Monday, August 28, 2006

Gardening For Wildlife - Junipers

It's almost time for Fall planting and trees do very well going into the ground in Fall since they have that season plus Winter to establish their roots and be ready for the warmer weather. Now is a great time to put in some evergreens that will provide cover for the winter. Birds will roost in evergreens and also weather the winter storms. Here's some words from National Wildlife Federation's site:

When the wind sweeps hard out of the North in winter, piling the snow into drifts and bringing bitter weather, Ron Johnson knows what trees will be sought out by birds and other animals.

“Junipers help pull wildlife through tough times,” says Johnson, an extension wildlife specialist at the University of Nebraska. Not only do native junipers produce abundant food for scores of species, their dense branches also offer crucial protection from both wind and cold. When spring finally comes, mockingbirds and other songbirds often shelter their nests deep inside these conifers.

According to Johnson, many types of trees and shrubs will provide one, or perhaps two, of these benefits. But junipers are one of the few plants that do it all. “They’re one of the top ten plants for wildlife,” he says, pointing out that even one juniper in your yard can give birds and small mammals a boost.

Read the entire article on their website.

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