Mexico. There is even a small band that remains on the Outer Banks of North Carolina over winter. Since I live in North Carolina, I would love to hear more about this anomaly.

I found this website to be a good source of information on the Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

                                                                         

New book to come: How to Cook Spaghetti Squash(And Grow It Too!)

I am behind on my blog posts because I am finishing my book, How to Cook Spaghetti Squash (And Grow It Too!). It will be offered in paperback and e-book formats at Amazon.com. I will add a link to the Amazon page soon. Book Link: http://amzn.to/1fIftj8