House Plants

Air Plant

If you can not grow any plant indoors, try an air plant. The varieties come in many foliage colors, textures, sizes (2” to 12” tall), and flower colors. They absorb moisture and nutrients from the air through their leaves. This makes them a good air purifier for your home.


There are over 600 species found in the United States to the southern tip of South America. Their roots allow the plant to cling to rocks or trees feeding on the humidity of the forest and bird poop. As a houseplant, you can remove the roots if you do not want them to cling to something.


You will notice your air plant blooming once during its lifecycle. The plant will set out offshoots as more plants around the base of the parent. As these bloom, more and more plants form increasing the size of the plants.


You need to know a few growing tips. Do not plant in the soil as they will rot but they do need moisture. Mist them a couple times a week or submerge them into water once a week. Feed them once a month by dunking them into the water with a water-soluble fertilizer like Miracle-Gro. As for light, 6 hours of bright light will meet their needs.


Near a bathroom window is good because they can get light and get the humidity of the shower. For these reasons, kitchen windows work well also.

Landscaping decor

Hay or Straw Bale Art

Small and large bales have been around for a long time. There is not an item that can be so versatile. There are some people that create hay or straw bale art.

Small bales can be used for front porch or outside winter decorations. From creating outdoor tables, chairs, and sofas that do not blow away to uses in the garden. They come in handy for making cold frames for starting early seeds to creating raised beds for planting.

The larger round bales can be used for art. Various areas are known for creating displays of hay art. If you happen to be driving by Alpena, SD next fall on Hwy 281 and 37, you should see hay are made by local families.

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Wildlife

Winter Birds

Do not forget to feed the birds especially through the hard part of winter. Winter food should have a little fat, dried fruit, and sunflowers for ingredients. Suet becomes important for winter birds because of its fat content.

Here is one recipe for cheaper homemade suet cakes:

  1. ⅓ cup sunflower seeds.
  2. ⅓ cup Nyjer seeds.
  3. ½ cup dried fruit, soaked overnight.
  4. ½ cup unsalted peanuts.
  5. 1 cup lard or beef suet or peanut butter (crunchy or smooth).
  6. Hanging bird feeder(s) suitable for fat balls.
  7. Mix and refrigerate a couple of days.
  8. Put in suet feeders or suet socks and hang in a tree.
  9. You can roll pinecones in the mix and hang.

If you want to use bird feeders from the store, then is great also. Use a higher energy bird food with nuts and berries when it gets really cold outside.

It is always fun to watch birds like colorful blue jays, cardinals, woodpeckers, and finches in the dead of winter. Birds will also eat many weed seeds still on the plant in your yard or garden that otherwise might grow.