Why gloves are your best friend when working with Trifoliate Orange.

Tools help a gardener succeed. Most of us don’t treat our tools with respect. I often leave them out on the patio. They rust. I rarely sharpen or oil them. I am not the Martha Stewart of tool maintainance.

I don’t like wearing gloves because I get a better feel of what I am doing with my hands. Unfortunately, I forget that I should use them with plants that have thorns or sharp leaves.

I was reminded of this when I was removing Carolina Jasmine from a Trifoliate Orange the other day. Several large thorns pierced my hands several times while I was trying to untangle and remove the vines. It drew plenty of blood!

Its also time to begin feeding the birds again. The migratory birds will be passing through all Fall. Its a great time for birdwatching these rare visitors. I placed several Niger Seed feeders around the yard. You can purchase sock feeders filled with this small black seed that birds love. I also have wire feeders that I keep filled with black sunflower seeds all year. Northern Cardinals love them!

Small birds love the Niger seed and will flock to these socks. They usually empty them with in a few days. They are inexpensive and easy to use. 

The small seed is more expensive than other seed and dries out quickly so only purchase what you will use or the amount the birds will eat within a week. Once it dries out most birds will not eat it.